John Gilbert & Renee Adoree give convincing & heartrending performances. The character actors were well-cast. King Vidor (and Irving Thalberg) produced and directed this classic of the silent screen. Several scenes stand out - John Gilbert getting caught up in the patriotic atmosphere when was is declared, and the haunting scene of Gilbert & his fellow soldiers tracking through a forest, alert and waiting for enemy fire. The fact that this film is silent (although with a marvelous score) adds to the tension. Silent films are very much worth watching - and this is a good place to start. Or, of course, any Charles Chaplin silent film will do as well!`