Truly Dreadful Film

Let's be realistic.

This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Copyright 16 November 1925 by John W. Considine Jr. An Art Finance Corporation production, released through United Artists. New York opening at the Mark Strand (in the presence of Mr Valentino himself): 8 November 1925. U.S. release: 8 November 1925. 7 reels. 6,755 feet. 75 minutes. Shooting title (and indeed release title in some countries): The BLACK EAGLE. NOTES: Although it failed to reach the top of the popularity poll in the U.S./Canada (it still took excellent money), The Eagle was a sensational success in Europe and Australia. COMMENT: Great fun. Aside from the artistic opulence of its sets and costumes, the flair of the players, the invigorating suspense of the script and the stylish elegance of direction and photography, what we all like about The Eagle is that it doesn't take itself too seriously. Valentino plays with just the right touches of agility, gallantry and self-deprecation. His light, graceful manner contrasts well with the more emphatic jollity of James Marcus' heavy, the self-preening immovability of Louise Dresser's implacable czarina, the suave servility of Albert Conti's captain, and above all the confident yet vulnerable innocence of Vilma Banky's heroine. The basic story is the old Hollywood ploy of a what-she-didn't-know-was, but it's given a number of clever twists here by the screenwriter Hans Kraly (borrowed from Ernst Lubitsch); and these captivating turns, as stated above, are interpreted with deliciously subtle performances by Valentino and more especially, Miss Vilma Banky (borrowed from Sam Goldwyn). All in all, with its assured mixture of suspenseful action and light humor, involving drama and sensitive, storybook romance, - plus picturesquely creative sets by Cameron Menzies and period finery by Adrian, - The Eagle is an absolute joy. AVAILABLE on DVD through Image. Quality rating: ten out of ten.

A wanted Russian lieutenant becomes a masked vigilante seeking vengeance upon the man who stole his family's land, only to fall for his charming daughter.The character of Black Eagle, interestingly enough, does not exist in the original Pushkin novel and was inspired by the performance of Douglas Fairbanks as Zorro in "The Mark of Zorro". ("The Eagle" is also notable in cinematic history for its famous extended tracking shot of the food-laden table in the banquet scene.) This is the sort of film that made Valentino famous, because who doesn't want to see him as a sort of swash-buckling hero? Heck, he buckles the swash with the best of them.

I found this silent film in the book 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, I assumed it was Russian because of the image of the leading character, it's from America, I didn't know what to expect, so I just went for it and watched. Basically Vladimir Dubrovsky (Rudolph Valentino) is a dashing young lieutenant (a Cossack as it was then known) in the Imperial Guard of the Russian army. He comes to the notice of the Czarina Catherine II (Louise Dresser) when he rescues beautiful young lady Mascha Troekouroff (Vilma Bánky), and her Aunt Aurelia (Carrie Clark Ward), trapped in a runaway stagecoach. Vladimir is delighted when the Czarina offers to make him a general, but is appalled when she tries to seduce him, he flees from the palace, in anger the Czarina orders a warrant for his arrest, he has a price on his head, he is wanted dead or alive. Soon after, Vladimir receives a letter that the evil nobleman Kyrilla Troekouroff (James A. Marcus) has evicted him from his land ownership and is terrorising the countryside with his corruption, and it gets worse for Vladimir when he finds out his Father (Spottiswoode Aitken) has died. Vladimir vows revenge against Kyrilla for the death of his father and to help the the victimised peasants, so with a black mask he adopts the identity of Robin Hood style outlaw "The Black Eagle", leading a group of unsatisfied men to help him fight and seek vengeance. Vladimir discovers that Kyrilla is Mascha's father, he finds a way to get closer to him, by taking the place of a tutor sent from France, but never seen by anyone in the household. In adopting this role his love for Mascha grows stronger, and he becomes more and more reluctant to continue seeking revenge against Mascha's father, so they eventually flee the Troekouroff estate together. Vladimir is captured by the Czarina's men, but the Czarina no longer seeks to execute him, she has had a change of heart, in the end she allows him and Mascha to leave Russia together for Paris, France, with a new French name, to start a new life. Also starring George Nichols as Judge, Michael Pleschkoff as Captain Kuschka of the Cossack Guard and apparently young Gary Cooper as a Masked Cossack. Valentino is well cast as the swashbuckling hero, he is good in and out of the black mask, this is Valentino's penultimate role before he died, a female cult was formed following his death. It is obvious the story was inspired by Zorro, and it is a pretty simple tale of a man wanting to help the poor people and get even with the bad guy, but it is good fun to watch, a worthwhile silent adventure. Good!

When the horses of a coach with two ladies speed after a shot, the Czarina Catherine II (Louise Dresser) sees the young Lieutenant Vladimir Dubrovsky (Rudolph Valentino) rescuing the ladies. She invites Dubrovsky to have dinner with her, but he is sexually harassed by the czarina and flees from the palace. He receives a letter from his father telling that he had been evicted from his lands by the corrupt Kyrilla Troekouroff (James Marcus). Meanwhile the czarina issues an arrest warrant authorizing the arrest of Dubrovsky dead or alive. Dubrovsky heads to his home town, but his father dies and he promises revenge against Kyrilla. He wears a mask and is called "The Black Eagle", and leads a group of unsatisfied men to fight against Kyrilla, stealing from the riches to deliver to the poor. However, when he meets Kyrilla's daughter Miss Mascha Troekouroff (Vilma Banky), Dubrovsky falls in love with her. Dubrovsky needs to rethink and choose between "eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth" and his love for Mascha."The Eagle" is a melodramatic and romantic silent movie with a hero that is a combination of Zorro and Robin Hood. The plot is entertaining and well constructed but it is funny to see, for example, Dubrovsky forgetting his friends and his promise to kill the man that stole the lands of his father that died after just because he is in love with Kyrilla's daughter. My vote is seven.Title (Brazil): "A Águia" ("The Eagle")