The Docks of New York

1928 1h 16m EN

👍

7.0

SOLID

🔥

100%

CERTIFIED FRESH

⭐

7.5

IMDB

★7.0TMDB · 122🍅100%Rotten Tomatoes★7.5IMDB · 5,576

DramaRomance

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A blue-collar worker on New York's depressed waterfront finds his life changed after he saves a woman attempting suicide.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

George Bancroft
Bill Roberts
Betty Compson
Mae
Olga Baclanova
Lou
Clyde Cook
'Sugar' Steve
Mitchell Lewis
Andy
Guy Oliver
The Crimp
May Foster
Mrs. Crimp
Lillian Worth
Steve's Girl

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Josef von Sternberg
Writers: Jules Furthman, John Monk Saunders, Julian Johnson
Languages: No Language
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

RUNTIME

Did you know

Tight 76-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

ERA

Did you know

98 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

RUNTIME

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

ERA

Did you know

Directed by Josef von Sternberg, shot by Harold Rosson. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Helen Lewis shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

CAST

Did you know

George Bancroft and Betty Compson and Olga Baclanova carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0018839 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Josef von Sternberg directs. Harold Rosson behind the camera. Helen Lewis cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in No Language.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Tight 76-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
298 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
4Directed by Josef von Sternberg, shot by Harold Rosson. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Editor Helen Lewis shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6George Bancroft and Betty Compson and Olga Baclanova carry the top of the cast.
7IMDB entry: tt0018839 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

The technical file

Cinematography: Harold Rosson
Editing: Helen Lewis
Runtime: 76 min · 1h 16m
Status: Released
Original language: EN
Certification (US): NR
IMDB: The Docks of New York (1928)
Rotten Tomatoes: 100% 🍅 Fresh
IMDB rating: 7.5/10 · 5,576 votes
MPAA: Passed

Awards

7 wins total

Also by

Josef von Sternberg

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2022-06-06
★ 7/10
This is a beautiful example of the film-makers craft. Josef von Sternberg and Harold Rosson have created a thing of aesthetic beauty coupled with an interesting - if not especially deep - character study of two people George Bancroft ("Bill") and Betty Compson ("Mae)". The camera loves both of them - and interestingly for the late 1920s, it is not shy in illustrating the beauty of the male physique as well as the beauty of both Compson and Olga Baclanova ("Lou"). The story isn't really the main feature of the film: "Bill" is a stoker on the docks where he encounters a potential suicide victim - the disillusioned hooker "Mae" with whom he soon bonds - much to the frustration of his ex wife "Lou". It is almost totally devoid of sentiment, it is gritty, earthy and although to look at the pair, their love appears unlikely, it does engage with some almost crude, witty, interventions from "Lou" to keep the story entertaining as well as stylish. I am a fan of most of JVS's films - the "Scarlett Empress" (1934) being my favourite, but this one is up there...

Production companies