The Black Pirate (1926)

Seeking revenge, an athletic young man joins the pirate band responsible for his father's death.

Director:

Albert Parker

Writers:

Douglas Fairbanks (story) (as Elton Thomas), Jack Cunningham (adapted by)

Stars:

Douglas Fairbanks, Billie Dove, Tempe Pigott

1 win.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Billie Dove	...	Princess Isobel (as Miss Billie Dove)
Tempe Pigott	...	Duenna (as Miss Tempe Pigett)
Donald Crisp	...	MacTavish (as Mr. Donald Crisp)
Sam De Grasse	...	Pirate Lieutenant (as Mr. Sam de Grasse)
Anders Randolf	...	Pirate Captain (as Mr. Anders Randolf)
Charles Stevens	...	Powder Man (as Mr.Charles Stevens)
John Wallace	...	Peg-Leg Pirate (as Mr. John Wallace)
Fred Becker	...	Pirate (as Mr. Fred Becker)
Charles Belcher	...	Chief Passenger - Nobleman (as Mr. Charles Belcher)
E.J. Ratcliffe	...	The Governor (as Mr. D. J. Ratcliffe)
Douglas Fairbanks	...	The Duke of Arnoldo / The Black Pirate (as Mr. Douglas Fairbanks)

Storyline

A nobleman vows to avenge the death of his father at the hands of pirates. To this end he infiltrates the pirate band. Acting in character he is instrumental in the capture of a ship, but things are complicated when he finds that there is a young woman on board whom he wishes to protect from the threat of rape.

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Plot Keywords:

national film registry | pirate | ship | revenge | pirate ship | 

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Taglines:

The Love Story of a Bold Buccaneer

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Genres:

Adventure | Action

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Release Date:

8 March 1926 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Black Buccaneer

Filming Locations:

Santa Catalina Island, Channel Islands, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,300,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$677,647, 31 December 1927

Company Credits

Production Co:

Elton Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min 94 min (restored)

Sound Mix:

Silent

Color:

Color (2-strip Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to the commentary on the Kino Video DVD, the crew of Douglas Fairbanks' longboat in the climactic chase and battle were members of the crew of the USS Arizona.

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Goofs

At about 31 minutes into the film, there are several shots of the "Black Pirate" aiming two swivel cannons at the viewer, interspersed with reaction shots of other actors. The first shot shows him in front of a whitish background (eg an overcast sky), the second such shot (a few seconds later) has a pitch black background. All such shots after that have the white background.

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Connections

Featured in Hollywood: The Great Stars (1963)

User Reviews

Entertaining stuff that provides audience amusement thanks to the great Douglas Fairbanks playing an agile pirate

Fun silent pirate movie , plenty of action , thrills , exciting sword-play , luxurious costumes , athletic feats , fabulous scenarios ; all meld together under Albert Parker's right direction . This exciting swashbuckling deals with the love story of a bold Buccaneer (Douglas Fairbanks) and a gorgeous princess (Billie Dove) and a subsequent vengeance . As a shipwrecked mariner vows vendetta on the pirates who destroyed his father's ship .As he writes on his father's tomb : ¨My father I solemnly vow¨. Seeking revenge, the athletic young man joins the pirate band led by a nasty captain (Randolf) responsible for his father's death . As Fairbanks uses all kind of shrewdness in order to penetrate a well-defended ship and take the command .

Amusing pirate movie , plenty of emotion , astounding adventures , realistic miniature work , evocative cinematography in black and white and luxurious costumes ; this is the quintaessential pirate movie . This classic story of romantic adventure come to life enriched by fabulous scenarios and adapted rightly to the screen . Overwhelming battle ships , sword-play and full of villainy , romance , swashbuckler and heroism . The picture is fast-moving , exciting and thrilling right up to the climatic confrontation between Douglas Fairbanks and his villain enemies . Big budgeted film by United Artists Pictures , using appropriate ship shots and miniature sets when possible . ¨Black pirate¨ results to be Douglas Fairbanks's swashbuckling best and has achieved a classic status . Charming Douglas Fairbanks steals the show when he bounds and leaps , flies and run ; in addition he is the screenwriter of this rollicking adventure . Fairbanks executes athletic feats , moving sword-play and spectacular acrobatics similarly he demonstrated in other classics such as The Mark of Zorro (1920), Robin Hood (1922), Three musketeers , Don Q Son of Zorro , The gaucho , The iron mask , The Taming of the Shrew , Don Juan , Mr Robinson , among others . Douglas performed most of the stunts in his films himself. He was an excellent athlete and used his physical abilities to his best advantage. Douglas was king of Hollywood by that time and he formed his own production company ; during a Liberty Bond tour with Charles Chaplin he fell in love with Mary Pickford with whom he, Chaplin and Griffith had formed United Artists in 1919. In fact, there is a cameo appearance by Mary Pickford as Princess Isobel in Final Embrace . Furthermore , there appears Nino Cochise, grandson of the famous Apache chief Cochise as an extra in this movie , it was his second extra job in Hollywood, his first one being in Douglas Fairbanks' Robin Hood . The crew of Douglas Fairbanks' longboat in the climactic chase and battle were members of the crew of the USS Arizona .

Bright black and white cinematography , though also available in color .This silent version was accompanied with an appropriate piano musical score . The motion picture was professionally realized by Albert Parker who directed some vehicles for Douglas Fairbanks . However , Donald Crisp -who plays a secondary role- was the original director, but after a few days of filming had a falling-out with star Douglas Fairbanks and was replaced by Parker.