Betty Compson in The Docks of New York
Sometimes you don’t need sound. You just need the glamorous world of film noir, it’s excessive use of soft light and cigarette smoke. This is one of those times.
The Docks of New York (1928) by
Josef von Sternberg starring
George Bancroft and
Betty Compson is a silent film noir drama about stoker Bill Roberts who gets into trouble during a brief shore leave when he falls for Mae, a dance-hall girl. The film comes together in the combination of cinematography by
Harold Rosson, expressionist set design by
Hans Dreier, and the sensual performances by Bancroft and Compson.
Betty Compson and George Bancroft in The Docks of New York
