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It's a flimsy excuse to romp through more than two dozen Irving Berlin songs, but Blue Skies is good fun nonetheless (and one of the top-grossing films of 1946). Bing Crosby is a restless nightclub entrepreneur, Fred Astaire his Broadway buddy, Joan Caulfield the woman they both want. Ignore the plot and enjoy the numbers, especially Astaire's marvelous "Puttin' on the Ritz," which is breathtaking even before multiple images of Fred are introduced dancing in a row (who needs CGI, anyway?). Bing and Fred flash great showbiz chutzpah in "A Couple of Song and Dance Men," which wonderfully captures the appeal of both stars:Fred's heavenly precision, and Bing's "can-you-believe-they're-payin'-me-for-this?" sense of play. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Wonderful movie--See it for Astaire!
Okay, so we all know 'Blue Skies' had a simple, thin plot designed around a bunch of Irving Berlin songs instead of vice versa, but it really works and it's a good movie.

Fun, memorable songs are all over the place. Bing's simple reading of the title song is beautiful. His Oscar-winning "You Keep Coming Back Like a Song" is a treat, and "I've Got My Captain Working for Me Now" is a hoot. Bing and Fred team up for "A Couple of Song and Dance Men" in a particularly fun number.

But, Astaire's dancing steals the show, with big sequences like "Heat Wave" and what is certainly one of his greatest moments, the mind-blowing "Puttin' on the Ritz." It was originally designed as his final screen dance (he had said he was quitting the business) and just the type of flashy number that Astaire didn't like to do, but ya gotta admit, it's amazing. The high-voltage big band arrangement crackles, and Astaire's moves are flawless--you can really see that he gives this piece his all.

Classic tunes, great leads, and beautiful production conquer a weak story to make a nonetheless wonderful movie worth three stars. The fourth is for Astaire's phenomenal would-be swan song. All in all, a light, fun way to pass an lazy afternoon at home.

Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire SHINE!
As an editor to Club Crosby, I may be a bit biased, but I think "Blue Skies" is one of the best musicals. I can point out countless great musical numbers like:Fred Astaire's "Puttin On The Ritz, which was supposed to his swan song from musicals,Bing Crosby's "You Keep Coming Back Like A Song", and countless others. Bing,Fred Astaire, and the Irivng Berlin score make this film one of the best post war movies. Don't miss it if you like great movies,smart lyrics, and romance as it used to be in movies.

Fred and Bing, and I thought it would be good. Wrong.
"Blue Skies", while being the second screen pairing of Fred Astaire and Bing Crosby, fails to entertain. Fails with me, atleast.

It has one of the most poorest stories of all of the Fred Astaire musicals. One of them, that is. It is so boring, that its somewhat hard to watch. The movie is kept together only by the musicals seens, with the Irving Berlin songs. The best (and maybe only) parts of the movie that are enjoyable, are the "Couple of Song and Dance Men" and "Puttin' on the Ritz" numbers.

The film just drags on, and on, and it seems like it is never going to end, when I really wished it would. Only watch this movie if you must see it because your a fan of Bing and/or Fred. Atleast the musicals numbers are good. This movie is just ok, nothing more.

A great and classic film!
This is a beatifully done film. Fred Astaire and Bing Crosby are reunited in it. The costumes are beautiful. The acting isn't the best, but the songs are very good. It's entertaining and colorful, like every good musical shoud be.

"Puttin On The Ritz" is amazing... but...
Bing sings and Fred treads in this sketchily-plotted musical, which pits Astaire and Crosby against one another, rivals for the hand of the blonde, domestically-minded Joan Caulfield. This frothy postwar frolic has a wild Techncolor exuberance, with crazy explosions all over the pastel-lined spectrum (and an odd tilt towards purple). The sad thing, though, is that this isn't a very good movie -- the plot is razor thin, barely a hint of an excuse to stage a bunch of great (and lesser) Irving Berlin tunes. Some numbers fall flat (and Billy DeWolfe's interminable, painfully unfunny drag routine brings the movie to a screeching halt)... Still, Astaire's killer performance on "Puttin' On The Ritz" is the stuff that legends are made of: as he's angelically hoofing his heart out, a curtain parts behind him, revealing a phalanx of distant, miniature Astaires, keeping time with the big guy. A technical and aesthetic triumph! This flick might be worth it for that routine alone, although Bing gets in some choice vocal performances as well. A dud scriptwise, but it still has two of the greatest performers of the 20th Century, both still at their peak. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

THE EAGLE-1925
"The Eagle," put Mr. Valentino back on top again. Thanks to Clarence Brown's fine direction. I'm looking for the version which has sound effects and wonderful Tchaikofsky blended orchestration. Please reply as to new or used.

Thank You,
Charles Farenga ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Unusual Version Of The Famous Dumas Story
Valentino was still something of an unknown quantity when this film was made, and although it was adapted from the screen by his mentor June Mathis and designed by his wife Natasha Rambova, CAMILLE is not a Valentino film. It belongs instead to Alla Nazimova, whose eccentric charm that combined both frantic gaiety and an exhausted world-weariness made her the most highly regarded "high-art" performer of her day.

Surely by now every one knows at least the basic outline of the story, which French author Dumas drew from life: Marguerite Gautier (Nazimova) is a celebrated courtesan who despises her life and yet cannot break free of it. When confronted with true love in the form of society youth Armand (Valentino), however, she attempts to leave her past behind--only to be convinced by her lover's father that if she really loves Armand she must leave him that he might take his rightful place in society. She returns to her old life, where she dies of consumption with her one true love's name upon her lips.

Nazimova is an extremely interesting Camille. Unlike the later Garbo, she offers us a truly neurotic creature who in public screams with nervous energy while in private collapses under the twin weights of loathing for her public persona and her increasing illness. At times her performance goes as far over the top as her hairstyle, but the cumulative result is exceptionally affecting. Valentino is typically Valentino, with an intriguing presence that relies more upon appearance than actual skill, and his performance adds no significant dimension to the part of Armand; this may, however, be an unfair criticism, for the role is notoriously thankless. Rambova's strange set design for Marguerite's apartment is a highlight of the film and worth studying, very 1920s modern and yet still far advanced of anything commonly seen in even contemporary decor, and the cinematography gives CAMILLE an effectively lyrical feel. All in all, the film might best be considered as a high-art experiment that does not entirely come off, but even so it gives us the opportunity to see Nazimov near the height of her appeal, and as such is recommended to all silent film fans.

overdone, but still worth watching
Though far from being the best of Valentino's films, it's still an example of his grace, style, and screen presence. Made in '21, it's an "updated" version of Dumas' "La Dame aux Camélias" with elaborate and sometimes outlandish sets and costumes by Natasha Rambova (Mrs. Valentino) and written for the screen by his friend June Mathis.

Nazimova, a mere slip of a woman with huge eyes, big hair and exotic looks, plays Marguerite like the ultimate camp vamp. Even when taking into consideration the mime quality of silent screen acting, she goes way over the top...there are scenes that made me want to say "enough already !".

Valentino's performance is lovely, though his part is secondary to Nazimovas...the scene where he reads her goodbye note is wonderful. For the best of his work see the fabulous "The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse" (which is a silent masterpiece), "Blood and Sand", "The Eagle" and "Son of the Sheik"...these were marvelous films that used his talent to the fullest, and the reason it's still remembered and admired. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Corny, but it's also got something else...
As a fan of old movies, this was one I was going to end up seeing sooner or later. When it comes to the silent era, I prefer the slapstick, and I tend to avoid the more dramatic films. But who can ignore the legend that is Rudolph Valentino? This being the first Valentino film I'd ever seen, my expectations were pretty high, given his reputation, and I must say that I was a little disappointed. I personally don't see him as someone to commit suicide over upon his death, as some women did in 1926. Instead, I thought he was kind of effeminate. And, as a woman, I did find the storyline a little revolting - a woman falling in love with her kidnapper? But, as with any classic film, you have to look at the times in which it was made. The locations and costuming are exotic, definitely designed to transport the viewer into another time and place. And I'm sure that women were attracted to "dangerous men" even then, and the storyline is the kind that psychologically lets a woman off the hook, in terms of 1920's standards of guilt and morality (rape fantasy, anyone?). The actor's, and especially Valentino's, expressions were over-the-top, as they are in any silent-era film (probably why I prefer silent comedies-the overdone expressions fit better when they are played for laughs). But there's something else: even though I thought him effeminate, Valentino does certainly have a magnetism, a charisma about him. And the idea that a man would be so passionate about a woman that he would be driven to carry her off across the God-forsaken desert...well, I guess that plays pretty well, too. To be sure, some of it was unintentially funny and over-romanticized by today's standards. But I did find it much easier to swallow than the overblown morality plays of D.W. Griffith or the stuffed-with-substance films of Murnau. I would definitely recommend this film to anyone who is interested in exploring silent films or cinematic history in general.

White sands and dark eyes
Only Valentino could get away with kidnaping a woman, forcing her into his tent and having her fall madly in love with him in the end. Valentino gives an iconic performance and this is a movie where his character is in ownership of the movie, it is, his film. The Shiek has gorgeous cinematography, the horses carrying riders with long wispy clothes in the wind, traveling along the white desert terrain. The peephole views through the camera, as if you are looking through a pair of binoculars like any other desert lurker of the time, makes you, the viewer, a voyeur character of the film. The romantic wardrobe that drapes the leading lady within her capture tent is also a beautiful commentary of fashion of the time. Often times with silent movies the music that is composed 1 to 5 decades later tends not to mesh, but this time it is not intrusive and in fact remains impactful in it's own right. The Shiek is a beautiful piece of moving art, mythic, ethereal, and historically interesting, not just for silent movie buffs but for everyone.

Final footnote
During the 1920s, women who had seen the Sheik started running all over Arabia looking for Arabs to capture them. The real Arabs and British told them to please stay home: the real sheiks were not interested.

great romantic film!
For great romance and passion, "The Sheik," really has it. It's a great film. It's a silent film and is great. In my opinion it's one of the best. Rudolph Valentino is great as the desert lover.

It is just a story!
I love Rudolph Valentino. He possessed a spirit that I find
rare in anyone. As for "The Shiek", it is just a fantasy story.
There are pros and cons about the depiction of Arab people and
the treatment of women, but to me it is just a story about a women who finds love with a domineering man in a strange, and unusual place. The things that made her hate him turned to love in the end.The way Valentino related to women in movies he could not be anything but a real man. All men were kind of finely drawn in these silent movies. Compared to the book however, this movie is clean ... Read more

Reviews (3)

An okay DVD
This DVD is dated. It looked as if it was made no later that 1960. Poor picture quality, and they could've featured more love goddesses.

DVD just like the video
While most DVDs add something special to the disc, this one has nothing new to add. Both the video and DVD have some entertaining clips of Theda Bara, Marlene Dietrich, Clara Bow, Pola Negri, Ingrid Bergman, Marilyn Monroe and others, but, unfortunately, the cuts between the Love Goddesses are obvious, as if the producers have done a quick job of putting all the actresses on a list and then splicing from one actress to another, without rhyme or reason. That's a shame because the subject is interesting. Still, if you love to watch some fascinating footage and will forgive the sudden shifts from one actress to another, you will enjoy "The Love Goddesses."

Celebrating the Love Goddesses of the Silver Screen!
This film, produced in 1965, is a wonderful collage of the many kinds of vamps, starlets, love goddesses, girls-next-door and sirens that have graced the silver screen since the turn of the century. See Theda Bara, Pola Negri, Lillian Gish, Gloria Swanson, Greta Garbo, Marlene Dietrich, Elizabeth Taylor, Ginger Rogers, Rita Hayworth and even the child star Shirley Temple put their own indelible brand of love on the screen. It examines how, over the course of sixty years, women's sexuality has evolved, and played itself out in different arenas in film. While some of the film clips are a little iffy, it is exceptionally well made. A pure joy to own if you are an admirer of any of the actresses presented, interested in women's studies, pre-code Hollywood or the history of sexuality in film. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Bravo, Valentino!
The quality of this film (or at least the version I purchased) did not seem to be to the standards of other Valentino films (picture seemed grainy and the speed seemed much faster), but I still rate it among one of the best. Like one review wrote, it does lack the style of the later Tyrone Power remake; however, Power comes nowhere close to Valentino's brooding, sensual portrayal of Juan Gallardo, and Nita Naldi was much more convincing as the witchy Dona Sol than Rita Hayworth, and plays the range of emotions (from begging Gallardo to love her to coldly reacting to his death)extremely well. This 1922 version captures the spirit of the bullfight remarkably well in spite of the limitations of silent film-making, and seemed incredibly authentic.

Now - about Valentino. I was puzzled at the over-emphasized eyebrows and wish the make-up artists had not found it necessary to use the effect, as Valentino would have projected a Spanish image easily with his natural dramatic looks alone. But, either way, he is intensely sexy, powerful, brooding, smoldering and hypnotic as usual. I enjoyed his portrayal of the youth Juan, especially his tenderness toward his mother. His transition from youth to adult matador was natural and believable. The scene in which Dona Sol begs him to love her and proclaims that she longs for him to "beat" her with his "strong" hands was highly erotic and was packed with a sexual tension that can't be matched by anyone other than Valentino and his leading ladies. I may be biased, because I am crazy about any vehicle which showcases Rudolph Valentino; however, this film carries its own and I thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end. Once again, Valentino has captured my heart, and I recommend this film to all lovers of romance.

What I think....
I think this is the best film Valentino ever did! His acting in the romantic scenes lacks the over the top feel that the loves scenes in "The Sheik" have. He brings a sincere, believeable quality to the character. Also, something that the reviews here seem to miss is the comedic moments in the film. In the scene when the black Moor servant offers to light Valentino's cigarette... the look on his face is priceless! Having the video of this film as well I noticed several scenes on the DVD edition that were missing from the VHS edition.
The DVD edition also includes a wonderfully funny piece of Will Rogers' "Blood And Sand" spoof.

CREEPY VAL BROODS AGAIN
Rudolph Valentino blazed on the silent screen with a weird, smoldering sensuality that seems kind of laughable when seen in stills or clips.

Not so in "BLOOD AND SAND," his most celebrated role. Rarely seen today, this classic silent in a new digital transfer from a 35mm archive negative does justice to the enigmatic Valentino's portrayal of Juan Gallardo, a young Spaniard who achieves his boyhood dream of becoming a famous matador only to fall under the malefic charms of mysterious Dona Sol (Nita Naldi).

The compilation, exotic stereo music score is performed by the acclaimed Mont Alto Motion Picture orchestra. The disc comes with a wealth of supplemental features including a filmed introduction by Orson Welles, a great parody starring Will Rogers, footage from Valentino's funeral and more. Brooding and hypnotic and funky. No one smolders like Valentino. Was he gay or just pleasant?

One of Valentino's best!
I recently bought this movie and loved it. I disagree with Maltin's comments - the seduction scenes are a lot of fun and really make the movie, whereas the bullfighting sequences are less impressive - though Valentino does look great in his matador's costume! What really struck me was the sensitivity in Valentino's performance and the overt sensual quality he possesses that just lights up the screen. Nita Naldi plays her role as the 'the vamp' very well and her scenes with Valentino are great (they played together again in 'Cobra'). Of course, the movie is wildly dated - it's 80 years old! But it holds up well as a piece of entertainment, and fans of silent movies should enjoy it. And if you're a fan of Valentino then you're going to love him in this - he looks stunning and gives one of his finest performances, and according to what I've read it was one of his personal favourite parts to play.

Bravo!
Another of Rudolph Valentino's cinematic triumphs. He stars as a bullfighter who is torn between two women. It's a very good film and the bullfighting scenes are very interesting to watch. Great performances by Valentino, Lila Lee and Nita Naldi make this a good film. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Good film!
This is another good film Rudolph Valentino fans will surely enjoy. In this film he plays a dual role, that of father and son. There is romance, action and a little bit of comedy in the scene where the young sheik tries to hide the cute Vilma Banky from his strict father. Agnes Ayres reprises her role from the 1921 film as Lady Diana Mayo. While this is a good film, I am partial to the 1921 "Sheik" film that started it all. Watch them both and decide for yourself! That's the best thing to do, as they are both worth owning for the talented and handsome Rudolph Valentino.

The Magic of Rudolph Valentino . . . . . .
I am a huge Rudolph Valentino fan. I have been a collector for many years, collecting old Photoplay magazines, photos, tins, postcards, etc. I, also, have most of his films on tape. That is, the films that are still existing today. All the other so called great lovers are measured by Rudy's standards. No one, past or present can compare to the Latin Lover. Now - onto the movie.

Son of the Sheik was Valentino's last film before his untimely death at 31. This film is incredible. Rudy plays both the son and the formidable sheik in this, his last film. He falls in love with a dancing girl, Yasmin, played by Vilma Banky. They fall in love until he is captured and tortured. Believing Yasmin to be responsible, he escapes and extracts his own form of revenge. The tent scene where he has Yasmin at his mercy was incredibly sensuous. You KNEW what Ahmed was planning to do to the beautiful Yasmin. She knew it, too, but was powerless to stop him. No matter how much pleading and begging she did, he drove her mercilessly to his bed. One word - WOW! True love prevails, though, and all is saved.

Some might find a silent movie to be a bit corny but not I. There is something enchanting - magical about watching Rudy. He is without a doubt, the most graceful man captured on film. No ONE walks or dances the way Rudy does. He is poetry in motion. I could watch him for hours . . .

He was blessed with a sinful handsomeness and those eyes . . . They were almost hypnotic in their intensity. It is soooooo easy to see why the women in the 1920's were filled with hysteria for this Latin Lover. After all of these years has passed, his appeal shines forth in this, his final film. There will never be another Rudolph Valentino. He simply graced the screen with his presence and changed everyday life into something magical. While watching him weave his magic, we forgot our troubles if only for a little.

*There is only one regret the world must have had when Rudy died. His voice was never recorded. His singing was but nothing of him "speaking". There has been much speculation over his voice and the transition from silent films to talkie films. Would he have made such a successful transition where others had failed? I believe he would have. But we will never know for sure.*

A true legend of the silent screen ...
"Not east of Suez but south of Algiers" ... with these intertitles abounds one of the greatest legends of the Hollywood that is no more. When one thinks of those times one remembers The Wizard Of Oz, Casablanca ... and those
scenes between Rudolph Valentino and Vilma Banky in a tent under
the desert sun.
Made in 1926 for United Artists, directed by master director
George Fitzmaurice and destined to even beat the 1921 original
"The Sheik" at the box office, this sequel to the former Valentino classic is in many ways the better of the two films.
Rudolph Valentino has never looked better than in this film, which would ultimately be his last, and Hungarian born Vilma
Banky outshines the original heroine Agnes Ayres from the "The Sheik" as well, together making these film the ultimate love story of the silent film age. Agnes Ayres however also appears in this film as the Sheik`s mother as a tribute to Valentino (his father is played by Rudy as well in a double role). But the movie has more assets to it. It is also more handsomely produced than "The Sheik", it has a far more glossy look with its` bigger budget and excellent art direction (by William Cameron Menzies of "Gone With The Wind"-fame), a slightly better script and it exposes far better the enormous acting range of Rudolph Valentino, who is still seen today only as the great Latin Lover (despite for example also being a great drama actor or comedian). The big difference might also líe in the fact that "The Sheik" was a typical product of the studio system and "The Son Of The Sheik" was made far more independently. The other interesting fact is that when this movie was made the silent film style had changed greatly since 1921, making the former film look far more primitive. And it is no wonder that all the famous scenes by which Rudolph Valentino is still judged today emerge from this movie, while the other Valentino films (even "The Sheik") are mostly forgotten today - this movie has its place as a sort of silent screen pop icon (and probably the only silent film most people have heard of in their lifetime today - I remember that as a child I only knew one silent film actor - Rudy, courtesy of this film). This
is also probably the curse of this film. It overshadowed all of his work so much and even made the critical judgment of "The Son Of The Sheik" nearly impossible. In fact it is an entertaining piece of Hollywood fairytale, packed with action and romance, exotic escapism and a great climax when Rudolph Valentino frees his love interest Banky from a band of robbers and rides with her into the endless desert ... and right into movie eternity. Truly a film of these ages, even not hampered by its dated plotline and some outrageous "silent film acting".

A note about the video quality: after being available for two decades only on bad quality tapes, KINO on Video now has released the first really good print of this film. Though not as beautiful as some of their other films or a Kevin Brownlow restoration, this version is multi-tinted and has an appropiate organ score that enhances many of the scenes. Only some of the reels seem a bit washed out, but at least you have now the chance to get a good quality video tape from Rudy`s most famous film.

VALENTINO'S FINEST FILM.
Like many classic movie buffs, I often wondered what all the fuss about Rudolph Valention a.k.a. "The Great Lover" was about. The answer lies in watching this mesmorizing film! Really a tongue-cheek examination of his own bigger-than-life personna, the actor magnificently portrays the double role of father and son. As Ahmed, the son, Rudy falls in love with the Hungarian Vilma Banky (as Yasmin), a beautiful dancer. Ahmed later holds the beguiling young woman responsible when he is captured and held for by her roguish father's thieves. When Ahmed's father, the Shiek, intervenes, it is discovered that Yasmin is innocent of betrayal and after some heavy derring-do, there is a happy ending. This fast-paced film from 1926 has lost none of it's charm with the passage of time and proves over and over again that Valentino was without question the least understood and most maligned of all of Hollywood's great stars. He was indeed an enigmatic presence in this film. The photography is ethereal, and the desert looks more enchanting here than in any film, and the chases, rescues and stunts are still wonderful to watch. Valentino would die prematurely at the age of 31 of peritonitis 26 August, 1926. For a great companion piece, watch Valentino's great 1921 hit THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE.

Mesmerising !
On the strength of reading other reviews I held off buying the double DVD..The Sheik/Son of the Sheik and elected to buy KINO's version of Son of the Sheik and I have to say I am not disappointed.The quality of the picture far exceeded my expectations;the clarity is sharp and sound is equally good.Silent films have to rely heavily on emotion and the different moods portrayed by Valentino are startling, Vilma Banky holds her own but it is Valentino's movie; the down side is there are no extras bar chapter listing,it would have been nice but in truth I am not too bothered.I hope KINO issue an equally if not better DVD of The Sheik, look forward to it. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Good film!
This is another good film Rudolph Valentino fans will surely enjoy. In this film he plays a dual role, that of father and son. There is romance, action and a little bit of comedy in the scene where the young sheik tries to hide the cute Vilma Banky from his strict father. Agnes Ayres reprises her role from the 1921 film as Lady Diana Mayo. While this is a good film, I am partial to the 1921 "Sheik" film that started it all. Watch them both and decide for yourself! That's the best thing to do, as they are both worth owning for the talented and handsome Rudolph Valentino.

The Magic of Rudolph Valentino . . . . . .
I am a huge Rudolph Valentino fan. I have been a collector for many years, collecting old Photoplay magazines, photos, tins, postcards, etc. I, also, have most of his films on tape. That is, the films that are still existing today. All the other so called great lovers are measured by Rudy's standards. No one, past or present can compare to the Latin Lover. Now - onto the movie.

Son of the Sheik was Valentino's last film before his untimely death at 31. This film is incredible. Rudy plays both the son and the formidable sheik in this, his last film. He falls in love with a dancing girl, Yasmin, played by Vilma Banky. They fall in love until he is captured and tortured. Believing Yasmin to be responsible, he escapes and extracts his own form of revenge. The tent scene where he has Yasmin at his mercy was incredibly sensuous. You KNEW what Ahmed was planning to do to the beautiful Yasmin. She knew it, too, but was powerless to stop him. No matter how much pleading and begging she did, he drove her mercilessly to his bed. One word - WOW! True love prevails, though, and all is saved.

Some might find a silent movie to be a bit corny but not I. There is something enchanting - magical about watching Rudy. He is without a doubt, the most graceful man captured on film. No ONE walks or dances the way Rudy does. He is poetry in motion. I could watch him for hours . . .

He was blessed with a sinful handsomeness and those eyes . . . They were almost hypnotic in their intensity. It is soooooo easy to see why the women in the 1920's were filled with hysteria for this Latin Lover. After all of these years has passed, his appeal shines forth in this, his final film. There will never be another Rudolph Valentino. He simply graced the screen with his presence and changed everyday life into something magical. While watching him weave his magic, we forgot our troubles if only for a little.

*There is only one regret the world must have had when Rudy died. His voice was never recorded. His singing was but nothing of him "speaking". There has been much speculation over his voice and the transition from silent films to talkie films. Would he have made such a successful transition where others had failed? I believe he would have. But we will never know for sure.*

A true legend of the silent screen ...
"Not east of Suez but south of Algiers" ... with these intertitles abounds one of the greatest legends of the Hollywood that is no more. When one thinks of those times one remembers The Wizard Of Oz, Casablanca ... and those
scenes between Rudolph Valentino and Vilma Banky in a tent under
the desert sun.
Made in 1926 for United Artists, directed by master director
George Fitzmaurice and destined to even beat the 1921 original
"The Sheik" at the box office, this sequel to the former Valentino classic is in many ways the better of the two films.
Rudolph Valentino has never looked better than in this film, which would ultimately be his last, and Hungarian born Vilma
Banky outshines the original heroine Agnes Ayres from the "The Sheik" as well, together making these film the ultimate love story of the silent film age. Agnes Ayres however also appears in this film as the Sheik`s mother as a tribute to Valentino (his father is played by Rudy as well in a double role). But the movie has more assets to it. It is also more handsomely produced than "The Sheik", it has a far more glossy look with its` bigger budget and excellent art direction (by William Cameron Menzies of "Gone With The Wind"-fame), a slightly better script and it exposes far better the enormous acting range of Rudolph Valentino, who is still seen today only as the great Latin Lover (despite for example also being a great drama actor or comedian). The big difference might also líe in the fact that "The Sheik" was a typical product of the studio system and "The Son Of The Sheik" was made far more independently. The other interesting fact is that when this movie was made the silent film style had changed greatly since 1921, making the former film look far more primitive. And it is no wonder that all the famous scenes by which Rudolph Valentino is still judged today emerge from this movie, while the other Valentino films (even "The Sheik") are mostly forgotten today - this movie has its place as a sort of silent screen pop icon (and probably the only silent film most people have heard of in their lifetime today - I remember that as a child I only knew one silent film actor - Rudy, courtesy of this film). This
is also probably the curse of this film. It overshadowed all of his work so much and even made the critical judgment of "The Son Of The Sheik" nearly impossible. In fact it is an entertaining piece of Hollywood fairytale, packed with action and romance, exotic escapism and a great climax when Rudolph Valentino frees his love interest Banky from a band of robbers and rides with her into the endless desert ... and right into movie eternity. Truly a film of these ages, even not hampered by its dated plotline and some outrageous "silent film acting".

A note about the video quality: after being available for two decades only on bad quality tapes, KINO on Video now has released the first really good print of this film. Though not as beautiful as some of their other films or a Kevin Brownlow restoration, this version is multi-tinted and has an appropiate organ score that enhances many of the scenes. Only some of the reels seem a bit washed out, but at least you have now the chance to get a good quality video tape from Rudy`s most famous film.

VALENTINO'S FINEST FILM.
Like many classic movie buffs, I often wondered what all the fuss about Rudolph Valention a.k.a. "The Great Lover" was about. The answer lies in watching this mesmorizing film! Really a tongue-cheek examination of his own bigger-than-life personna, the actor magnificently portrays the double role of father and son. As Ahmed, the son, Rudy falls in love with the Hungarian Vilma Banky (as Yasmin), a beautiful dancer. Ahmed later holds the beguiling young woman responsible when he is captured and held for by her roguish father's thieves. When Ahmed's father, the Shiek, intervenes, it is discovered that Yasmin is innocent of betrayal and after some heavy derring-do, there is a happy ending. This fast-paced film from 1926 has lost none of it's charm with the passage of time and proves over and over again that Valentino was without question the least understood and most maligned of all of Hollywood's great stars. He was indeed an enigmatic presence in this film. The photography is ethereal, and the desert looks more enchanting here than in any film, and the chases, rescues and stunts are still wonderful to watch. Valentino would die prematurely at the age of 31 of peritonitis 26 August, 1926. For a great companion piece, watch Valentino's great 1921 hit THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE.

Mesmerising !
On the strength of reading other reviews I held off buying the double DVD..The Sheik/Son of the Sheik and elected to buy KINO's version of Son of the Sheik and I have to say I am not disappointed.The quality of the picture far exceeded my expectations;the clarity is sharp and sound is equally good.Silent films have to rely heavily on emotion and the different moods portrayed by Valentino are startling, Vilma Banky holds her own but it is Valentino's movie; the down side is there are no extras bar chapter listing,it would have been nice but in truth I am not too bothered.I hope KINO issue an equally if not better DVD of The Sheik, look forward to it. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Great Movie, So-So DVD
This is my favorite Valentino movie. It allows him to use his natural talent as a comedian while still fulfilling what his audience expected of his as "the great lover".
Valentino plays Vladimir, a young Cossack officer who spurns the advances of Catherine the Great. (An amusing reversal especially when viewed along with the Sheik movies) Unfortunately, Vladimir's father wirtes to him begging him to get the Czarina's help. He has been swindled by a friend and is dying. Vladimir can do nothing but go home and watch his father die a broken man. He vows vengeance against Karilla, who betrayed his father, and becomes a sort of Russian Zorro called the Black Eagle.
Another unfortunate twist, Karilla has a daughter and since she is played by the lovely Vilma Banky you can guess what happens. Vladimir is smitten and is now stuck between loyalty to his father and band of followers and his love for her. Banky guesses who Vladimir really is right away (in spite of his disguises) and tries to get him to spare her father. Of course, Vladimir will have none of it and it looks like trouble until Vladimir is caught by the soldiers of the revengeful Catherine.
What happens next? Watch and see!

Valentino handles his swashbuckler duties with an airy charm. (A shame he never played the Scarlet Pimpernel!) His scenes with Louise Dresser's Catherine are particularly good. She is trying to charm him, he is trying to find a polite way out. Dresser thoroughly deserved her Oscar nod and it's too bad that Valentino was not given one as well. The rest of the supporting cast is also very good, Vilma Banky plays her usual role, the nice girl with a temper, and has an obvious chemistry with Valentino.

That said, this DVD, while ok, is not the greatest. The print quality is so-so and points. Bit of dust and lint got in the way of the transfer and can be distracting. The score is pipe organ. There are no extras besides scene selection. All in all, not an improvement on the VHS releases but you may as well buy it if you have an all DVD collection.

Check out this movie to watch the Valentino legend yourself but don't expect too much from the DVD.

A breezy silent romp
This movie is a light action/romance/comedy which manages to balance all of the elements well. If you have never seen a silent movie, this is a marvelous place to start.

Valentino's preformance is charming as a "nice kid" who, after his father's death, becomes an outlaw. Matters are complicated by the fact that he has rebuffed the advances of Czarina Catherine the Great earlier in the movie. Matters become more complicated when he falls in love with his enemies sweet daughter. Matters become complicated still more when he takes a post as her French tutor in order to exact hsi revenge on her father.

While all of the comedy is excellent, the throw away bits are the best such as when Valentino is about to give Vilma Banky a ring but then it gets stuck on his finger or when he adds a few zeros to the reward offered for his capture on a wanted poster.

Wonderful, would recommend to anyone interested in classics and silent cinema.

Could We Have The Old Version, Please?
If you don't have a copy of Valentino's most engaging silent, "The Eagle", in your collection, you should certainly have this, but you should know that it is far - very far - from the best version that has been available. This edition is sourced from the Killiam Collection, and is evidently from a 16mm reduction print that saw long use and little care. Contrast and detail are poor, to say the least. There is a sad, tired musical accompaniment that is best turned off, frankly.

What's awful about all this is that this same company, Image Entertainment, once offered a far superior version. Its 1989 laserdisc edition was based on a clean 35mm print from the Rohauer Collection that had excellent contrast and detail. The score was a magnificently well-suited one by Carl Davis; it went so well with the film that once you've had a viewing with Davis's compositions, seeing "The Eagle" with any other score is unthinkable.

"The Eagle" is indispensable to a collection of silents, but this edition is not a patch on what Image itself has offered in the past. It is to be hoped that the company can clear whatever obstacles are keeping it from offering a DVD release of what was one of the best silent-film offerings on laserdisc.

Two stars out of five- I'm docking two for the ghastly print, two for the wretched score that takes the place of Davis's work, and adding one back to be charitable, because this movie is one of Valentino's best, and you should have it, even in a version as shabby as this.

Good Movie - Poor transfer
This is not a review of the movie - other than to say it has been one of my favorite silents for over 20 years. This DVD, by Image from the Killiam Collection, seems to be from a somewhat deteriorated positive print of the movie accompanied by a rather mundane organ music tract. Image themselves, released a Laserdisc copy from the Rohauer Collection with full orchestra music in 1989 that was far superior. Hopefully they will be able to re-master that on for release on DVD in the future.

"The Eagle" on DVD -- wonderful film but poor print
"The Eagle" is probably silent screen star Rudolph Valentino's best film. A delightful romantic swashbuckler set in the 18th century Russia (although costume-wise it looks 19th and early 20th century), it is full of action, romance, and also plenty of humor. Valentino is a lieutenant in the czarina's army who becomes a sort of Russian Zorro in order to avenge his father's murder by a neighboring landowner who had stolen his land. His plans for revenge go awry when he falls in love with the charming and lovely daughter of his enemy played by Vilma Banky, who would be reteamed with Valentino in his final film, "The Son of the Sheik." "The Eagle" was directed by Clarence Brown who went on to direct Greta Garbo, and made a number of classic sound films including "National Velvet."

"The Eagle" as a film deserves 5 stars but I can only give this new DVD print 3 stars. Unfortunately, the poor picture quality of this DVD is from the Killiam Collection and is released by Image Entertainment. It has an organ score which I found to be so-so.

...The only real plus here with this DVD is there are chapter titles so you can jump to your favorite scenes. There are no other extras here. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Great Movie, So-So DVD
This is my favorite Valentino movie. It allows him to use his natural talent as a comedian while still fulfilling what his audience expected of his as "the great lover".
Valentino plays Vladimir, a young Cossack officer who spurns the advances of Catherine the Great. (An amusing reversal especially when viewed along with the Sheik movies) Unfortunately, Vladimir's father wirtes to him begging him to get the Czarina's help. He has been swindled by a friend and is dying. Vladimir can do nothing but go home and watch his father die a broken man. He vows vengeance against Karilla, who betrayed his father, and becomes a sort of Russian Zorro called the Black Eagle.
Another unfortunate twist, Karilla has a daughter and since she is played by the lovely Vilma Banky you can guess what happens. Vladimir is smitten and is now stuck between loyalty to his father and band of followers and his love for her. Banky guesses who Vladimir really is right away (in spite of his disguises) and tries to get him to spare her father. Of course, Vladimir will have none of it and it looks like trouble until Vladimir is caught by the soldiers of the revengeful Catherine.
What happens next? Watch and see!

Valentino handles his swashbuckler duties with an airy charm. (A shame he never played the Scarlet Pimpernel!) His scenes with Louise Dresser's Catherine are particularly good. She is trying to charm him, he is trying to find a polite way out. Dresser thoroughly deserved her Oscar nod and it's too bad that Valentino was not given one as well. The rest of the supporting cast is also very good, Vilma Banky plays her usual role, the nice girl with a temper, and has an obvious chemistry with Valentino.

That said, this DVD, while ok, is not the greatest. The print quality is so-so and points. Bit of dust and lint got in the way of the transfer and can be distracting. The score is pipe organ. There are no extras besides scene selection. All in all, not an improvement on the VHS releases but you may as well buy it if you have an all DVD collection.

Check out this movie to watch the Valentino legend yourself but don't expect too much from the DVD.

A breezy silent romp
This movie is a light action/romance/comedy which manages to balance all of the elements well. If you have never seen a silent movie, this is a marvelous place to start.

Valentino's preformance is charming as a "nice kid" who, after his father's death, becomes an outlaw. Matters are complicated by the fact that he has rebuffed the advances of Czarina Catherine the Great earlier in the movie. Matters become more complicated when he falls in love with his enemies sweet daughter. Matters become complicated still more when he takes a post as her French tutor in order to exact hsi revenge on her father.

While all of the comedy is excellent, the throw away bits are the best such as when Valentino is about to give Vilma Banky a ring but then it gets stuck on his finger or when he adds a few zeros to the reward offered for his capture on a wanted poster.

Wonderful, would recommend to anyone interested in classics and silent cinema.

Could We Have The Old Version, Please?
If you don't have a copy of Valentino's most engaging silent, "The Eagle", in your collection, you should certainly have this, but you should know that it is far - very far - from the best version that has been available. This edition is sourced from the Killiam Collection, and is evidently from a 16mm reduction print that saw long use and little care. Contrast and detail are poor, to say the least. There is a sad, tired musical accompaniment that is best turned off, frankly.

What's awful about all this is that this same company, Image Entertainment, once offered a far superior version. Its 1989 laserdisc edition was based on a clean 35mm print from the Rohauer Collection that had excellent contrast and detail. The score was a magnificently well-suited one by Carl Davis; it went so well with the film that once you've had a viewing with Davis's compositions, seeing "The Eagle" with any other score is unthinkable.

"The Eagle" is indispensable to a collection of silents, but this edition is not a patch on what Image itself has offered in the past. It is to be hoped that the company can clear whatever obstacles are keeping it from offering a DVD release of what was one of the best silent-film offerings on laserdisc.

Two stars out of five- I'm docking two for the ghastly print, two for the wretched score that takes the place of Davis's work, and adding one back to be charitable, because this movie is one of Valentino's best, and you should have it, even in a version as shabby as this.

Good Movie - Poor transfer
This is not a review of the movie - other than to say it has been one of my favorite silents for over 20 years. This DVD, by Image from the Killiam Collection, seems to be from a somewhat deteriorated positive print of the movie accompanied by a rather mundane organ music tract. Image themselves, released a Laserdisc copy from the Rohauer Collection with full orchestra music in 1989 that was far superior. Hopefully they will be able to re-master that on for release on DVD in the future.

"The Eagle" on DVD -- wonderful film but poor print
"The Eagle" is probably silent screen star Rudolph Valentino's best film. A delightful romantic swashbuckler set in the 18th century Russia (although costume-wise it looks 19th and early 20th century), it is full of action, romance, and also plenty of humor. Valentino is a lieutenant in the czarina's army who becomes a sort of Russian Zorro in order to avenge his father's murder by a neighboring landowner who had stolen his land. His plans for revenge go awry when he falls in love with the charming and lovely daughter of his enemy played by Vilma Banky, who would be reteamed with Valentino in his final film, "The Son of the Sheik." "The Eagle" was directed by Clarence Brown who went on to direct Greta Garbo, and made a number of classic sound films including "National Velvet."

"The Eagle" as a film deserves 5 stars but I can only give this new DVD print 3 stars. Unfortunately, the poor picture quality of this DVD is from the Killiam Collection and is released by Image Entertainment. It has an organ score which I found to be so-so.

...The only real plus here with this DVD is there are chapter titles so you can jump to your favorite scenes. There are no other extras here. ... Read more

Description

"He arrived in America penniless and without a word of English.Buthe had the dark good looks that would make him a star.Rudolph Valentino was the mostpopular male sex symbol of all time.At press appearances for his breakthrough film, TheSheik, women screamed, cried and tore at his clothing and hair.Explore the compellingsaga of the man who paved the way for the matinee idols that followed.Learn how hestarted on the road to stardom as a dancer for pay a kind of gigolo to lonely societywomen.See clips from his classic movies, and learn the sad story of his marriages hisfirst wife was a lesbian and his second a dominating personality who nearly ruined hiscareer.Finally, period accounts revisit his death, at the age of 31, from blood poisoning. Join BIOGRAPHY; for the man whose legend could not be cut short like his life for tenyears after his death fan mail poured in, and Hollywood is still looking for the nextValentino. " ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Excellent and interesting!
This is a great biography of one of the most talented and handsome men Hollywood has ever known. His name?...Rudolph Valentino. This edition of A&E's Biography series takes an in depth look at the life of Rudy from his birth in Italy to his arrival in the U.S. and traces his career, from his early days as a dancer in New York to the movie roles in Hollywood that made him a star. It also takes a look at his love life, the women he married and what they were like. If you're a Rudolph Valentino fan or would like to know more about him, this is the documentary to purchase. A&E does a great job of presenting his life on this film. You'll also get to hear commentary from respected Hollywood historians as well as look at scenes from some of Rudy's films and see lots of photos of him. After seeing this documentary of Rudy, it's almost impossible to not become a fan. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Beautiful,Sensuous,Handsome,Sexy!!
In this video are the "Beautiful People" and the "Dream Machines" of Hollywood.They are the "Hollywood Sex Symbols" from"Theda Bara"(The Original Vamp) to the reknowned "Elizabeth Taylor".Featured also are Rudolph Valentino,Clark Gable,Mae West,Rita Hayworth,Sophia Loren,Tyrone Power,Cary Grant,Paul Newman,Jayne Mansfield,Elvis Presley,Brigette Bardot,Robert Redford and the incomparable and legendary Marilyn Monroe which makes"Hollywood Sex Symbols" a sexy,sensuous must see delight!!

good
goo ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Thoroughly entertaining!
Everyone else has already said it, but I have to say it as well: this film should not be overlooked when discussing Rudolph Valentino, nor a high-quality silent drama in general, for that matter. I simply cannot fault this film in any aspect: visually beautiful with perfectly-suited, lovely classical violin music, and perhaps the most emotionally-rivetting acting performance by Valentino I have seen. I fully agree with the reviewer who was captivated by Valentino's expressions; not only could you clearly SEE every emotion, but I, for one, could FEEL it, and therefore I found this drama a particularly emotional experience. It is perhaps deceptively simple on the surface, yet when you stop to think about the story, you find a deeper and a meaningful morale, namely friendship versus love - the casanova with a conscience. A wonderful viewing experience and really recommended!

Fascinating Rudolph Valentino Drama
Rudolph Valentino even in the almost eighty years since his death still elicits frenzied discussion from fans all over the world and in this talk frequent mention is made of such Valentino classics as "The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse", "The Sheik", and "Blood and Sand". Often overlooked is his contemporary drama "Cobra", which I feel displays some of Valentino's most restrained and pleasing work as an actor. Made in the last full year of Rudolph Valentino's life before his tragic early death and totally overshadowed by his highly successful last film "The Son of the Sheik", "Cobra" has a poignant charm about it and shows a more mature Rudy on screen that many people dont know. Rather fittingly in its story it deals with such issues as regret, wasted youth and character redemption which partially had elements drawn from Valentino's real existence at this final stage in his life.

The story of "Cobra", is a simple one and tells the saga of Count Roderigo Torriani (Valentino) a dissolute young Italian aristocrat who spends his life running from one casual love affair to another. The opening scene sees Roderigo dogging the unwelcome wrath of the father of his latest "conquest". In the mix up over being mistaken for Roderigo, Jack Dorning (Casson Ferguson) an American Antique Auctioneer not only saves Roderigo from a all out thrashing but sees potential in the young noblemen and offers him a position with his Antique firm in New York. Travelling to America Roderigo soon finds himself in more hot water with the females and in particular Jack's vampish wife Elise (Nita Naldi). Caught in the snake-like grasp of Elise's cunning Roderigo finds himself for the first time worrying over a moral dilemma of hurting Jack who he loves like a brother. After a moment of temptation Roderigo leaves Elise in the hotel room where the planned seduction was about to take place only to find the next day that Elise has died in a hotel fire and that he was only one of many she brought there for her personal pleasure. Leaving New York for a time Roderigo returns to find that Jack not only was aware of Elise's planned seduction of him , but that he has also partnered with the firm's lovely secretary Mary (Gertrude Olmstead) who Roderigo had also been strongly attracted to for her sincere loving manner. Rather than spoil Jack's happiness a second time Roderigo for the first time in his life shows his developing maturity by spurning Mary's affection and sailing for France to leave Jack and Mary to find happiness together.

"Cobra", has a very sad and touching approach in its storytelling. The ending of the story which I wont reveal the details of for those who haven't seen it yet is very touching and one of the few times when Valentino succeeds in being an object of sympathy on screen. The general level of performances here are wonderful and it remains a mystery why this Valentino performance is not so well known or respected as his more famous great lover roles. Certainly in the beginning his Roderigo is a hopeless lady killer but the reformation of his character as the story progresses shows elements to Rudolph Valentino's acting not revealed before. He is in turn shallow and flighty in the opening sequences and superbly morose and downcast in the final scenes and you can see that alot of thought has gone into developing a logical character progression through the running of the story. Never could Valentino's work in "Cobra", be dismissed as the "nostril flairing, bulbous eyes acting" he was so often accused of practising. I feel it is one of his finest performances. Nita Naldi is very effective as the man eating Elise and her vampish seduction of an almost reluctant Valentino is superbly staged and Naldi earns her place among the 1920's screen vamps. Casson Ferguson and Gertrude Olmstead as Jack and Mary respectively are also good performers in their roles and Ferguson in particular is excellent in his scenes where he learns the truth of his wife's indiscretions. Beautifully filmed in subtle tones of black and white, Kino have done a wonderful job on restoring the print of "Cobra" just as they did when releasing Rudolph Valentino's next and final film "Son of the Sheik". The film also benefits from the expensive look provided by Willian Cameron Menzies elaborate sets and from the first work on screen by the renowned Adrian of later MGM fame who designed the spectacular costumes for the ladies in the story. Of particular note is the elaborate gown worn by Nita Naldi in her great seduction scene of Valentino which is all black with sparkly sequins on it, most fetching indeed.

"Cobra", is a viewing experience to treasure and shows silent movie acting at its most polished and sincere. Rudolph Valentino is wonderful to watch in this less well known performance and it is tragic to think of his death so soon after this film was released. It is he that makes the film an essential part of any silent film lovers collection and one can see that all the interest and affection which is still held for him is entirely justified. Enjoy Rudolph Valentino in his second last film, the stylish "Cobra".

A rare treat
This film is a perfect example of why silent films have to be REALLY WATCHED without any distractions. On first viewing, I was not paying full attention and I missed a lot. This movie deserves full attention....to gestures, expressions, mannerisms.
While Rudy may not be quite as physically devastating as in his costumed roles, his acting is the showcase here. And, this makes him even more attractive as a real person. You can feel what he is thinking and going through and he draws you into the story (which is basically a morality tale). And, what he is thinking and going through (even the comedy bits) appear very genuine and--it is the best word--heartfelt. In the scene where he is being tempted to kiss his best friend's wife, just watch the emotion passing across his face....WOW. The rest of the characters are well-cast and the sets and costumes (in one of famous designer, Adrian's, first movies) are fun to see in themselves. But, it is the magic of Rudolph Valentino that makes this movie a rare treat.

A true discovery
Several virtues make this atypical Valentino vehicle a true find for silent cinema buffs, Valentino buffs, cinematography buffs, design buffs, and especially those who appreciate restoration for video. Few nitrate-era movies have enjoyed the luck of perfect original-negative preservation plus the intelligence of perfect fidelity in the video transfer. This release is at the opposite end of the spectrum from the "fractured flickers" syndrome, and is a rare indication of the technical and artistic heights gained by Hollywood's silent golden age. For "Cobra," William Cameron Menzies (fresh from Fairbanks' "Thief of Bagdad") created a family of four spacious and picturesque Mediterranean-style sets plus what may be the first art deco set in any movie--a huge and stunning nightclub set that's on screen for less than five minutes. ("Cobra" was released the same year as the Paris exposition that introduced art deco.) Unfortunately, a third of the movie is spent in other, bland sets. Cinematography ranges from intensely picturesque (undoubtedly as conceived and created by the production designer Menzies) to inept. The potentially magnificent look is undermined greatly by mediocre, sometimes awkward or apathetic, direction. Could it be that the budget was quickly consumed and shortcuts were instituted halfway through the production? For once, Valentino (in real life an Italian immigrant gigolo) plays an Italian immigrant gigolo, here named Rodrigo (strangely similar to "Rudolfo"). The character is deliciously ambiguous and has none of the cliches associated with the Valentino image. The performance is probably Valentino's most subtle, detailed and heartfelt. Because of the paralells with the real Valentino and because this was his first independent production, with deatailed and complex characterization, I think the portrayal had strong personal overtones for the actor-producer. All the more interesting because "Cobra" is almost universally dismissed by biographers and film historians as a minor, throwaway project. The narrative begins as a comedy (Rodrigo is a destitute aristocrat in Italy, is a gigolo--the world's worst gigolo) but as he finds true friendship with an American antiques dealer Jack, moves in with him in New York, and gets caught up in a golddigger's (Nita Naldi) machinations, the story ends up a grim soap opera. The confused screenplay is far more interesting in what it suggests than what it delivers. The male characters are richly non-stereotyped, but the women are, alas, either whores or madonnas to the point of a misogynistic tone throughout. The new chamber-orchestral score is appropriate and improves on some of the movie's inconsistency. For variety, I like to play some Respighi selections while viewing. Both for its weaknesses and for its remarkable, outstanding strengths, "Cobra" deserves to be highly recommended. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Great Movie, So-So DVD
This is my favorite Valentino movie. It allows him to use his natural talent as a comedian while still fulfilling what his audience expected of his as "the great lover".
Valentino plays Vladimir, a young Cossack officer who spurns the advances of Catherine the Great. (An amusing reversal especially when viewed along with the Sheik movies) Unfortunately, Vladimir's father wirtes to him begging him to get the Czarina's help. He has been swindled by a friend and is dying. Vladimir can do nothing but go home and watch his father die a broken man. He vows vengeance against Karilla, who betrayed his father, and becomes a sort of Russian Zorro called the Black Eagle.
Another unfortunate twist, Karilla has a daughter and since she is played by the lovely Vilma Banky you can guess what happens. Vladimir is smitten and is now stuck between loyalty to his father and band of followers and his love for her. Banky guesses who Vladimir really is right away (in spite of his disguises) and tries to get him to spare her father. Of course, Vladimir will have none of it and it looks like trouble until Vladimir is caught by the soldiers of the revengeful Catherine.
What happens next? Watch and see!

Valentino handles his swashbuckler duties with an airy charm. (A shame he never played the Scarlet Pimpernel!) His scenes with Louise Dresser's Catherine are particularly good. She is trying to charm him, he is trying to find a polite way out. Dresser thoroughly deserved her Oscar nod and it's too bad that Valentino was not given one as well. The rest of the supporting cast is also very good, Vilma Banky plays her usual role, the nice girl with a temper, and has an obvious chemistry with Valentino.

That said, this DVD, while ok, is not the greatest. The print quality is so-so and points. Bit of dust and lint got in the way of the transfer and can be distracting. The score is pipe organ. There are no extras besides scene selection. All in all, not an improvement on the VHS releases but you may as well buy it if you have an all DVD collection.

Check out this movie to watch the Valentino legend yourself but don't expect too much from the DVD.

A breezy silent romp
This movie is a light action/romance/comedy which manages to balance all of the elements well. If you have never seen a silent movie, this is a marvelous place to start.

Valentino's preformance is charming as a "nice kid" who, after his father's death, becomes an outlaw. Matters are complicated by the fact that he has rebuffed the advances of Czarina Catherine the Great earlier in the movie. Matters become more complicated when he falls in love with his enemies sweet daughter. Matters become complicated still more when he takes a post as her French tutor in order to exact hsi revenge on her father.

While all of the comedy is excellent, the throw away bits are the best such as when Valentino is about to give Vilma Banky a ring but then it gets stuck on his finger or when he adds a few zeros to the reward offered for his capture on a wanted poster.

Wonderful, would recommend to anyone interested in classics and silent cinema.

Could We Have The Old Version, Please?
If you don't have a copy of Valentino's most engaging silent, "The Eagle", in your collection, you should certainly have this, but you should know that it is far - very far - from the best version that has been available. This edition is sourced from the Killiam Collection, and is evidently from a 16mm reduction print that saw long use and little care. Contrast and detail are poor, to say the least. There is a sad, tired musical accompaniment that is best turned off, frankly.

What's awful about all this is that this same company, Image Entertainment, once offered a far superior version. Its 1989 laserdisc edition was based on a clean 35mm print from the Rohauer Collection that had excellent contrast and detail. The score was a magnificently well-suited one by Carl Davis; it went so well with the film that once you've had a viewing with Davis's compositions, seeing "The Eagle" with any other score is unthinkable.

"The Eagle" is indispensable to a collection of silents, but this edition is not a patch on what Image itself has offered in the past. It is to be hoped that the company can clear whatever obstacles are keeping it from offering a DVD release of what was one of the best silent-film offerings on laserdisc.

Two stars out of five- I'm docking two for the ghastly print, two for the wretched score that takes the place of Davis's work, and adding one back to be charitable, because this movie is one of Valentino's best, and you should have it, even in a version as shabby as this.

Good Movie - Poor transfer
This is not a review of the movie - other than to say it has been one of my favorite silents for over 20 years. This DVD, by Image from the Killiam Collection, seems to be from a somewhat deteriorated positive print of the movie accompanied by a rather mundane organ music tract. Image themselves, released a Laserdisc copy from the Rohauer Collection with full orchestra music in 1989 that was far superior. Hopefully they will be able to re-master that on for release on DVD in the future.

"The Eagle" on DVD -- wonderful film but poor print
"The Eagle" is probably silent screen star Rudolph Valentino's best film. A delightful romantic swashbuckler set in the 18th century Russia (although costume-wise it looks 19th and early 20th century), it is full of action, romance, and also plenty of humor. Valentino is a lieutenant in the czarina's army who becomes a sort of Russian Zorro in order to avenge his father's murder by a neighboring landowner who had stolen his land. His plans for revenge go awry when he falls in love with the charming and lovely daughter of his enemy played by Vilma Banky, who would be reteamed with Valentino in his final film, "The Son of the Sheik." "The Eagle" was directed by Clarence Brown who went on to direct Greta Garbo, and made a number of classic sound films including "National Velvet."

"The Eagle" as a film deserves 5 stars but I can only give this new DVD print 3 stars. Unfortunately, the poor picture quality of this DVD is from the Killiam Collection and is released by Image Entertainment. It has an organ score which I found to be so-so.

...The only real plus here with this DVD is there are chapter titles so you can jump to your favorite scenes. There are no other extras here. ... Read more

Description

With CLARA KIMBALL YOUNG, EDMUND LOWE, RUDOLFO VALENTINO. In 1914, Vitagraph star Clara Kimball Young was selected by a movie magazine as the screens most popular actress. By the mid-1920s, a series of ill-conceived career moves resulted in her decline as a box office attraction and her retirement from films. When she attempted a comeback, after the advent of sound, she could only find supporting roles in Grade "B" productions. However, in 1919, she was still at her peak and her appeal and talent are herein evident. Young stars as Gina Ashling, a young girl with a golden heart, who rescues stray dogs and wants only to do good. Her father is on the abyss of financial ruin: the bank is calling in his loans, which he cannot repay. So she must make a choice: marry wealthy banker Ralph Lewis, who, for obvious reasons, her father wishes her to wed; remain at home and wait for assistant bank cashier Milton Sills to earn his fortune; pursue an operatic career; or wed the man she loves, whose proposal she has already accepted. WiII she choose love, or ambition, or duty? Because of her purity, Gina is allowed a peak into the future from a most unlikely source and what she learns is especially intriguing. Theres also a special treat here: appearing in a small role near the films finale is an actor, new to motion pictures in 1919, whos cast as "Clarence Morgan, a cabaret parasite." He was soon to become one of the cinemas great lovers and he is billed as "Rudolfo" Valentino. Silent film with original organ score, correct projection speed. 85 minutes. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Thoroughly entertaining!
Everyone else has already said it, but I have to say it as well: this film should not be overlooked when discussing Rudolph Valentino, nor a high-quality silent drama in general, for that matter. I simply cannot fault this film in any aspect: visually beautiful with perfectly-suited, lovely classical violin music, and perhaps the most emotionally-rivetting acting performance by Valentino I have seen. I fully agree with the reviewer who was captivated by Valentino's expressions; not only could you clearly SEE every emotion, but I, for one, could FEEL it, and therefore I found this drama a particularly emotional experience. It is perhaps deceptively simple on the surface, yet when you stop to think about the story, you find a deeper and a meaningful morale, namely friendship versus love - the casanova with a conscience. A wonderful viewing experience and really recommended!

Fascinating Rudolph Valentino Drama
Rudolph Valentino even in the almost eighty years since his death still elicits frenzied discussion from fans all over the world and in this talk frequent mention is made of such Valentin