Douglas Fairbanks was one of the biggest stars
of silent films, right up there with Charlie Chaplin and Mary Pickford, though
he was known for starring in notably different genres than the other two. As a
swashbuckling star, there were few classic stories involving swordplay that
Fairbanks didn’t star in during his period of extreme popularity with
audiences. Cohen Film Collection has recently released two double feature
Blu-rays, each containing a pair of classic films from Fairbanks’ filmography.
These releases are perfect for fans of Fairbanks as well as those who have yet
to discover the incredible scope of silent swashbuckling action/adventure
films.
- Director : Fred Niblo, Allan Dwan
- Actors : Douglas Fairbanks, Marguerite De La Motte, Adolphe Menjou
- Studio : Cohen Film Collection
- Aspect Ratio : 1.33:1
- MPAA rating : NR (Not Rated)
- Country of Origin : USA
- Number of discs : 1
- Media Format : Blu-ray
- Run time : 4 hours
- Release date : October 17, 2023
The first double
feature is a pair of films with connected narratives, each based on novels
written by Alexandre Dumas. The first is The Three Musketeers (1921), in
which Fairbanks plays d'Artagnan, a young man gifted in the way of the sword
with goals of joining the king’s Musketeers. D'Artagnan initially gets into
altercations with each of the Musketeers, Athos (Léon Bary), Porthos (George
Siegmann), and Aramis (Eugene Pallette), but wins them over by joining them in
a fight against the guardsmen of Cardinal Richelieu (Nigel De Brulier).
The Three Musketeers
is a perfect example of the type of classic narrative that Fairbanks brought to
life onscreen for audiences at the beginning of the twentieth century. He grew
a moustache to play the role, which he kept for the remainder of his film
career. The success of The Three Musketeers also led to the sequel film that
was also based on the work of Dumas, The Iron Mask (1929), which brought
back cast members and the iconic swashbuckling characters for a new adventure.
Although much of the film is still silent, there were a couple of talking
scenes with direct-address narration by Fairbanks.
This film also increases the scope with a narrative taking place over a long period of time, involving a plot to overtake King Louis XIII (Rolfe Sedan) with the use of his disenfranchised twin brother (William Bakewell). The Musketeers are split up and only come back together years later when they realize there is a plot to overtake the king’s throne. The narrative is taken from the last section from The Vicomte de Bragelonne, which is based on the French legend of the Man in the Iron Mask. Both The Three Musketeers and The Iron Mask have been given new restorations by Cohen Media Group, in association with Photoplay Productions. There are no special features for this double feature.
- Director : Allan Dwan, Albert Parker
- Actors : Douglas Fairbanks, Enid Bennett, Billie Dove
- Subtitles: : English
- Studio : Cohen Film Collection
- Aspect Ratio : 1.33:1
- MPAA rating : NR (Not Rated)
- Country of Origin : USA
- Number of discs : 1
- Media Format : Blu-ray
- Run time : 3 hours and 48 minutes
- Release date : July 25, 2023
The second double feature release
includes two different types of swordplay spectacle: an early adaptation of
Robin Hood and a colorized pirate film. Robin Hood (1922) was originally
copyrighted under the title Douglas Fairbanks in Robin Hood, showing the
significance of his stardom on the film’s release. With that being said, the
scope of Robin Hood is what remains impressive even by today’s
standards. At the time it was one of the most expensive Hollywood productions,
costing about a million dollars and included the constructions of massive
castle and 12th-century village sets.
The Black Pirate (1926) is a silent film shot in
two-color Technicolor about a Duke (Fairbanks) who infiltrates a company of pirates
to get revenge for the death of his father. After becoming the Black Pirate, the
hero played by Fairbanks works to undermine the control of the captain of the
pirates (Anders Randolf). The plans for revenge are complicated when the
company of pirates overtakes a ship with a princess (Billie Dove) and the Black
Pirate must risk exposing himself to protect her.
The scope of The Black Pirate may
not be as impressive as Robin Hood, but the color photography adds a
welcome new element to the spectacle. This film also comes with a surprising number
of extras, including a commentary track with film historian Rudy Behlmer, who
also provides commentary on 18 minutes of outtakes. There are an additional 29
minutes of outtakes also included.
Entertainment Value:
7.5/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 9/10
Historical
Significance: 10/10
Special Features: 7/10
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