The system of rigging used to transfer the men from one ship to the other during the rescue is called a "breeches buoy."
John Gilbert's meteoric rise to stardom during the silent era was followed by an even faster descent, brought on by the advent of talking pictures. Much has been written about Gilbert's decline and two versions of the legend have emerged -one was that MGM studio chief Louis B. Mayer was getting revenge on Gilbert after the actor hit him in the face in a bathroom (When Garbo stood Gilbert up at the altar, Mayer, trying to comfort Gilbert said, "Sleep with her. Don't marry her," prompting the blow).
The other version was that Gilbert's voice simply did not match the image that audiences had of him. In truth, Gilbert's voice did not record high, but rather reedy. And to be fair to Gilbert, very few silent stars were able to live up to the fantasy that their audience had created in their own heads. His long-delayed third "talkie," Way for a Sailor (1930), co-starring Wallace Beery, Jim Tully and Leila Hyams, didn't help matters.
In her biography of her father Dark Star, Leatrice Gilbert Fountain wrote that Gilbert had been scheduled to make Way for a Sailor as a silent film in 1928, but it had been delayed. Gilbert was unhappy with his ten-month absence from the screen and just as unhappy with his choice of co-stars. "Jack's co-star, the second of the three buddies, was to be Wallace Beery. Jack wasn't thrilled about working with Beery, who had a reputation for being difficult and mean-spirited in spite of his lovable-slob image, but he was appalled to find out what had been chosen to round out the trio. Playing the part of a seaman named Ginger, in the first and only acting appearance of his life, would be none other than Jim Tully, a former boxer turned author and buddy of Wallace Beery, who had knocked Gilbert out in a well-publicized fistfight. Whether the studio intended to humiliate Jack through this bizarre casting decision, or whether they saw it as a way to cash in on the publicity that followed the fistfight, Jack gritted his teeth and went ahead. To do otherwise who be to break his contract. Besides, he needed the money. Adding insult to injury, Jim Tully was assigned the job of teaching Jack how to speak with a Cockney accent for the picture. Jack's reaction to this, given that Tully was born in St. Louis and grew up in an orphanage, can only be imagined. Jack did more teeth-gritting when he was asked to pose with Tully in publicity stills, each man wearing boxing gloves and squaring off against the other."
John Gilbert wanted Way for a Sailor to be his chance at being seen in a good film, something he had not enjoyed since the beginning of "talkies." For reasons known only to the studio, the film's release was delayed nearly a year. By then, Gilbert knew his career was over.
The other version was that Gilbert's voice simply did not match the image that audiences had of him. In truth, Gilbert's voice did not record high, but rather reedy. And to be fair to Gilbert, very few silent stars were able to live up to the fantasy that their audience had created in their own heads. His long-delayed third "talkie," Way for a Sailor (1930), co-starring Wallace Beery, Jim Tully and Leila Hyams, didn't help matters.
In her biography of her father Dark Star, Leatrice Gilbert Fountain wrote that Gilbert had been scheduled to make Way for a Sailor as a silent film in 1928, but it had been delayed. Gilbert was unhappy with his ten-month absence from the screen and just as unhappy with his choice of co-stars. "Jack's co-star, the second of the three buddies, was to be Wallace Beery. Jack wasn't thrilled about working with Beery, who had a reputation for being difficult and mean-spirited in spite of his lovable-slob image, but he was appalled to find out what had been chosen to round out the trio. Playing the part of a seaman named Ginger, in the first and only acting appearance of his life, would be none other than Jim Tully, a former boxer turned author and buddy of Wallace Beery, who had knocked Gilbert out in a well-publicized fistfight. Whether the studio intended to humiliate Jack through this bizarre casting decision, or whether they saw it as a way to cash in on the publicity that followed the fistfight, Jack gritted his teeth and went ahead. To do otherwise who be to break his contract. Besides, he needed the money. Adding insult to injury, Jim Tully was assigned the job of teaching Jack how to speak with a Cockney accent for the picture. Jack's reaction to this, given that Tully was born in St. Louis and grew up in an orphanage, can only be imagined. Jack did more teeth-gritting when he was asked to pose with Tully in publicity stills, each man wearing boxing gloves and squaring off against the other."
John Gilbert wanted Way for a Sailor to be his chance at being seen in a good film, something he had not enjoyed since the beginning of "talkies." For reasons known only to the studio, the film's release was delayed nearly a year. By then, Gilbert knew his career was over.
A Spanish-language version of this film, En cada puerto un amor, was released in 1931.
Based on the novel Way of a Sailor by Albert Richard Wetjen (New York, 1928).
PROLOGUE: "THE MERCHANT MARINE -Afloat ... a sweating, loyal crew, transporting food, machinery, mail, medicines, the very needs of life ... to half of the world."
"Ashore ... A rollicking, pay-spending, 'Love 'em and Leave 'em' gang."
"Ashore ... A rollicking, pay-spending, 'Love 'em and Leave 'em' gang."