The Black Pirate (1926)

After he and his dying father are washed ashore after their ship is blown up by pirates, the son (Douglas Fairbanks) swears to avenge his father's death. To this end, he joins the very pirates who were responsible for blowing up their ship. As directed by Albert Parker, this is an amiable swashbuckler with Fairbanks doing his special blend of panache and athleticism masquerading as acting. Handsomely shot in the early two strip Technicolor process by Henry Sharp, it could have used a wee bit more punch but that might have more to do with the editing which tends to dwell too long on the scenes. Certainly Mortimer Wilson's lazy musical doodling which serves as an underscore doesn't help matters any (oh, what Korngold could have done with this movie!). Still, a fun movie all in all. With the lovely Billie Dove as the romantic interest, Donald Crisp and Sam De Grasse as Fairbanks' pirate rival.