Shanghaied (1927)
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Ralph Ince | Patsy Ruth Miller | Alan Brooks | Ralph Ince (Director | Producer)
Rest of cast:
Gertrude Astor | Walt Robbins | H. J. Jacobson | Beth Nagel | Walter Plunkett (Costume Designer) | J. G. Hawks (Writer) | Edward J. Montagne (Story) | Joseph Walker (Cinematographer) | Wallace Fox (Assistant Director) | Joseph P. Kennedy (Producer)
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Shanghaied
Tensely Interesting Melodrama
(Reviewed by Chester J. Smith)
Patsy Ruth Miller and Ralph Ince put over this somewhat gruesome melodrama in such a capable manner that it is bound to win them wide praise. Miss Miller proves herself an actress of considerably more ability than she had probably been given credit for in the past. There is every opportunity for overacting in this type of melodrama, but to the credit of both Miss Miller and Ince be it said that they kept well within the bounds and made the story most convincing.
There is nothing elevating about this story of San Francisco’s old Barbary Coast and the waterfront; nor was there anything elevating about that old famed, colorful and tough district of old San Francisco, but it was nevertheless a district that drew visitors from all over the world. The story shows much of that old color of the Barbary Coast dives, which flourished before Patsy Ruth was born, but she enacts her role almost to perfection and the picture is bound to have a wide appeal. A harrowing role for a girl of the type of Patsy Ruth, but she has never done one that gave her a better chance to display her acting ability.
The Cast: Ralph Ince, Patsy Ruth Miller, Alan Brooks, Gertrude Astor, Walt Robbins, H. J. Jacobson.
Theme: Melodrama in which the dance hall girl is forced to be a party to the drugging of the sea captain, who in revenge shanghaies her and forces her to be ship scullery maid. She is transferred to another ship returning to San Francisco, where she is employed in the lowest dive. She saves her money, repays the captain and eventually weds him.
Production Highlights: The splendid work of Miss Miller, Mr. Ince and the whole company. The scenes showing all the old color of San Francisco’s Barbary Coast. The many tensely melodramatic situations.
Exploitation Angles: Play up the accuracy of the scenes showing the Barbary Coast and its old dives: the work of Miss Miller and Mr. Ince.
Drawing Power: Will interest them in any house.
Produced and distributed by F B O.
Length 5,998 feet.
Released October 19, 1927.
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Comedy moments from White Pants Willie, a new First National production
Collection: Motion Picture News, 26 August 1927
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see also Tumbling River (1927)
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[Transcriber’s Note: Following a few smaller notes that were published in the same trade paper prior to the release of this movie]
Patsy Ruth Miller in “South Sea Love”
Soon after the completion of her sea picture, Shanghaied, announcement comes that Patsy Ruth Miller has been signed for the feminine lead in South Sea Love, soon to enter production under the direction of Ralph Ince at F B O. Alan Brooks, also of the Shanghaied company, has been chosen to play an important role in South Sea Love. This picture is to be made from a story Game in the Bush by Georges Surdez.
Collection: Motion Picture News, 1 July 1927
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A Regular Director
Ralph Ince is in town with his wife (Lucila Méndez) to film scenes for F B O’s Coney Island at that famous spot, and we had the pleasure the other day of seeing him for the first time in years.
There are a lot of likeable things about Ralph, but, so far as we are concerned, none more so than the fact that he is honestly proud of being a good commercial director. He doesn’t talk in grave tones of his “art,” nor does he want to discuss the esoterics of pure cinema with you. He is, however, interested in these things: A strong story with a wallop; good acting; realistic atmosphere; accuracy; economy, i.e., value on the screen for every dollar spent. We commend that code to the profession in general.
Just before coming East he finished two pictures, Shanghaied and South Sea Love. Although he says little about his own pictures, we gather that Shanghaied is very much worth watching for.
Collection: Motion Picture News, 5 August 1927