The Black Pirate
by Albert Parker
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Anders Randolf, Billie Dove, Donald Crisp, Sam De Grasse, Tempe PigottDirector: Albert Parker
Brand: Kino International
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown)
Format: Black & White, DVD, NTSC, Silent
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 88 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2004-02-03
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Model: 3302
Studio: Kino Video
Product features:
- BLACK PIRATE, THE (DVD MOVIE)
Movie Reviews of The Black Pirate
Movie Review: PURE ENTERTAINMET BLISS. My dogs and i love this one.
Summary: 5 Stars
To begin with, silent movies were made for people like me. I am one of those obnoxious individuals who talk, about the movie I am watching, completely throughout...almost non-stop. This is the reason family and friends will not go with me to a movie, set through or even mention movies in my presents anymore. My wife almost divorced me after the last film we actually attended at a theater...it was Titanic, a movie that I was not overly fond of and was quite vocal about while enduring setting through it. Silent movies though give me a chance to blah, blah, blah and it does not bother those I am watching it with...well, not much I suppose.
Alas for me, I have not had the pleasure of watching this great granddaddy of all pirate films on the big screen, a pleasure I am sure I am poorer for. For swashbuckling adventure, amazing sword play, and sheer entertainment, this one is difficult to top...even on the small screen. My goodness, where to start?
When watching this amazing film, the viewer must keep in mind that it was made in 1926. The technology, special effects and such simply did not exist. There were no computer enhancements available, no multi-camera blends and no "trick photograph" as some might refer to it today. What you see is what you see. This of course was made before the days of full color film, but was done in a two-color or tone method which gives it, as another reviewer nicely put it, "a surreal effect. This enhances the overall mood of the film greatly. Lets face it, this is truly a fantasy, a form of escapism, and the more surrealistic the better as far as I am concerned.
The story line is simple. Douglas Fairbanks, a young nobleman, seeks retribution against a band of cutthroat pirates who have killed his father. The grubby pirates are not nice people, good grief no! Visually, this is made very plane right from the start. To accomplish this, he becomes one of them and it is then a matter of out pirating the pirates.
The cast includes of course Douglas Fairbanks (at his best in my opinion), and in addition we are given Billie Dove, Donald Crisp, Charlie Stevens, Anders Randolf and Sam dr Grasse. It should be noted that the costuming is quite remarkable. The grime, grubbiness, and crude dress of the pirates is much closer to the mark than many of our current films. These guys did not bathe all that much, wore what was available and were pretty crude in their dress...even for those times; exotic, yes, but still and all, crude. This film captures that essence perfectly. Some reviewers in the past, and I note here also, have mention that there are certain homoerotic overtones to portions of this film. Personally I did not note them, but I suppose if this flicks your Bic, then so be it. Who am I to be critical of the opinions of others in this area? I am quite sure that we could find the same thing in stories and movies such as Bambi if we really tried hard enough. On the other hand, I am a bit clueless about such things and maybe there is something to all that.
The big attraction though for me, as far as this film goes, is the sword play. This film more or less set the standard for literally thousands of films of this genre to come. Some of the sword fighting sequences filmed here has simply never been equaled! I have always greatly admired the 1952 movie `Scaramouche,' staring Stewart Granger and the wonderful swordplay featured in that epic film. If you watch closely though, you will find those duels and sword play have been strongly influenced by the sequences filmed in the move being reviewed here. For that matter, again if you examine the films closely, you will find that the sequences between Luke Skywalker bashing away at Darth Vader with his light saber, reflect a strong resemblance to some of the scenes filmed in The Black Prince. There is no doubt that Fairbanks possessed great athletic abilities, in addition to his on screen charisma, and that charm and athletic ability is certainly on full display in this film.
Secondly, I have always been amazed at the elaborate set designs of this film; those of the ship and ships. The filming of the various ships being sacked by the motley crews of the pirate vessels is absolutely amazing...so detailed, so realistic! Again, we must remember that there was no computer enhancement going on here. The set was the set and that is what those who were filming this movie had to work; again, simply amazing to say nothing of impressive!
Third, this movie entertains! It starts this process with the first few frames and does not let up until the conclusion 85 minutes later. Much of the entertainment value is through the absolute acting power of Fairbanks. He is not only quite athletic, but also extremely funny. His cheerfulness, even in the midst of a deadly fight, simply washes off of the screen and permeates this entire work in a dominate way. Even though not one word is uttered throughout the entire movie, you will find yourself chuckling and indeed laughing at times through the whole thing.
From a historical aspect, this is one film that almost has to be in your collection. From an entertainment point of view, you are missing out on some of the best if you have not watched this at least once...although I might suggest multiple viewings, as it is one of those films that reveal more and more with each viewing.
As a side note; yes, I talked through this entire move, I always do. Fortunately for me and fortunately for my family, my only company during my last viewing consisted of my four dogs, all very good movie watchers, and they did not seem to mind my babbling...well, not much, I suppose.
Don Blankenship
The Ozarks
Summary of The Black Pirate
BLACK PIRATE - DVD MovieThe silent era's greatest swashbuckler, Douglas Fairbanks, took to the sea with cutlass in hand and gypsy earrings dangling for the first great pirate movie and a gorgeous example of early Technicolor. In a story that's become almost cliché in the intervening years, Fairbanks is the sole survivor of a pirate attack who infiltrates the high-seas criminals by posing as a master pirate. Defeating their leader in an acrobatic duel, Fairbanks proceeds to capture their next ship single-handedly in a sequence that has him swinging from mast to mast and, in the film's most memorable stunt, slicing the ship's sails with his knife as he slides down the sheet. Along with booty, however, the pirates discover a beautiful noblewoman (Billie Dove) and the Black Pirate must devise a plan to save the prisoners and himself in the face of a bloodthirsty band of brigands. Packed with every classic pirate device in the book, from saber duels to walking the plank, The Black Pirate shows off Fairbanks at his best, a jaunty, resourceful hero performing the most amazing acrobatic feats. The restoration shows the two-strip Technicolor classic at its best as well: a beautiful, delicately hued marvel, painstakingly restored and color-balanced from the original negative by film preservationist David Shepard. This edition also includes 19 minutes of rare black-and-white outtakes. --Sean Axmaker
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