1925
Directed by Clarence Brown
Even though the new editions of the List tend to favor newer movies, they did sprinkle in some entries among the older ranks. I guess they felt they didn't pay enough homage to Rudolph Valentino the first go around, so now we all have to sit through this one and properly acknowledge his hotness.
My embarrassing literary secret is that I've never read any Pushkin, but I believe this is based on a Pushkin novel. Valentino plays a Russian lieutenant who catches the fancy of the Czarina, but she's old, so gross. He rejects his advances and flees, so she puts out a warrant for his capture, dead or alive. Then he becomes Robin Hood.
It was jarring watching this, as I haven't watched a silent film since I was a young lass and started this blog. I know that back when I was languishing in the mire of Griffith movies, this would have been a welcome reprieve. But now it was rather a chore to sit through, because well...they hadn't starting making good movies yet. You know, with good stories and non awkward movie kisses.
Still, Valentino is a magnetic force. So he deserved a place on this List.
RATING: ***--
Interesting Facts:
In order to project a more masculine image in this film, Valentino insisted on doing the opening stunt himself.
I believe it was the tenth edition of the Book that renovated the entire list with some 50 new additions instead of just appending the last year's new 10-15 movies. This is the only edition to take a good, hard look at old entries and in my opinion that look was not near hard enough. Even on the renovated list there is way too much Godard.
ReplyDeleteIt is odd that they added The Eagle and not The Sheik since that is a far more iconic (but probably not better) movie with Valentino.
Excellent review as always, Amanda. Congrats on reviewing 1071 movies! I have never seen this, but have seen The Sheik. I'm not sure I have the energy for this old of a movie. 😅☺️
ReplyDeleteWhen I lived in Hollywood, there was a theater called the Silent Movie Theater, and I went there A LOT in the 1990s. The Sheik is a CHORE! The Son of the Sheik is quite a bit better. But I loved The Eagle! Including The Eagle instead of the Sheik was a great idea on the part of the List Editors.
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