byufan-05531 Lewis Milestone tightly directed this picture packing the film with plenty of gags and jokes without piling it with extra fluff. It breezed by fast and everything included in the film was either funny or helped moved the plot along. Mary Astor's character only looked Arab when she covered her face but we have Hollywood whitewashing to blame even though it was a fine performance. William Boyd and Louis Wolheim had amazing chemistry that ran throughout the whole film and was showcased in the opening sequence as Boyd's character starts a fight with his Sergeant. It was interesting, fun, and a bit different to see a good silent comedy whose humor wasn't derived mainly from slapstick but a variety of plot points and excellent direction. Definitely one not to miss!

pronker pronker The print stood out as a glorious restoration, the bits of decomposition notwithstanding. The team did a remarkable job on the film's physical state. Now for the plot - the first time we see Boyd and Wolheim, they've needed gas masks in battle, a horrific reminder that gas comprised true menace on the field. But it's raining torrents, and water plays a large part of the story. After their fistfight for the amusement of their future captors, Boyd and Wolheim begin lives as POWs.The settings really stood out for me, the icy snow of northern Germany's camp where you can see steamy breath, well done! After the unexpected nudity in the delousing station scene, I was prepared for unique little touches later on and wasn't surprised when the muezzin called the faithful to prayer and the two US Marines escaped, still with their caps after all their exploits and country- hopping, ha! Turkey looked like one could expect it to look in the period; the palace and carriages and swords adding to the ambiance.Astor showed some spunk even though she obeyed her land's customs and seemed prepared to go through with the marriage to a not bad looking guy. But he lacked Boyd's charm and so she fled to the US, I suppose, although globe-trotting as the film was, maybe the three wound up in Timbuktou! Quirt and Flagg types form a certain sort of war buddy movie that appeals to me greatly, so I liked this one, too. Not as much as McLaglen and Lowe, however, maybe because McLaglen is a bit more attractive than Wolheim. I liked Wolheim's character better in Danger Lights and Sin Ship.

biil-blakely The third movie produced by Howard Hughes, this gem was thought to be lost. It was recently restored and shown on TCM (12/15/04). The plot is a familiar one - two WW I soldiers escape from a German prison camp (guarded by an extremely lethargic German shepherd, who practically guides them out of the camp), stow away on a ship, and end up in "Arabia", where they rescue the lovely Mary Astor. The restoration is very good overall, although there are two or three very rough sequences. The production is very good, and there are some very funny scenes. And did I mention that Mary Astor is in it? The film won an Academy Award for the now-defunct category of "Best Direction of a Comedy".

whpratt1 Enjoyed viewing this 1927 Silent Film from the past and seeing great Classic actors like Mary Astor, William Boyd and Boris Karloff. The film depicts two soldiers fighting in the trenches of WWI and wearing gas masks against the Mustard Gas that the Germans were using to kill the American Forces in Europe. William Boyd,(Pvt W. Dangerfield Phelps),"Hopalong Cassidy",'49 TV Series, was a green horn to fighting in the muddy trenches and meets up with a veteran soldier, Louis Walheim,(Sgt.Peter McGaffney),"The Sin Ship",'31, who gave Pvt. Dangerfield a very hard time during half of the picture. The two soldiers meet up with Mary Astor,(Anis bin Adham/Miraz),"Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte','64, who wears a veil over her face and charms the two soldiers into paying for her fare on their voyage. If you look real close, you will see Boris Karloff,(Purser)"Targets",'68, who was the purser on the ship and was just starting his career with a minor role in this Army life comedy, at the age of 40 years. Howard Huges produced this picture for UA and was the first film to win an Academy Award for its direction. If you want to see a great Silent Film from 1927, you will definitely enjoy this CLASSIC!