The full sound version of this early talking John Ford film remains lost but thankfully this international work-print with inter-titles for dialogue and narration (and some sound) has survived and is preserved by the Museum of Modern Art. Up to now, this film was only available from VHS recordings of AMC's Film Preservation Festival from 1999. After being called back to their ship during liberty in Shanghai, the sailors of the S-13 are struck by another passing vessel and sink to the bottom of the ocean. While waiting to be rescued and with oxygen levels dwindling, the men of the S-13 fight for their lives and sometimes each other in suspenseful anticipation to see who will make it out alive. In addition to Ford's direction, the cast of characters makes the movie an enjoyable experience and makes you care for each of their fates. Kenneth McKenna as the Naval officer with a secret, young Frank Albertson as a rookie ensign who is unexpectedly thrust into being a leader for his men, Warren Hymer as a ruffian sailor hiding a heart of gold, young Stu Erwin as the S-13's radioman and Ford stock player J. Farrell McDonald as the old navy veteran. Be on the lookout towards the end of the film for young John Wayne as a radioman up on the surface. The film has been restored for Fox's MOD DVD release and I've never seen it clearer and more beautiful. Kudos to everyone involved in getting this film restored and released because it's a true unsung gem in John Ford's very long directorial career.

An American submarine crashes in to a cargo ship off the coast of China and the surviving crew members await rescue Yeah you've seen this type of movie a few times before . This one is slightly different because it's set in peace time , is directed by John Ford and comes from 1930 which was an era when talkies were making a breakthrough Actually you have to take onboard as to what films were like in those days. THE JAZZZ SINGER was the first talky but films didn't explode in to full length talkies until a couple of years later and films in the last year of the 1920s often used sound and dialogue as an aural impact aesthetic. In this case MEN WITHOUT WOMEN is somewhat typical featuring a few spoken scenes , sound effects and caption cards featuring dialogue For the story itself a bunch of men trapped in in a slowly flooding submarine is a movie cliché but to be fair it wouldn't have been in 1930. Narrative wise it also contradicts itself by having a song and dance number featuring a female of the species . As it stands this early John Ford remains interesting for a number of reason including having John Wayne in an uncredited cameo without being any type of masterpiece

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.

This film is of interest since it is in a period of transition between silent and sound pictures. The version shown on AMC has limited sound dialogue as well as title cards, and a few scenes have both! You hear John Wayne's voice before you see him in a small part.