In the same vein as the Docks of New York this film also puts up the stark reality of marriage and social expectations for the crowds of the twenties to participate in. The storyline is bold and brutal and shows honestly the truth that we all start off in a high place and come crashing down into tragedy through life.
King Vidor used tracking shots and set the camera freely much like The Last Laugh and earlier 1920’s films. He really attempts to show the truth of mankind through these free flowing long set up shots that connect the main character's downfall to everyone else around him.
This was representative of the end of that era as the Great Depression was starting to take hold and budgets would be reined back resulting in less expensive productions. Additionally audience’s tastes will shift to escapist entertainment that wouldn’t start to change until after WW2.