Don Juan (1926)

Director:

Alan Crosland

Writers:

Walter Anthony (titles)
Lord Byron (poem)

Release Date:

19 February 1927 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Romance

Tagline:

A Super Spectacle Depicting the Romantic Adventures of THE LORD OF ALL LOVERS! (original poster)

Plot:

If there was one thing that Don Juan de Marana learned from his father Don Jose, it was that women gave you three things - life...

Plot Keywords:

Character Name In Title

Cast

Jane Winton	...	Donna Isobel
John Roche	...	Leandro
Warner Oland	...	Cesare Borgia
Estelle Taylor	...	Lucrezia Borgia
Montagu Love	...	Count Giano Donati
Josef Swickard	...	Duke Della Varnese
Willard Louis	...	Pedrillo
Nigel De Brulier	...	Marchese Rinaldo
Hedda Hopper	...	Marchesia Rinaldo
Myrna Loy	...	Mai, Lady in Waiting
Mary Astor	...	Adriana della Varnese
John Barrymore	...	Don Jose de Marana / Don Juan de Marana

Runtime:

167 min | Spain:110 min | 112 min (TCM print)

Country:

USA

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (musical score and sound effects) | Silent

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

At the film's premiere, Will Hays, the then "Czar" and censor of the industry, contributed an on-screen introduction, talking in synchronized sound, greeting everyone in the audience with "Welcome to a new era of motion picture." After that, the Los Angeles Philharmonic was filmed playing "Tannhäuser", violinists Mischa Elman and Efrem Zimbalist Sr., guitarist Roy Smeck, three opera shorts with Giovanni Martinelli Marion Talley, and Anna Case, and then the feature. It was a huge success.

Movie Connections:

Edited into Okay for Sound (1946)

Not only film history, but also film magic!

Yes, this was the first movie made with a synchronised music score (and some sound effects), but it is much more that that! It is wondrous and spectacular entertainment with brilliant performances and magical camerawork. Like all great silent films there are very few titles because the actors tell the story without words. And what actors they are! John Barrymore is dashing as Don Juan, but he also gives the man great emotional depth - and the scene where he transforms his face while masquerading as a villain reveals not just talent but genius! Remember how he turned from Jekyll to Hyde with no make-up in the 1920 film? He does a similar thing here.

But where would Don Juan be without beautiful women? And here we have three of the most beautiful women ever to grace the scene. Estelle Taylor as Lucrezia Borgia - beautiful but deadly. Mary Astor - bewitchingly young and charmingly innocent. Myrna Loy - exotic and evil, and exquisite!

And the camerawork is superlative. The sword fight and the horseback battle are two of the most excitingly filmed sequences I have ever seen. And the music score is excellent.

This is a wonderful movie.

And who was that incredible actor playing the jealous husband who goes mad? Never seen such brilliant mad acting!