| The Fleet's In | |
| Director: | Malcolm St. Clair |
| Producer: | Jesse L. Lasky Adolph Zukor |
| Screenplay: | Monte Brice George Marion Jr. J. Walter Ruben |
| Starring: | Clara Bow James Hall Jack Oakie Bodil Rosing Eddie Dunn Jean Laverty |
| Studio: | Paramount Pictures |
| Distributor: | Paramount Pictures |
| Runtime: | 80 minutes |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | Silent (English intertitles) |
The Fleet's In is a 1928 American silent comedy film directed by Malcolm St. Clair and written by Monte Brice, George Marion Jr., and J. Walter Ruben. The film stars Clara Bow, James Hall, Jack Oakie, Bodil Rosing, Eddie Dunn, and Jean Laverty. The film was released on September 15, 1928, by Paramount Pictures.[1] [2] [3]
Trixie “Peachy" Dearie is a “taxi-dancer” (Clara Bow), and a 10 cent-per-dance entertainer at a San Francisco amusement park that services sailors. Trixie retains her innocence despite her vocation. She prefers would-be swain “Searchlight” Doyle (Jack Oakie) over his rival Eddie Briggs (James Hall), who tries to seduce her.
During a power failure the lights go out at the hall and are accidentally paired in a dance contest. The rival Doyle and Eddie fight, and Eddie is put in jail. Peachy, the object of the dispute, blames herself and defends Eddie before the magistrate. Eddie is set free and sails with his ship, pledging himself to Peachy and promising he will remain faithful in all the worldwide ports he visits.[4]
New York Times critic Mordaunt Hall panned the film as merely a vehicle “written for the purpose of giving Miss Bow an opportunity to smile and cry.” He adds that the scenario “makes about as much impression on one's mind as a colored comic strip.” Reportedly, the vaudeville stage show was more impressive than the film, performed by “an expert Russian dancer, who has a ready wit and a keen ear for music. His show is one of the best entertainments of its type that has been seen at the Paramount for some time.”[5]
The Fleet's In is presumed to be a lost film.[6]