Doomsday

If you're looking for the reason as to why Gary Cooper was so popular when he wasn't a very good actor, you've got to watch him in a silent movie. He was young, handsome, tall, heavily made up, and didn't have to open his mouth. He was a far better actor when he only relied on his glances rather than his words, and he didn't seem nearly as afraid as he did during his talkies. Audiences grew loyal to him, just like they did with Joan Crawford when she was young and pretty, and they stuck with him even when they heard him talk.

In Doomsday, he plays a poor farmer who can't give the woman he loves a good life. Florence Vidor is being courted by the wealthy, older Lawrence Grant, but she isn't attracted to him. She's very attracted to Gary, and they share a steamy scene in a haystack. She marries Lawrence, and soon learns the painful lesson that money can't buy happiness. I guess she didn't know the title of the movie. Check this old silent movie out to see why Gary Cooper was a hit!