Credited to George Hill but largely re-shot by Clarence Brown (see July 5), The Cossacks paired the popular John Gilbert-Renée Adorée love duo. But romance was not its primary focus, being based on a Tolstoy novel and played out against the backdrop of the Cossack wars against the Turks. (As Variety noted in 1928, "The flaps who want to see John Gilbert mauling some dame in hot love scenes may not fancy this MGM (release) but picture lovers and adults will find plenty of entertainment in the beautiful photography, production and story.") Gilbert plays the peacenik Lukashka, who thinks there's more to life than spearing Turks but who is branded a coward in the Cossack village. He proves his courage with a few slayings and a fat lip (the dernier cri in war trophies) but he still has to earn his way into the arms of Adorée. The screenplay is by a pro, Frances Marion, and the attempt at recreating life in a Cossack village impressive.