"Shore Leave" (1925) - hidden gem
Dorothy Mackaill and Richard Barthelmess
Directed by John S. Robertson
Produced by Richard Barthelmess
Scenario Josephine Lovett
Based on the play Shore Leave by Hubert Osborne
Starring Richard Barthelmess, Dorothy Mackaill
Cinematography Roy Overbaugh, Stewart Nelson
Editing by William Hamilton
Distributed by First National Pictures
Release date September 6, 1925
Running time 90 minutes
Country US
Language Silent film
This film is part of our series 'Hidden Gems'. It can be watched by registered users who make a donation. For more details, please click here.
We have included this film in our program to illustrate the work and contributions of our star director John S. Robertson.
"Shore Leave" is a nice romantic story. "Bilge" Smith (Richard Barthelmess), a tough sailor, meets Connie Martin (Dorothy Mackaill), a seamstress in a small harbor who has never had a boyfriend. Connie is instantly smitten. She invites Smith to dinner, where he dances with her and gives her a kiss. Connie has a hard time letting him go, and makes him promise that he will come back.
Connie's father, a sea captain, left her a ship which ended up stuck in the mud in India. Now that she thinks she has a skipper for it, Connie sells her valuables, brings back the ship and restores it. Surprisingly, the ship's cargo makes her a wealthy woman. She then writes a letter to the Navy, inquiring about a sailor by the name of Smith. The response is disappointing, as there are 2600 sailors with this last name.
After two years the ships come back to the small harbor. Connie does not see her Smith, so she hatches a plan to find him. She invites to her ship for a party all sailors named Smith. When they meet again, "Bilge" Smith does not recognize Connie and she is heartbroken. After a while remembers her, and seeing how serious she is about him, is at the point of proposing. However, when he learns that she owns the ship, Smith backs off and leaves, refusing to live off a rich woman.
In her desperation to win him back Connie writes letters to all Smiths in the Navy, saying that she has lost the ship and is reduced to poverty. "Bilge" Smith quits the Navy and goes back to her, only to find out that she didn't really lose the ship, but put it in trust instead. He feels tricked and is about to leave again, refusing to live off a rich woman.
Will Connie be able to keep him from leaving this time?
Here are just a few of the reviews for this film:
"Shore Leave" is the best picture released in a long time. The romance of a tough gob and a spinster is told with rare deftness by John Robertson. (Photoplay)
"Shore Leave" is a charming sea story excellently done. (Motion Picture Magazine)
The Film enjoys a very strong rating in IMDB.
Click to enlarge:
Shore Leave
Richard-Barthelmess-in-Shore-Leave-director-John-S-Robertson-1925-2.jpg
Richard Barthelmess disembarks in "Shore Leave" (1925), director John S. Robertson.
Richard-Barthelmess-and-Dorothy-Mackaill-in-Shore-Leave-director-John-S-Robertson-1925-6.jpg
Dorothy Mackaill and Richard Barthelmess have a nice chat in "Shore Leave" (1925), director John S. Robertson.
Richard-Barthelmess-and-Dorothy-Mackaill-in-Shore-Leave-director-John-S-Robertson-1925-7.jpg
Dorothy Mackaill is falling in love with Richard Barthelmess in "Shore Leave" (1925), director John S. Robertson.
Dorothy-Mackaill-in-Shore-Leave-director-John-S-Robertson-1925-10.jpg
Dorothy Mackaill says she won't sell her necklace in "Shore Leave" (1925), director John S. Robertson.
Richard-Barthelmess-and-Dorothy-Mackaill-in-Shore-Leave-director-John-S-Robertson-1925-11.jpg
Dorothy Mackaill tells Richard Barthelmess she loves the sea in "Shore Leave" (1925), director John S. Robertson.
Richard-Barthelmess-and-Dorothy-Mackaill-in-Shore-Leave-director-John-S-Robertson-1925-12.jpg
Dorothy Mackaill and Richard Barthelmess make friends in "Shore Leave" (1925), director John S. Robertson.
Richard-Barthelmess-in-Shore-Leave-director-John-S-Robertson-1925-14.jpg
Richard Barthelmess asks Dorothy Mackaill if she is getting married in "Shore Leave" (1925), director John S. Robertson.
Dorothy-Mackaill-in-Shore-Leave-director-John-S-Robertson-1925-15.jpg
Dorothy Mackaill tries to understand Richard Barthelmess' sailor's jargon in "Shore Leave" (1925), director John S. Robertson.
Richard-Barthelmess-and-Dorothy-Mackaill-in-Shore-Leave-director-John-S-Robertson-1925-17.jpg
Dorothy Mackaill and Richard Barthelmess dance in "Shore Leave" (1925), director John S. Robertson.
Richard-Barthelmess-and-Dorothy-Mackaill-in-Shore-Leave-director-John-S-Robertson-1925-18.jpg
Dorothy Mackaill stops Richard Barthelmess from leaving in "Shore Leave" (1925), director John S. Robertson.
Richard-Barthelmess-and-Dorothy-Mackaill-in-Shore-Leave-director-John-S-Robertson-1925-20.jpg
Dorothy Mackaill asks Richard Barthelmess to come back and see her in "Shore Leave" (1925), director John S. Robertson.
Dorothy-Mackaill-in-Shore-Leave-director-John-S-Robertson-1925-21.jpg
Dorothy Mackaill reads a letter from the Navy Headquarters in "Shore Leave" (1925), director John S. Robertson.
Dorothy-Mackaill-in-Shore-Leave-director-John-S-Robertson-1925-22.jpg
Dorothy Mackaill writes a party invitation in "Shore Leave" (1925), director John S. Robertson.
Richard-Barthelmess-and-Dorothy-Mackaill-in-Shore-Leave-director-John-S-Robertson-1925-24.jpg
Dorothy Mackaill is shocked that Richard Barthelmess doesn't recognize her in "Shore Leave" (1925), director John S. Robertson.
Richard-Barthelmess-and-Dorothy-Mackaill-in-Shore-Leave-director-John-S-Robertson-1925-27.jpg
Dorothy Mackaill and Richard Barthelmess make peace in "Shore Leave" (1925), director John S. Robertson.
Richard-Barthelmess-and-Dorothy-Mackaill-in-Shore-Leave-director-John-S-Robertson-1925-28.jpg
Dorothy Mackaill and Richard Barthelmess embrace again after 2 years in "Shore Leave" (1925), director John S. Robertson.
Richard-Barthelmess-and-Dorothy-Mackaill-in-Shore-Leave-director-John-S-Robertson-1925-29.jpg
Dorothy Mackaill learns about Richard Barthelmess' promotion in "Shore Leave" (1925), director John S. Robertson.
Richard-Barthelmess-and-Dorothy-Mackaill-in-Shore-Leave-director-John-S-Robertson-1925-30.jpg
Richard Barthelmess rejects Dorothy Mackaill after learning that she is rich in "Shore Leave" (1925), director John S. Robertson.
Richard-Barthelmess-in-Shore-Leave-director-John-S-Robertson-1925-31.jpg
Richard Barthelmess sports a black eye from a fight over Dorothy Mackaill in "Shore Leave" (1925), director John S. Robertson.
Richard-Barthelmess-in-Shore-Leave-director-John-S-Robertson-1925-33.jpg
Richard Barthelmess shows up in Dorothy Mackaill's home right from his dirty job in "Shore Leave" (1925), director John S. Robertson.
Richard-Barthelmess-and-Dorothy-Mackailll-in-Shore-Leave-director-John-S-Robertson-1925-34.jpg
Richard Barthelmess wants Dorothy Mackaill again after learning that she is poor in "Shore Leave" (1925), director John S. Robertson.
Richard-Barthelmess-and-Dorothy-Mackaill-in-Shore-Leave-director-John-S-Robertson-1925-36.jpg
Richard Barthelmess declares to Dorothy Mackaill in "Shore Leave" (1925), director John S. Robertson.
Richard-Barthelmess-and-Dorothy-Mackaill-in-Shore-Leave-director-John-S-Robertson-1925-37.jpg
Richard Barthelmess wants to take care of Dorothy Mackaill in "Shore Leave" (1925), director John S. Robertson.
Richard-Barthelmess-in-Shore-Leave-director-John-S-Robertson-1925-38.jpg
Richard Barthelmess confronts Dorothy Mackaill, because she is not poor after all in "Shore Leave" (1925), director John S. Robertson.
Richard-Barthelmess-in-Shore-Leave-director-John-S-Robertson-1925-39.jpg
Richard Barthelmess wants to break up with Dorothy Mackaill, because she is rich in "Shore Leave" (1925), director John S. Robertson.
Dorothy-Mackaill-in-Shore-Leave-director-John-S-Robertson-1925-40.jpg
Dorothy Mackaill desperately tries to keep Richard Barthelmess from leaving in "Shore Leave" (1925), director John S. Robertson.
Dorothy Mackaill and Richard Barthelmess
Attention please.
Registration and donation are required to watch the films part of the series 'Hidden Gems'. Please complete the steps in the article 'Gems for Donation' before proceeding.
Registered users who made the required donation please click here to watch this gem.
Below is a short preview of the film.