 In an effort to change his image to that of a romantic leading man, Ray decided to produce an epic historical drama film based on "The Courtship of Miles Standish", an 1858 narrative poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.The poem centers around a love triangle between early American settlers John Alden, Miles Standish, and Priscilla Mullens.In November 1922, Ray announced that he would portray the lead role of John Alden in the film.