Robin Hood (1912) Reviewed

The first depiction of Robin Hood on screen occurred in 1912 in the short film Robin Hood. Filmed in Fort Lee, New Jersey with a runtime of 30 minutes, it amounts to little more than a pantomime with its simplistic plot, cartoonish characters, and rudimentary fight choreography (which one might suspect was limited to instructions on the order of, "Just wave your sword about and try not to hurt anyone"). Cinematography was still in its relative infancy, but there is nothing remotely innovative or adventurous on display here. The camera is stationary in every scene, indoors or outdoors, as if the viewer is attending a play, except a play would flow more naturally and be easier to follow. The acting is exaggerated, the pacing is awkward, the scene changes are jarring, and the action sequences are laughable. In one static scene, Robin Hood's merry men hastily arrange an ambush for their pursuers by holding up tree branches and lying down behind them in an open field. I doubt it would fool a blindfolded man, let alone a mounted man-at-arms, but the ambush succeeds, there's a general kerfuffle of pulling soldiers off their horses, and soon their antagonists are all tied to trees. All of the conflict in this version of Robin Hood's adventures is caused by Guy de Gisbourne's unrequited lust for Maid Marian and her father's disapproval of Marian and Robin's dalliances. So much does he disapprove of Robin that he informs Guy that if he can apprehend Robin, he is more than welcome to his daughter. Fights and flights ensue. The characters are all caricatures, and the revelation that the unknown personage is King Richard the Lion-Hearted is clumsy and anticlimactic. Fortunately, the legend of Robin Hood is too powerful to be consigned to oblivion by this half-hearted effort. The only value this film holds is historical. It was the first, and may well be the worst (or one of the worst). At least it is short.

Writing: Poor
Directing: Poor
Acting: Poor
Cinematography: Poor
Stunts: Poor
Swordplay: Terrible
Panache: Poor

Overall Rating: Poor
Swashbuckling Rank: Terrible/Poor

Written by: Eustace Hale Ball
Directed by: Étienne Arnaud
Performed by: Robert Frazer, Barbara Tennant, Alec B. Francis, Lamar Johnstone, Arthur Hollingsworth, et al.

Robin Hood (1922) Reviewed

Robin Hood was one of the great swashbuckling epics of its time when it was made in 1922. Its production values are lavish, its scale is huge, and it's long. In fact, it's a bit too long. Fifty percent of the film is devoted to the story of Richard the Lion-Hearted (Wallace Beery), the nefarious Prince John (Sam De Grasse), and how the loyal Earl of Huntingdon (Douglas Fairbanks) just wants to do what is right, but is misunderstood. The story, to put it with merciful brevity, meanders, stalls, and meanders again throughout the first half of the film. The audience is, however, treated with views of truly magnificent sets and impressive pageantry with a cast of hundreds if not thousands. After a seemingly interminable prologue dominated by pomp, evil posturing, and kingly presidings, the Earl of Huntingdon finally becomes Robin Hood, fighting for justice in England until King Richard can return from the Crusade and liberate his land from the usurper.

Let us ignore the historical facts concerning King Richard I, his brother John, the Crusades, and England under both rulers for the purpose of this review, for the legends of Robin Hood are themselves steeped in a mythical interpretation of the period.

The film certainly picks up pace during its second half when Robin Hood is "born." Immediately, there is a spring to its step. I mean that literally. Robin Hood and his Merry Men spring into the scene and spring all throughout the rest of the film, until one thinks one is watching a stage production of Peter Pan. It's a little too springy for my taste. The stunts are amazing as always whenever Fairbanks is around, and he carries himself as the usual happy-go-lucky god of derring-do, but he and his Merry Men just seem a little too merry. I am not exaggerating this! It sounds like an exaggeration, but there is entirely too much frolicking hither and thither to be taken seriously as a grand adventure. They are simply over-the-top full of merriment. If it were a musical, it would be more appropriate, but it's a silent film. Don't misunderstand me; it's very entertaining, and it's funny, and I think the humor of it is intentional, but I'm not quite sure.

The DVD includes a short subject by Will Rogers in which he good-naturedly pokes fun at the smash hit film, and his portrayal of the Merry Men rather confirms my description. It is truly hilarious.

Without intending any disrespect to Fairbanks' work, it is one of his more amusing efforts...

Writing: Fair
Directing: Good
Acting: Fair
Cinematography: Great
Stunts: Great
Swordplay: Mediocre
Panache: Good

Overall Rating: Good
Swashbuckling Rank: Good


[Originally posted in Cuparius.com on 21 August 2006.]


Addendum

Written by: Douglas Fairbanks (as Elton Thomas), et al.
Directed by: Allan Dwan
Performed by: Douglas Fairbanks, Wallace Beery, Sam De Grasse, Enid Bennett, Paul Dickey, William Lowery, et al.

The Iron Mask (1929) Reviewed

The Iron Mask of 1929 is a sequel to Douglas Fairbanks' The Three Musketeers of 1921. It is also his last silent feature, although it includes a brief introduction and intermission in sound. Like its predecessor, its production values are of the highest order with lavish sets, an enormous cast of extras, and a heartfelt dedication to verisimilitude as demonstrated by a declaration in the credits that "This entire production was under the supervision of Maurice Leloir, Member of the Society of French Artists, illustrator of 'The Three Musketeers,' the acknowledged authority on the period depicted." No expense seems to have been spared to bring that period to life.

The Iron Mask covers a greater span of time as well as a greater span of joy and sorrow. Based on events in Alexandre Dumas' novels, the film begins in 1638 with the birth of the future king of France, Louis XIV, and ends 24 years later. It begins also with D'Artagnan's love for Constance and the loyalty of four friends that even death cannot sever. Fairbanks' acting skills have noticeably matured just as his D'Artagnan matures, and the tragedy from which the audience was spared in 1921 is finally played out midway through the picture probably to better effect.

The sombre moments are fittingly counterbalanced with most of the best swashbuckling elements: romance, espionage, derring-do, and high-spirited (and humorous) carousing. There is, perhaps, a little less swordplay than might be expected, primarily occurring in the middle and climax of the film, but swordplay itself is less the focus of a Douglas Fairbanks movie than the acrobatics and physical shenanigans he integrates into any action sequence.

Solid performances are given by Rolfe Sedan as Louis XIII, Belle Bennett as the Queen Mother (an improvement over Mary MacLaren's portrayal), and Dorothy Revier as Milady de Winter. Nigel De Brulier reprises his role as Cardinal Richelieu perhaps a little more convincingly, and Marguerite De La Motte reprises her role as Constance Bonacieux quite capably. The weak link in this film is William Bakewell's dual performance as Louis XIV and his twin brother. Although the former is rendered somewhat more sympathetically than the historical inspiration, the latter is reduced to the equivalent of a moustache-twirling villain of the type who ties damsels to railroad tracks (or would if trains had existed in 17th century France). This is disappointing, but it is not enough of a flaw to ruin the totality of the picture.

In the end, it is a lovingly crafted adieu to an era, and at the same time it is "The Beginning" of the next, which would soon see the rise of Errol Flynn.

Writing: Good
Directing: Good
Acting: Good
Cinematography: Great
Stunts: Great
Swordplay: Fair
Panache: Great

Overall Rating: Good
Swashbuckling Rank: Good


[Originally posted in Cuparius.com on 8 September 2011.]


Addendum

Written by: Douglas Fairbanks and Jack Cunningham
Based on: The Vicomte de Bragelonne by Alexandre Dumas
Directed by: Allan Dwan
Performed by: Douglas Fairbanks, Belle Bennett, Marguerite De La Motte, Dorothy Revier, Vera Lewis, Rolfe Sedan, William Bakewell, et al.

The Three Musketeers (1921) Reviewed

The Three Musketeers, that quintessential swashbuckling tale, has been adapted for the silver screen many times, and for many the most famous one of all is still the one brought to life by that consummate swashbuckler, Douglas Fairbanks, who starred as the hero, D'Artagnan. A production of his own film company, the 1921 film had impressive sets, excellent outdoor cinematography, and a wealth of period costuming. If I rated a film in terms of production values, I would assess it as Great bordering on Superb.

The quality of the acting is more of a mixed bag, ranging from the weak melodrama of Mary MacLaren's Queen Anne to the convincingly regal bearing of Adolphe Menjou's Louis XIII. Nigel de Brulier successfully captures the innocuous posturing of Cardinal Richelieu, but doesn't quite convey the magnitude of his formidable power. Fairbanks, as might be expected, is a nearly nonstop burst of energy, as befits the character of the impetuous D'Artagnan, pausing from chases, duels, and general mêlées to express his grief at a given misfortune with a brief obligatory swooning (symbolized by the pressing of the back of the hand to the forehead), which would be forgivable if it were not repeated over and over again. But Fairbanks was not a great actor. He was a great swashbuckler; he was only an adequate actor. Nevertheless, he embodies the restless, roguish, courageous, idealistic spirit of his character very well, and the sum of all the film's parts constitute a very good film indeed.

Writing: Good
Directing: Good
Acting: Fair/Good
Cinematography: Good
Stunts: Great
Swordplay: Good
Panache: Great

Overall Rating: Good
Swashbuckling Rank: Great


[Originally posted in Cuparius.com on 30 July 2010.]


Addendum

Written by: Edward Knoblock
Based on: The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas
Directed by: Fred Niblo
Performed by: Douglas Fairbanks, Nigel de Brulier, Marguerite de la Motte, Barbara La Marr, et al.

Don Q Son of Zorro (1925) Reviewed

Don Q Son of Zorro (1925), although made five years after The Mark of Zorro, takes place perhaps 25 years later, and stars Douglas Fairbanks as both the hero, Don Cesar de Vega, and his father Don Diego, otherwise known as Zorro. Instead of colonial California, the stage is now set in Spain for intrigue, adventure, and romance. From the beginning, Don Cesar's bravado, humility, and sense of humor are on display, as well as his uncanny skill with the whip, his demonstration of which leads unintentionally to a chain of events that will find him hunted by those in power. Like his father, he will be forced to become an outlaw and draw on those abilities he learned or inherited from him. Fairbanks exploits every opportunity to disregard gravity by virtue of his acrobatic training, and when even that is not enough, there is always the whip to disarm or entangle a foe or hoist him to safety.

Although there is action in abundance, there is also love, and the object of Don Cesar's affection is Dolores, played very capably by Mary Astor. The scene in which they first meet is amusingly scripted, albeit with very little dialogue from Fairbanks, and it is apt that it occurs in the proverbial eye of a hurricane of activity.

Of the villains I will say nothing lest too much is revealed, but the varying shades of gray in which they are painted is a refreshing change from the unvarying black that typifies most enemies in action movies.

Don Q Son of Zorro is one of the lesser known swashbuckling movies, but undeservedly so. It is a fine (and rare) example of the sequel that not only honors its parentage with a faithful continuity, but stands as a solid work in its own right. Few action movies are as well balanced as this one.

Writing: Good
Directing: Good
Acting: Good
Cinematography: Good
Stunts: Superb
Swordplay: Fair
Whip-Handling: Superb
Panache: Superb

Overall Rating: Great
Swashbuckling Rank: Great


[Originally posted in Cuparius.com on 1 October 2010.]

Addendum

The following is from a Wikipedia article on Hesketh Hesketh-Prichard:

In 1904, the mother-and-son writing team [Kate Prichard and Hesketh Hesketh-Prichard] produced The Chronicles of Don Q., a collection of short stories featuring the fictional rogue Don Quebranta Huesos, a Spanish Robin Hood-like figure who was fierce to the evil rich but kind-hearted to the virtuous poor. A second collection, The New Chronicles of Don Q. followed in 1906. The pair produced a full-length novel, Don Q.'s Love Story, in 1909. Don Q. was brought to the stage in 1921 when it was performed at the Apollo Theatre, London. In 1925, the book was reworked as a Zorro vehicle by screenwriters Jack Cunningham and Lotta Woods; the United Artists silent film Don Q, Son of Zorro was produced by Douglas Fairbanks, who also starred as its lead character. The New York Times rated the film one of its top ten movies of the year.

So, the son of Zorro predates Zorro himself!

Written by: Jack Cunningham and Lotta Woods (uncredited)
Based on: Don Q.'s Love Story by Kate Prichard and Hesketh Hesketh-Prichard
Directed by: Donald Crisp
Performed by: Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Astor, Jack McDonald, Donald Crisp, et al.

The Black Pirate (1926) Reviewed

The Black Pirate, made in 1926, is a pirate fantasy starring and conceived by Douglas Fairbanks. That he had not made a pirate movie earlier in his career seems surprising for the king of the swashbucklers, but once he did, the result was another lavish and explosive epic. It was so lavish, in fact, that it was filmed entirely in Technicolor. It is, indeed, a pirate fantasy, as the extravagant use of Technicolor during the silent era might suggest, for the main characters are nobles, their countries are fictitious, and even the ships are of a design never seen in history. Fairbanks' costume looks specifically designed for the exploits of an acrobat, though he does not play one, and the legion of soldiers who appear later rowing a galley and leaping into battle more closely resemble guards of the planet Mongo or the Undersea Kingdom in their attire (and martial artists from a kung fu movie in their behavior) than soldiers of any historical period. The story is essentially a fairy tale — an action fairy tale. There is a loyal son vowing revenge for the death of his father, the infiltration of a gang of pirates, impossible deeds done with a sparkling smile, a damsel in distress, love at first sight, more impossible deeds done with a glint in the eye, etc. The story and acting are childish, but intentionally so. The stunts are impressive by any standard except, perhaps, Fairbanks' own. It is not the greatest pirate movie ever made, but it was certainly not made halfheartedly nor on the cheap.

Writing: Poor
Directing: Fair
Acting: Mediocre
Cinematography: Good
Stunts: Superb
Swordplay: Good
Panache: Superb

Overall Rating: Good
Swashbuckling Rank: Great


[Originally posted in Cuparius.com on 27 September 2007.]


Addendum

Written by: Douglas Fairbanks and Jack Cunningham
Directed by: Albert Parker
Performed by: Douglas Fairbanks, Billie Dove, Tempe Pigott, Donald Crisp, et al.

The Mark of Zorro (1920) Reviewed

The Mark of Zorro from 1920 is one of the great film classics of the swashbuckling genre, starring that immortal master of derring-do on the silver screen, Douglas Fairbanks. The caballero Don Diego Vega, newly returned to California from Spain, is forced to disguise both his competence and his opposition to the oppressive rule of the new Alcalde in order to avoid offending his father who will not tolerate criminal behavior, and also to protect his family from retribution. As this deceptive Don Diego, Fairbanks humorously plays the snobbish, lazy fop who is bored by everything around him and finds all activities to be tiresome except when it comes to displaying his skill at sleight-of-hand. As his alter ego Zorro, however, he presents us with the iconic figure of the heroic vigilante who inspires terror in his enemies and hope in the hearts of the downtrodden. He can be menacing, as when he emerges from the shadows in the midst of his enemies, wreathed in the smoke of his cigar like a devil from Hell. He can be charming, as when he wins the heart of the beautiful Lolita Pulido (played by Marguerite De La Motte). And he can be astonishing, as when he leaps from rooftop to rooftop and over obstacles as if he could ignore gravity at will. Fairbanks, as his fans know, did all of his own stunts, and he made them all seem simultaneously easy (to him) and impossible (for everyone else). Truly, his feats of agility are jawdropping, and if the film had no other merits whatsoever, his combination of panache and superhuman stuntwork alone would make it immortal.

Writing: Mediocre Fair
Directing: Good
Acting: Fair
Cinematography: Good
Stunts: Superb
Swordplay: Good
Panache: Superb

Overall Rating: Good
Swashbuckling Rank: Great (Legendary)


[Originally posted in Cuparius.com on 5 August 2006.]


Addendum

Written by: Johnston McCulley, Douglas Fairbanks, and Eugene Miller
Based on: The Curse of Capistrano by Johnston McCulley
Directed by: Fred Niblo
Performed by: Douglas Fairbanks, Marguerite De La Motte, Robert McKim, Noah Beery, et al.