The Eagle (1925)

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.

Director:

Clarence Brown

Writers:

Alexander Pushkin (novel), George Marion Jr. (titles)

Stars:

Rudolph Valentino, Vilma Bánky, Louise Dresser

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Rudolph Valentino	...	Vladimir Dubrovsky
Vilma Bánky	...	Mascha Troekouroff (as Vilma Banky)
Louise Dresser	...	The Czarina
Albert Conti	...	Kuschka
James A. Marcus	...	Kyrilla Troekouroff (as James Marcus)
George Nichols	...	Judge
Carrie Clark Ward	...	Aunt Aurelia

Storyline

Vladimir Dubrouvsky, a lieutenant in the Russian army, catches the eye of Czarina Catherine II. He spurns her advances and flees, and she puts out a warrant for his arrest, dead or alive. Vladimir learns that his father's lands have been taken by the evil Kyrilla Troekouroff, and his father dies. He dons a black mask, and becomes the outlaw The Black Eagle. He enters the Troekouroff household disguised as a French instructor for Kyrilla's daughter Mascha. He is after vengeance, but instead falls in love with Mascha.

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Plot Keywords:

lieutenant | mask | revenge | tracking shot | dungeon | 

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Genres:

Action | Comedy | Drama | History | Romance

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Certificate:

Unrated

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film was originally titled "The Black Eagle", but was changed when it was discovered that Douglas Fairbanks was producing the similarly-titled The Black Pirate (1926).

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Goofs

The story is set during the reign of Catherine the Great, who died in 1796, but the clothing styles are much closer to those worn in the early 19th century. And at one point Vladimir lights a candle with a friction match, which weren't invented until 1826.

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Quotes

Vladimir Dubrovsky: Haven't we met before?
Mascha Troekouroff: I think not. I don't associate with masked men as a rule.

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Alternate Versions

Killiam Shows, Inc. copyrighted a restored, tinted and scored version in 1971, currently available on video with running time of 72 minutes. The restoration was done by Karl Malkames and the theater organ score was by Lee Irwin.

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Connections

Version of Novela: El bandido Dubrowski (1968)

User Reviews

Just the right mixture of romance, humour, and swashbuckling

Worried that Valentino's screen image had become effete after the somewhat arty pictures he had made with his now estranged wife, his studio found him a part that was 100% male but would still include the lovemaking his female audience loved (it turned out the studio chose well-- going by fan mail, this movie proved equally popular with men and women).

Valentino's role of Vladimir Dubrowski in "The Eagle,"--a sort of Cossack Robin Hood--was obviously influenced by the Douglas Fairbanks movies, but it's no pallid rip-off. Whereas Fairbanks, much like a male lead in a Spielberg film, tends to keep the hugging and kissing to a minimum, Valentino, although he can handle a sword very skilfully, makes the film his own by balancing the swashbuckling with plenty of wooing. He also shows that he was not above poking fun at his persona as a lady killer, as when besotted by the female lead he overloads his soup with pepper (the die hard Valentino haters always overlook this self depreciating side to his performances).

The other performers are strong too—James Marcus is repugnant as the corrupt and cowardly aristocrat Kyrilla who has ruined Vladimir's father (but somehow pathetic in his final scenes when he realizes he has lost his daughter); Louise Dresser is amusing and touching as the post menopausal and horny czarina who becomes murderous when Dubrowski resists her advances, and Vilma Banky is sweet but assertive as the best romantic heroines are, and very affecting in the scenes in which she is torn between her attraction to Dubrowski and her filial love for her unworthy father.

The film also sets itself apart from the Fairbanks sort of swashbuckling epic (in which the hero is usually content to mete out punishment to wrongdoers) by raising the question that that maybe vengeance should be left to God rather than men and that as Mascha points out to Vladimir a life totally motivated by hate is a wasted one. In fact the script is so much on the side of forgiveness that even the ruthless Czarina, after a last minute change of heart about Vladimir's execution, is allowed a happy ending--and a more age appropriate suitor.

All in all, a very fine comeback vehicle for Valentino—but how sad that it proved to be his penultimate film.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 November 1925 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Eagle

Box Office

Gross USA:

$323,150

Company Credits

Production Co:

Art Finance Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

73 min 71 min (Ontario) 77 min (DVD)

Sound Mix:

Silent

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1