The Docks of New York

The masterpiece among von Sternberg's silents, this unexpectedly tender romance between a stoker and a whore takes place almost entirely in a roaring waterfront saloon. Genial giant George Bancroft strides through the mob, clearing the bar with a sweep of his arm and upending an entire keg when he wants a beer. Betty Compson gives a performance of rare sensitivity, abetted by some of the most inventive lighting of the time.