The Black Pirate, a review by Danae Cassandra
The Black PirateYear of Release: 1926
Directed By: Albert Parker
Starring: Douglas Fairbanks, Bille Dove, Donald Crisp, Sam De Grasse
Genre: Adventure, Action
Overview:Riding the crest of popularity after his hit films The Thief of Bagdad, Robin Hood, and The Three Musketeers, the silent cinema's greatest adventure hero crowned his accomplishments with the spectacular Technicolor epic THE BLACK PIRATE.
The sole survivor of a ship pillaged by buccaneers, Michel (Fairbanks) poses as the mysterious Black Pirate and infiltrates a nest of bandits. He mounts an elaborate ploy to earn their trust, reclaim the ship and rescue a kidnapped princess (Billie Dove). Like a Robert Louis Stevenson adventure come to life, THE BLACK PIRATE ripples with customary intrigue and a rapid succession of brilliantly inventive stunts.
Mastered from a 35mm negative, this special Kino edition carefully recreates the authentic palette of two-strip Technicolor (comprised of varying blends of green and orange), so that modern viewers can savor the photography
The New York Times praised as, "mindful of the paintings of the old masters."
My Thoughts:This is a fun swashbuckling adventure. It has great action and stunts (mostly courtesy of Fairbanks), a dashing hero, a treacherous villain, and a fair maiden in distress. It's everything you want in a pirate movie - sword fights, treasure, robbery, murder, kidnapping, romance, a scene with our hero forced to walk the plank.
Don't try to judge this against modern films. You simply aren't going to have the kind of film you see now. In its day, this was a lavish production with expensive, and experimental, two-color Technicolor film. One of the earliest full-length color films! It's a dynamic, entertaining yarn I'd recommend to anyone who likes a good pirate film or a good silent film. Lots and lots of fun.
Bechdel Test: Fail
Overall: 3.5/5
(From Off Day Alphabet Marathon on August 9th, 2014)
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May 13, 2024, 07:42:41 PM
