This recently recovered drama is very enjoyable to watch, both because it is well-crafted and because it treats its cast of immigrant characters in such a compassionate and thoughtful way. The tenement block atmosphere is convincing, and Chester and Sidney Franklin use it to create a believable world filled with believable characters.
The characters are endearing, and although they are all quite uncomplicated, they are easy to care about. The Franklin brothers present them in an honest yet caring way. The various national backgrounds are generally identified with the most obvious of symbols, yet this comes across well, because the audience is meant to care about them simply because they are honest, innocent men and women, not because they are brilliant or heroic. The one weakness that most of them share is their naiveté as implied by the title and this is hardly a censurable quality.
Dorothy Gish makes the most of her starring role as Gretchen, and she fits the part well. Ralph Lewis is also good as her father. Eugene Palette looking younger and thinner than in his best-known roles works quite well as the villainous Rogers, making particularly good use of his gestures and expressions to connote his character's nature.
The Franklins film it in what is now a rather old-fashioned style in particular, lots of 'iris' shots but it fits the material pretty well. and the story is told well without relying on clichés or contrivances. There is one particularly good sequence of cross-cutting, when an idyllic, innocent date between Gretchen and Pietro is contrasted with Rogers carrying out one of his malicious, deceitful schemes.
Overall, this works quite well and has also held up well. It's a feature worth seeing for anyone who enjoys silent dramas.
