In 1930, a leading lady like Rita Le Roy could sing "Gay love, with your heart I will play, love" with the audience never doubting that it was aimed at the male rivals for her heart, swashbuckling pirate Rod La Rocque and millionaire playboy Charles Byer. Sold with the tag line "The ruthless sea rogue and the titian-haired dancing girl in a throbbing tropic love duel," the picture marked silent star La Rocque's move into all-talking features in the type of role that had made him a silent-screen favorite. If it didn't quite put him over the top, that was more a sign of changing times than any failings on the film's part. The days of dashing rogues in exotic climes were coming to an end with the start of the Great Depression. La Rocque was adaptable enough to move into other roles, like Norma Shearer's ex- in Let Us Be Gay (1930), but left Hollywood for three years because his wife, Vilma Banky, was having a harder time adjusting to talkies. Although The Delightful Rogue, did not set the box office on fire, "Gay Love," with music by Oscar Levant, would live on as a recording by Bing Crosby.

By Frank Miller