The Eagle (1925 film)
| The Eagle | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Clarence Brown |
| Written by | Alexander Pushkin (story) Hans Kraly (scenario) |
| Produced by | John W. Considine, Jr./Art Finance Corp. |
| Starring | Rudolph Valentino Vilma Bánky Louise Dresser James A. Marcus Carrie Clark Ward |
| Cinematography | George Barnes Dev Jennings |
| Distributed by | United Artists |
Release date |
|
Running time | 80 minutes |
| Country | Template:Film US |
| Languages | silent English intertitles |
The Eagle is a 1925 silent film directed by Clarence Brown and starring Rudolph Valentino, Vilma Bánky, Louise Dresser and James A. Marcus. It was based on the story Dubrovsky by Alexander Pushkin. [1]
Cast
- Rudolph Valentino - Lt. Vladimir Dubrovsky
- Vilma Banky - Miss Mascha Troekouroff
- Louise Dresser - The Czarina, Catherine 2nd
- Albert Conti - Captain Kuschka
- James A. Marcus - Kyrilla Troekouroff
- George Nichols - Judge
- Carrie Clark Ward - Aunt Aurelia
unbilled
- Michael Pleschkoff - Capt. Kuschka of the Cossack Guard
- Spottiswoode Aitken - Dubrovsky's Father
- Agostino Borgato - Priest
- Mario Carillo - Marcel Le Blanc, French Tutor
- Gary Cooper - Masked Cossack
- Jean De Briac - Small Role
- Otto Hoffman - Man Who Gets Purse Stolen
- Eric Mayne - Official Asking for Signature
- Russell Simpson - The Eagle's Lieutenant
- Mack Swain - Innkeeper
- Gustav von Seyffertitz - Court Servant at Dinner
Plot
Vladimir Dubrovsky (Rudolph Valentino), a Cossack serving in the Russian army, comes to the notice of the Czarina (Louise Dresser) when he rescues Mascha (Vilma Bánky), a beautiful young lady, and her aunt trapped in a runaway stagecoach. He is delighted when the Czarina offers to make him a general but horrified when she tries to seduce him. He flees and the Czarina puts a price on his head.
Soon afterwards he receives a letter from his father informing him that the evil nobleman Kyrilla Troekouroff (James A. Marcus) has taken over his lands and is terrorizing the countryside. Hurrying home, Vladimir learns that his father has died. Vowing to avenge his father and help the victimized peasantry, he adopts a black mask and becomes the Black Eagle, a Robin Hood figure. Discovering that Kyrilla is Mascha's father, he takes the place of a tutor who has been sent for from France, but not previously seen by anyone in the household. Vladimir is thus able to become part of Kyrilla's household. As Vladimir's love for Mascha grows, he becomes more and more reluctant to continue seeking revenge against her father, and the two eventually flee the Troekouroff estate. Vladimir is captured by the Czarina's men, but the Czarina, once determined to have him executed, has a last minute change of heart, and she allows Vladimir, given a new French name, and Mascha to leave Russia for Paris.
Reception
Valentino's previous few films had not been particularly well received, but The Eagle proved a strong comeback for him, getting good reviews from the critics, doing well at the box office and proving popular with both male and female fans. The Eagle is also notable in cinematic history for its famous extended tracking shot of the food laden table in the banquet scene.
See also
References
External links
- The Eagle at IMDb
- The Eagle is available for free viewing and download at the Internet Archive