A 1929 poster for the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer comedy-drama directed by James Cruze, released in March of that year. By spring 1929 the silent feature was already a commercial liability, and MGM was releasing pictures like this one into theatres that were tearing out their orchestra pits. It is a document of the industry's last silent season rather than of its peak. The graphic confidence of the late-twenties studio style - flat colour, bold lettering, almost no illustrative fussiness left. The silent picture, still smiling as the lights changed.

Maker: Unknown
Date: 1929
Medium of the original: Poster
Original held by: Wikimedia Commons
Credit: Wikimedia Commons · via Wikimedia Commons
Rights: Cleared for print
Catalogue number: PA-00784

As chosen: 16 x 24 in, art print, classic frame
Picture	16 x 24 in
Outside size	17.6 x 25.6 in
Depth	0.9 in (22 mm)
Weight	[[REAL PROOF NEEDED: shipped weight per size and frame]]
Hanging	[[REAL PROOF NEEDED: hanging hardware Prodigi fits to this frame]]
Material	Enhanced matte art paper, 200 gsm; acrylic glazing
Made in	Charlotte, North Carolina, by Prodigi

Before a size goes on sale, the file is measured against it: pixels per inch at that size, how much of the picture a crop would lose, tone and sharpness. A size that fails is not offered, so there is nothing to choose wrong.

How the print check works

Sizes offered
Size	dpi	Grade	How it fits
8 x 12 in	397	Excellent	Trimmed 0.6%
12 x 18 in	265	Excellent	Trimmed 0.6%
16 x 24 in	198	Good	Trimmed 0.6%
20 x 30 in	159	Good	Trimmed 0.6%

Sizes withheld
Size	Why
8 x 10 in	Wrong shape: a 17% crop
11 x 14 in	Wrong shape: a 16% crop
12 x 16 in	Wrong shape: a 12% crop
16 x 20 in	Wrong shape: a 17% crop
18 x 24 in	Wrong shape: a 12% crop
24 x 30 in	Wrong shape: a 17% crop
24 x 36 in	132 dpi; a historical scan is never enlarged
30 x 40 in	Wrong shape: a 12% crop
36 x 48 in	Wrong shape: a 12% crop
40 x 60 in	79 dpi; a historical scan is never enlarged