

“WHAT A YARN!”
An embellished account of the 1803 expedition by famed frigate U.S.S. Constitution--a.k.a. "Old Ironsides"--against the Barbary pirates then terrorizing American shipping, focusing on the crew and passengers of a fictional merchant ship, The Esther, who fall afoul of the same pirates and thus become involved with the Constitution's mission.
Directed by James Cruze
User score
16 votes
Released
December 6, 1926
1h 54m
No Language

Charles Farrell
Boy

Esther Ralston
Girl

Wallace Beery
Bos'n

George Bancroft
Gunner

Charles Hill Mailes
Commodore Preble

Johnnie Walker
Stephen Decatur

Eddie Fetherston
Richard Somers

George Godfrey
Cook

William Conklin
Esther's Father (uncredited)

Effie Ellsler
Esther's Mother (uncredited)

Guy Oliver
First Mate (uncredited)

Fred Kohler
Second Mate (uncredited)
Arthur Ludwig
Second Mate (uncredited)

Boris Karloff
Saracen Guard (uncredited)
Dean Harrell
Young Decatur (uncredited)

Spec O'Donnell
Cabin Boy (uncredited)

Nick De Ruiz
Bashaw (uncredited)
Frank Jonasson
Pirate Captain (uncredited)

Duke Kahanamoku
Pirate Captain (uncredited)

Mitchell Lewis
Pirate Chief (uncredited)