Charles Bickford, playing "Mat," is strikingly different as the muscular sailor attempting a “Popeye” routine alongside the slender, “Olive Oyl”-esque title character (Greta Garbo) in this straightforward love story featuring a melancholy history. She’s the daughter of “Chris Christopherson” (George Marion), who journeys from their St. Paul farm to reconnect with her father. Upon their reunion, he invites her to live on his coal barge, and one evening they rescue three sailors struggling after their ship collided with something in the dense fog. Mr. Bickford develops an interest in her, which is reciprocated; however, the father—somewhat of a drinker—quickly decides that "Mat" resembles him, and, like King Canute, attempts to stop their relationship from developing. It’s only when she rejects marrying him that we discover the tragedy from her past that continues to affect her—but will he give up?. A short appearance by Marie Dressler ("Martha") constitutes most of what else there is in this carefully constructed drama—which demonstrates Garbo possesses a talent for sound films comparable to her established abilities in silent movies, and the nautical setting greatly enhances the unsettling atmosphere and effectiveness of the acting. As is typical with an Eugene O'Neill narrative, there’s considerable depth to the characters if one wants to explore further; personally, I found it simply to be an enjoyable romance featuring three captivating individuals who interacted well on screen.

Source on TMDB