Film Log – ARTH 334 (rev 22 Mar 2014 ) The Black Pirate (1926) Name:

Director: Albert Parker Producer: Douglas Fairbanks Cinematography: Henry Sharp
Editor: William Nolan Fencing master: Fred Cavens
Writer: Douglas Fairbanks (as Elton Thomas), Jack Cunningham
Starring: Douglas Fairbanks (The Duke of Arnoldo/The Black Pirate) ; Billie Dove (Princess Isobel ), Anders Randolf (Pirate Captain); Donald Crisp (MacTavish); Sam De Grasse (Pirate Lieutenant)
Studio: Elton Corp. , distributors: United Artists
Details: Silent w/ English intertitles, two-tone Technicolor and B&W, 1 hr 22 min
Notes: * final kiss w/ Princess Isobel > Mary Pickford * longboat crew >> sailors from USS Arizona • The fight choreographer is the great Fred Cavens. He and colleague Bob Anderson are almost single-handedly responsible for the best sword fights on film from the 1920s to 2000. Cavens was fencing master for every important Zorro from Doug Fairbanks (1920) to Tyrone Power (1940) to Guy Williams (1957-1961; Disney). After Cavens’ death, Anderson took on the next great Zorro: Antonio Banderas.

Read BEFORE watching the movie.
Bennett, Carl. “The Black Pirate (1926)”[review]. Silent Era. 2010. Web. 22 Mar 2014. http://www.silentera.com/video/blackPirateHV.html (Read article in left sidebar & review of Blu-Ray Disc.)

• First major featured film produced in Technicolor • A black & white film was also shot in case the Technicolor fails • Filming in Technicolor was expensive and requires a vast amount of lights on the set and special camera lens prism. Used both technical color camera and black and white cameras side by side during the filming. • The first objective of the color process is the used of orangey-red and bluish green dyes to obtain an accurate flesh tone. Customs and sets where made in red and green to easily capture the colors during filming.

Read AFTER watching the movie.
Lussier, Tim. “Douglas Fairbanks as The Black Pirate: Synopsis/Commentary” [review]. Silents Are Golden. 2011. Web. 22 Mar. 2014. http://www.silentsaregolden.com/featurefolder5/BPcommentary.html

• The film was a success during 1926 despite of the many harsh criticism • Fairbanks performed many of his best stunts during this film, in particular, the slitting down the middle of the sail. • The resemblance of the ring that gave hints that he is not just an ordinary sailor • Mary Pickford (Fairbanks wife) replaced Billie Dove as Princess Isobel for the last kissing scene with Fairbanks.

Identify, using bullet points, the 4 most important points/insights you found in each these reviews.

Pay attention to: • the clues that these are nasty/bloodthirsty pirates, • the plan the Black Pirate concocts to protect the princess, • how the Black Pirate identifies himself as a “good guy” to the envoy, • how the “bad guy” foils the Black Pirate’s plan to protect the Princess, • what the Black Pirate asks the Princess just after they are “properly” introduced, • the use of color (this is the first feature length 2-strip color film).

Questions to respond to:
1. What does the young castaway vow? How does this drive the plot from the very beginning all the way to the closing scene (look at cause/effect here: X leads to Y leads to Z leads to …)?

The Black Pirate (1926) film started off when bloodthirsty pirates raided a ship killing most of the crew on board and sinking the ship. The soul-survivor of the sunken ship was Fairbanks, who was the producer and star of the film. After swimming and reaching the shore, Fairbanks father, who had fatal injuries from the pirates attack, soon died in Fairbanks arms. The death of his father drives the plot of the film as Fairbanks (the young castaway/The Black Pirate/The Duke of Arnoldo) vows to avenge his father’s death by bringing his murderers to justice. When Fairbanks came across the pirates hiding the stolen treasures in the island where he was stranded, he convinced them to let him join the crew by defeating their captain in a dual. Challenged with another wager to capture the next ship single handedly, Fairbanks succeeded and gained the pirates vote to be part of the crew. In his plan of putting the pirates to justice, Fairbanks fell in love with a princess who was hiding aboard the ship he had captured. His attempt to save the princess from the nasty pirates lead to a proposition to keep the princess as a ransom so that she cannot be touched or harmed, only with a plan to send a note to the governor to send his best soldiers to apprehend the pirates. After a suspenseful series of events had taken place between the sending of the ransom ship and the arrival of the soldiers that seized the pirates, Fairbanks and the princess were introduced at the end. Their introduction lead to a hand in marriage and a happy ending.

2. What techniques other than music are used to build narrative tension from the time the envoy is sent off with the ransom note until the soldiers arrive in the boat with the Black Pirate? How/why are these effective?

Narrative tension is used to keep the viewers interested and provides the suspense of the film. In The Black Pirate (1926) film, different techniques are used to build narrative tension. On top of using music to build narrative tension, another technique I believe was used was foreshadowing. Foreshadowing is a hint or a clue that an event will occur in the future. In the scene where the gun powder pirate boarded the ransom ship with a barrel of gun powder impends that a disaster or a turning event will occur. In this film, as well as other silent films, intertitles are also used in place of vocal dialogues. The intertitle or printed narration can convey to the viewers the intention of a particular character. Such as in the scene where the “bad guy” instructed the gun powder pirate to board the ransom ship and blow it to pieces. Such narrative tension techniques are important to increase the suspense of the film. It teases the viewers of upcoming events creating curiosity and increases the viewer’s interest.

3. Note at least 3 particularly interesting stunts, especially at the beginning and in the final rescue of the Princess. Speculate on how the stunts were accomplished (or research it! ;-) ) How do they serve the plot of the film? What aspects of Doug Fairbanks’ athleticism do the various stunts highlight?

The behind the scene making of The Black Pirate (1926), speculate that most of the stunt in the film were reversed shot. A particularly interesting stunt is when Fairbanks swings upward using the sail mass during his attempt to capture the ship single handedly. This particular scene was reversed shot, in which Fairbanks swings downwards during the recording. Another stunt that was reverse shot was when Fairbank and a crew watchman, in a headlock, was lifted up to the top of the sail. In this scene Fairbank and the crew watchman were actually lowered down during the recording. Another stunt and probably the most interesting stunt to me was the scene where Fairbanks was slitting down the middle of the sail. According to the behind the scene footage, the sail was leaning backwards so that Fairbanks is able to cling onto the sail and slide down. The camera were at an angle to offset the leaning of the sail and to display the appearance of the sail as being straight up and down. Fairbanks also used a harness that is attached to him to guide him down the sail. As well as friction tapes to avoid friction burns. Performing the stunts in the film himself, Doug Fairbanks showed very good athletic abilities. I believe the stunts he performed compliments the plot by presenting his skills and tricks that displays his capabilities of accomplishing his objectives in the film.

4. With the Black Pirate (as well as his other adventure movies such as Robin Hood, Zorro, The Three Musketeers, and the Iron Mask), Douglas Fairbanks is inventing the action adventure movie –and the “swashbuckling” genre. How does his persona set the tone for the future? What personal traits and behaviors of Fairbanks become a required part of action adventure heroes? Discuss examples from other movies you have seen, from pirate movies to Indiana Jones to James Bond, etc.

Douglas Fairbanks character as the Black Pirate displayed a persona of daring adventures and courageous acts, motivated by his father’s death and engaged by his love for princess Isobel. His personal traits of athleticism and quick witted, as well as his fearless heroic behaviors sets the tone for future action adventure heroes. Movies such as James Bond creates a persona of a smart, confident and fearless character just like Fairbanks character in the Black Pirate. Charming is another trait that most adventure heroes character possess to win the hearts of their leading lady. The persona of the “hero” in a film shapes a model of an ideal alpha male or female in which he or she thinks and acts in a way to carry out his or her mission accomplishment or goal of the film.