It's just as well The Pagan was shot as a silent, because it it had been a talkie, the camera would have been nailed down, the sound hissy and distracting, and the melodramatic excess of the plot overemphasized. As it stands, this is a wonderful and beautifully made film that highlights the great artistry developed by Hollywood during the 1920s. Though Ramon Navarro was a physically absurd casting choice as the half-caste Henry Shoesmith, he is never less than enchanting in the role, and it's a great pity that he was unable to make the transition to sound. Dorothy Janis, who apparently only made a handful of films in her brief career, is stunningly beautiful and effective as the pagan girl Shoesmith wishes to wed, and Donald Crisp is first rate as Slater, the cad who disguises his lust as an act of Christian charity. Shot to great effect by Clyde de Vinna on location in the South Seas, The Pagan is satisfying on every level, and comes strongly recommended to those who think they don't like silent film.