Black Pirate

MOVIE DESCRIPTION:

The Black Pirate was hailed in 1926 as the "return" of the Douglas Fairbanks who'd breezed through several peppy comedies before starring in lavish costume epics like Robin Hood (1922) and Thief of Bagdad (1924). The story involves a young nobleman (Fairbanks) whose father is killed by pirates. He vows to avenge his dad's death by becoming a buccaneer himself and routing out the villains. Along the way, he rescues damsel-in-distress Billie Dove (likewise of noble birth) and engages in a few bloody duels with the swarthy likes of Sam De Grasse and Anders Randolph. Charlie Stevens, a grandson of American Indian chief Geronimo -- and whom Fairbanks regarded as a "lucky charm" -- appears in several tiny roles. The Black Pirate was originally presented in two-color Technicolor form; the black and white prints are the most-often-seen version of the film, however. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

DVD FEATURES:

AWARDS

• Library of Congress

•     Won U.S. National Film Registry - 1992

• Telluride Film Festival

•     Film Presented - 2002

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• Cast:

  
       Douglas Fairbanks - Michel, "The Black Pirate"
       Billie Dove - The Princess
       Donald Crisp - McTavish
       Anders Randolf - Pirate Leader
       Sam de Grasse - Pirate Lieutenant
       Charles Stevens - Powder man
       John Wallace - Bit
       Fred Becker - Bit
       E.J. Ratcliffe - Bit
       Charles Belcher - Chief Passenger

• Director:

  Albert Parker

• Producer:

  Douglas Fairbanks

• Screenwriter:

  Jack Cunningham, Lotta Woods

• Screen Story:

  Douglas Fairbanks

• Cinematographer:

  Henry Sharp

• Composer (Music Score):

  Mortimer Wilson

• Editor:

  William Nolan

• Art Director:

  Carl Oscar Borg

REVIEW:

• The Black Pirate was unpopular with critics on its release, but it is remembered today for its fine production design and innovative use of an early version of Technicolor. The color shoot required larger than usual amounts of lighting, presenting a unique challenge for set designer Carl Oscar Borg; the cumbersome camera limited the types of shots available to director Albert Parker and cinematographer Henry Sharp. Still, Parker and company managed to keep the film visually interesting and the action sequences fast-paced. Pirate is also notable for its point-of-view editing, and its unusually frequent use of intertitles to convey dialogue. Producer-writer-star Douglas Fairbanks hoped that the film would be his comeback vehicle, rescuing him from ponderous epics and lightweight comedies. Despite its brisk pace and persistent good humor, however, Pirate didn't provide Fairbanks with a receptive audience, though critics would grow to appreciate the film as some of his best work. ~ Richard Gilliam, Rovi