Eagle

Eagle
Customer Review: The soldier who would rather get a new horse than be a general
This film links a seemingly heartless czarina; a revenge-driven cossack who, though engaging in numerous scriptural debates on the subject with his beloved, finally gets back at his enemy in a fun, pleasurable, and totally inadvertent way; a high-born thief who's such an oblivious father that I wanted to slap him; and a bear. During the movie, we laughed so many times... One thing I notice about silent movies (and it's very refreshing for a slightly deaf person) is that you can talk all you want, and you won't miss anything. Me and my mom were on the edge of our seats towards the end, which rarely happens with us; I had hide my eyes when it got too grim to contemplate. Shame they don't make movies like this anymore.
Customer Review: Valentino as a Russian masked avenger!
Silent screen legend Rudolph Valentino reached enormous heights of popularity in the 1920s before his untimely death not long after starring in "The Eagle", which is a terrible shame because judging by his performance in this film in particular, it is evident that Valentino was more than just a pretty face and had a lot of talent to offer. First cast in some dubious character roles (such as in "The Married Virgin") Valentino was soon established in the typical Hollywood heroic and irresistably charming leading man role for whom all women swooned. "The Eagle" is a good example of this role in which Valentino demonstrates not only his usual magnetism and appeal, but also humour and an overall fine feeling for details and subtle comedy. Very much in the style of Zorro and Robin Hood made popular a few years earlier by Douglas Fairbanks Sr, "The Eagle" is Russia's version of this masked avenger fighting for the poor against injustices, and all in glorious Hollywood style. Although the sets and costumes give the film a distinct Russian flavour, the story is definitely classic Hollywood entertainment all the way with tongue-in-cheek comedy, indispensable romance, standard action and adventure, and the triumph over bad in an unexpected happy ending. The story is quite interesting and entertaining from the very onset which shows how Valentino as a Cossack guard first gets into trouble by resisting the Czarina's romantic advances, resulting in her condemnation of him as a deserter, wanted dead or alive. At home, his dying father has been cheated by a wealthy landlord out of his entire estate, and as the peasants rally around him crying for justice, Valentino dons the Zorro-like mask and becomes known as `The Black Eagle' vowing to take revenge on the greedy landlord, but wouldn't you know it: Valentino's love interest turns out to be the daughter of the man he is after! This enjoyable and satisfying story is enhanced by good acting, especially by Valentino, and the picture quality is very good throughout. The musical accompaniment is a theatre organ and is well-suited to the scenes, although I can imagine that an orchestral score playing Russian-style music would further enhance this film. In any case, "The Eagle" is thoroughly entertaining in true Hollywood style and should satisfy even those who are not great Valentino fans.