Men Without Women (1930)

Information from IMDb

Plot Summary
Aboard the U.S. submarine S13 in the China seas,
Chief Torpedoman Burke goes about his duties.
In actuality, he is Quartermaine, the infamous former commander
of the British ship Royal Scot, which was sunk by Germans with a Field Marshal aboard.
Quartermaine had told his sweetheart that the Field Marshal would be aboard,
not knowing that she was an informant for the enemy.
When the S13 sinks, Burke takes charge when the commander,
Ensign Price, is unable to command. Burke must keep his mates
alive long enough on the bottom of the sea for rescuers to arrive.
Summary written by Jim Beaver

Full Cast
Kenneth MacKenna .... Chief Torpedoman Burke
Frank Albertson .... Ens. Albert Edward Price
J. Farrell MacDonald .... Costello (as Farrell Macdonald)
Warren Hymer .... Kaufman
Paul Page .... Handsome
Walter McGrail .... Joe Cobb
Stuart Erwin .... Radioman Jenkins
George LeGuere .... Curly Pollock
Charles K. Gerrard .... Cmdr. Weymouth (as Charles Gerrard)
Ben Hendricks Jr. .... Murphy
Harry Tenbrook .... Dutch Winkler
Warner Richmond .... Lt. Cmdr. Briddwell
Frank Baker .... Undetermined role
Ivan Lebedeff .... Man in bar with top hat (uncredited)
Robert Parrish .... Undetermined role (uncredited)
Frank Richardson .... Singing sailor in Shanghai (uncredited)
Pat Somerset .... Lt. Digby (uncredited)
Roy Stewart .... Capt. Carson (uncredited)
John Wayne .... Radioman on surface (Credited as Duke Morrison)

Writing Credits
John Ford (story Submarine) and
James Kevin McGuinness (story Submarine)
Dudley Nichols
Otis C. Freeman (titles)

Cinematography
Joseph H. August

Trivia
The only extant sound version is actually from a work print for the International version. It's held by the Museum of Modern Art.

It is sometimes stated, incorrectly, that this picture was based on the play "Submerged" by 'Clay Shaw', who was later acquitted of conspiring to assassinate President John F. Kennedy. When this picture was released Shaw was about 17 years old.

Filming Locations
Santa Catalina Island, Channel Islands, California, USA
San Diego, California, USA

Men Without Women (1930) is an American drama film directed and written by John Ford,
from the script by James Kevin McGuinness.
The film also starred Kenneth MacKenna, Frank Albertson, and J. Farrell MacDonald.
The sound version is now lost.
Only a print of the "International Sound Version," held by the Museum of Modern Art, survives.

Another review of one of Duke's early roles.
where he was credited as Duke Morrison.

However this film is worthy of a review,
as it is historic, in the fact
that this movie brought together for the first time,
John Ford, Screenwriter Dudley Nicholls,
and Camerman Joesph H. August.

User Review

Quote

Author: Robert Keser

A sailors-trapped-in-a-sinking-submarine drama: Will they drown? Will the oxygen run out? Will they suffocate from chlorine gas? Will divers get to them in time? And what about that religious fanatic on board? John Ford skillfully ratchets up the tension, but some shaky special effects, unlikely characterizations and broad acting give an uneven effect, compared to later and slicker entertainments like RUN SILENT, RUN DEEP. However, this production has genuine historical value because it shows the difficulties in changing over from silent to sound,: sometimes it's a silent film with sound effects and [tinny] music. Other scenes have dialogue with one character actually speaking while another answers in silent intertitles. Most oddly, sometimes a character starts speaking, then an intertitle shows noticeably different lines, then the character finishes speaking. Not many movies have such a variety of expression.