The Fleet's In (1928 film)

1928 film by Malcolm St. Clair

September 15, 1928 (1928-09-15)

Running time

80 minutesCountryUnited StatesLanguageSilent (English intertitles)

The Fleet's In is a 1928 American silent comedy film directed by Malcolm St. Clair and written by Monte Brice, George Marion Jr., and J. Walter Ruben. The film stars Clara Bow, James Hall, Jack Oakie, Bodil Rosing, Eddie Dunn, and Jean Laverty. The film was released on September 15, 1928, by Paramount Pictures.^[1]^[2]^[3]

Plot

Trixie “Peachy" Dearie is a “taxi-dancer” (Clara Bow), and a 10 cent-per-dance entertainer at a San Francisco amusement park that services sailors. Trixie retains her innocence despite her vocation. She prefers would-be swain “Searchlight” Doyle (Jack Oakie) over his rival Eddie Briggs (James Hall), who tries to seduce her.

During a power failure the lights go out at the hall and are accidentally paired in a dance contest. The rival Doyle and Eddie fight, and Eddie is put in jail. Peachy, the object of the dispute, blames herself and defends Eddie before the magistrate. Eddie is set free and sails with his ship, pledging himself to Peachy and promising he will remain faithful in all the worldwide ports he visits.^[4]

Cast

Clara Bow as Trixie Deane
James Hall as Eddie Briggs
Jack Oakie as Searchlight Doyle
Bodil Rosing as Mrs. Deane
Eddie Dunn as Al Pearce
Jean Laverty as Betty
Dan Wolheim as Double Duty Duffy
Richard Carle as Judge Hartley
Joseph W. Girard as Commandant

Reception

New York Times critic Mordaunt Hall panned the film as merely a vehicle “written for the purpose of giving Miss Bow an opportunity to smile and cry.” He adds that the scenario “makes about as much impression on one's mind as a colored comic strip.” Reportedly, the vaudeville stage show was more impressive than the film, performed by “an expert Russian dancer, who has a ready wit and a keen ear for music. His show is one of the best entertainments of its type that has been seen at the Paramount for some time.”^[5]

Survival status

The Fleet's In is presumed to be a lost film.^[6]

Notes

^ "Movie Review - The Fleet s In - THE SCREEN; Motion Picture Sailors. The Football Feud. A Moon and a Mirror. Other Photoplays. - NYTimes.com". nytimes.com. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
^ "The Fleet's In". afi.com. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
^ Dwyer, 1996 p. 212-213: Filmography
^ Dwyer, 1996 p. 212-213: Filmography, film synopsis.
^ Hall, 1928
^ Progressive Silent Film List: The Fleet's In at silentera.com

References

Dwyer, Ruth Anne. 1996. Malcolm St. Clair: His Films, 1915-1948. The Scarecrow Press, Lantham, Md., London. ISBN 0-8108-2709-3
Hall, Mordaunt. 1928. THE SCREEN; “Motion Picture Sailors. The Football Feud. A Moon and a Mirror. Other Photoplays.” New York Times, October 1, 1928.https://www.nytimes.com/1928/10/01/archives/the-screen-motion-picture-sailors-the-football-feud-a-moon-and-a.html Retrieved 12 June 2024.