Why is The Docks of New York remembered as Josef von Sternberg's most enduring silent film?

The Docks of New York (1928) is considered Josef von Sternberg’s most enduring silent film because it effectively revisited the thematic territory of his earlier work, The Salvation Hunters, while refining his artistic vision. In the film, George Bancroft portrays a ship stoker who saves a woman from suicide, leading to a narrative where he marries her out of kindness before eventually falling in love.

Due to its powerful execution and thematic depth, some critics and scholars argue that the film stands as von Sternberg’s masterwork.1