Richard Barthelmess is excellent as the war hero whose accomplishments are pinned on a coward. We see this at the outset.
The movie is unremittingly dark. Indeed, it is for W.W.I what film noir was for W.W.II: It shows the disappointment that can await a man who has fought valiantly for his country once he returns home.
Once home, he gets a job but the morphine he'd been given for pain becomes an addiction. He ends up in prison.
I think Aline MacMahan is an underrated performer of early movies. Here she is strong and touching as first Barthelmess's landlady and then his family friend.
Loretta young is effective, too, in a fairly small but significant role.
Robert Barrat provides some comic relief as a Socialist neighbor who makes a big change. His character is the opposite of Barthelmess's: He preaches and talks but when given the chance, he betrays his own ostensible philosophy. Barthelmess does what he needs to do, quietly and without wavering.
There are scenes that rival the best photos of the Depression.
I think this could be called a true tragedy according to Aristotle's definition: Barthelmess plays a proud man who lives by his moral code. He suffers for his unwillingness to bend. And we gasp at what he must therefore go through.
The movie is unremittingly dark. Indeed, it is for W.W.I what film noir was for W.W.II: It shows the disappointment that can await a man who has fought valiantly for his country once he returns home.
Once home, he gets a job but the morphine he'd been given for pain becomes an addiction. He ends up in prison.
I think Aline MacMahan is an underrated performer of early movies. Here she is strong and touching as first Barthelmess's landlady and then his family friend.
Loretta young is effective, too, in a fairly small but significant role.
Robert Barrat provides some comic relief as a Socialist neighbor who makes a big change. His character is the opposite of Barthelmess's: He preaches and talks but when given the chance, he betrays his own ostensible philosophy. Barthelmess does what he needs to do, quietly and without wavering.
There are scenes that rival the best photos of the Depression.
I think this could be called a true tragedy according to Aristotle's definition: Barthelmess plays a proud man who lives by his moral code. He suffers for his unwillingness to bend. And we gasp at what he must therefore go through.