zardoz-13 Director Clarence Brown's "The Eagle" is a classic swashbuckler of the silent era. This adventurous black & white saga concerns a renegade Russian officer who deserts from the Imperial Guard and then hero. He vows to kill the man who swindled his father but winds up falling in love with the daughter of the dastard who took advantage of his father. Valentino's character looks like a cross-between of Robin Hood and Zorro. The comparison between Zorro is more apt because Vladimir serves under his clueless adversary, impersonating a French tutor, Monsieur Le Blanc, so he can kill the Count when he least expects it.A handsome Cossack officer, Lieutenant Vladimir Dubrovsky (Rudolph Valentino), is stationed at the court of Catherine the Great. Louise Dresser appears in a cameo as the lusty Czarina. Dubrovsky comes to the Czarina's attention when he halts a runaway carriage just beyond the palace gates. He borrows the Czarina's horse to accomplish this feat. Two women were riding in the carriage. Eventually, our hero falls in love with the beautiful young Mascha (Vilma Banky) who was riding in the vehicle. Meantime, the observant Czarina is impressed by Vladimir's skills as an equestrian. She invites him to dine with her at supper. As the Czarina is preparing everything to take advantage of Vladimir, he scrambles away to safety. No sooner has he snubbed the Czarina than he learns that his father has lost all his lands to the scheming Count Kyrilla (Kyrilla Troekouroff) who has bribed a judge to support his plans. As it turns out, Vladimir's father implores Vladimir to appeal with the Czarina, but it is too late for our unfortunate Vladimir. He decides to embark on a crusade against the Count. Before long, he discovers that Mascha is Kyrille's daughter. By now, Vladimir has taken on the persona of the Black Eagle, an outlaw devoted to avenging his father, whose lands have been taken by an evil count named Kyrilla-- who just happens to be Mascha's father."The Eagle" is an entertaining silent with a cliffhanger ending. This polished production was his third to last film.

Space_Mafune Russian lieutenant Vladimir Dubrovsky (Rudolph Valentino) vows vengeance against a man named Kyrilla (James A. Marcus) after Kyrilla used treachery to steal Dubrovsky land, which left his father a dying, ruined man. Eventually hiding his face under a mask and assuming the identity "The Black Eagle", he and his band of followers set out to bring down Kyrilla. However Dubrovsky has even more reason to hide his face because having offended the Czarina of Russia by spurning her affections, she has issued a warrant for his arrest dead or alive for desertion from his regiment. Further complicating Dubrovsky's plans is he unexpectedly winds up falling in love with Kyrilla's daughter Mascha (Vilma Bánky).Well it's certainly unpredictable, you have to say that. This one certainly has plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing what might befall our hero next. Valentino it cannot be denied is excellent in the lead role as an heroic bandit with irresistible charm. This does deliver romance and some tense moments for our ill-fated lovers. The problem here is that really "The Black Eagle" never quite seems to deliver the goods when it comes to action, his most impressive moments firing a shot at a key moment and as expected coming to the rescue of his damsel in distress time and time again. Also the ending doesn't quite seem to ring true given previously established events in our story. Still certainly not bad of its type, just a straightforward romantic adventure, almost fairytale-like, in a fashion.

David Bond Yes, what a golden classic this is to be sure. Valentino in not merely a dual but a triple role as the dashing Lieutenant, the dashing Black Eagle and the dashing Le Blanc. A less complex and more simple-minded actor might have chosen to differentiate the three roles in an ostentatious display of histrionic virtuosity but Rudy wisely eschews such a simplistic solution and, far more subtly, plays all three in entirely identical fashion. Nevertheless this is his comeback movie - all Valentino's movies for some reason seem to be comeback movies – and the great star is clearly at full stretch - regaling the audience with his full range of two expressions.Then there is the wonderful sense of place and period. So Russian that one can almost smell the Bourbon on the actors' breaths and so historically accurate that one knows immediately that it is set in…well, olden times. Then one has to note the extreme delicacy with which the director ensures that there is nothing that might overtax or alarm the viewer. This is a plot that you could quite easily write yourself and utterly devoid of any nasty surprises or complicated narrative twists. Ladies may be assured that nobody or nothing in this film is going to be really horrible. Why, the cruel and capricious Tsarina is really just a kindly old granny underneath, the villain is nothing but a bluff old practical joker and even the ferocious bear looks so meek and mild that one could swear there for a moment that Valentino was going to dance with it.In sum, when there are films that survive from the silent era as deft and subtle as this one, one wonders what perverse motive people have in seeking out all that strange and troubling stuff churned out by such wearying hacks as Murnau, Von Stroheim, Pabst or Lang.

Snow Leopard This is a very good period melodrama that also features one of Rudolph Valentino's best roles. The Robin Hood-like story combines drama, excitement, revenge, romance, and more in a well-crafted movie that is entertaining to watch. Vilma Banky and Louise Dresser head up a good supporting cast that works well with Valentino.The story setup has Valentino's character on the run from an angry Czarina, even as he is cheated out of his family possessions by a dishonest nobleman. He turns outlaw to avenge his family name, only to have everything complicated by romance. It's a good story, though a largely familiar one, and the cast and director Clarence Brown make it enjoyable.It's a good role for Valentino because it plays to his strengths and doesn't ask him to do much more. Banky is sympathetic as the daughter of the crooked Kyrilla, and Dresser does a very good job as Empress Catherine, bringing out her personal desires and her ruthless use of power. Albert Conti and James Marcus also give good performances, while Brown keeps things moving at a good pace and tells the story effectively, with an occasional lighter moment to keep things from being taken too seriously. "The Eagle" combines a good story, cast, and production values, and it works quite well.