Customer Reviews

Bardelys The Magnificent, Monte Cristo

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Once again Flicker Alley has done silent film fans a huge favor by compiling and releasing this DVD of two John Gilbert movies from different stages of his career. BARDELYS THE MAGNIFICENT dates from 1926 and reunites Gilbert with his THE BIG PARADE director, King Vidor. It's a typical MGM picture of the day with lavish sets, smooth camerawork, and colorful supporting players. Gilbert, in an attempt to outdo Douglas Fairbanks, swashbuckles his way through this Rafael Sabatini story in grand style but Sabatini was no Dumas which is why I prefer MONTE CRISTO out of this set. I have always loved this story of the unjustly accused Edmond Dantes getting his revenge on those who wronged him even if takes 20 years. It's also great to see another "lost" Fox film turn up. While it lacks the polish of the later MGM effort (it was shot in 1922 when Gilbert was 25), the film contains an emotional resonance the other doesn't have and Gilbert gives more of a performance here.

Both films were reconstructed from incomplete prints which some may find a distraction but we're lucky to have these titles at all so a big round of thanks to everyone involved for making it possible. The Mount Alto Orchestra provides a fine score for BARDELYS (there's an alternate piano score by Antonio Coppola) while Neal Kurz's piano score for MONTE CRISTO is an absolute delight as well. Rounding out the set are lots of supplements that include an audio essay for BARDELYS and a featurette REDISCOVERING JOHN GILBERT with Gilbert's biographer (and daughter) Leatrice Gilbert Fountain who is now in her 80s. Like other Flicker Alley releases, this one is a must for silent film aficionados. Don't let the price put you off. Remember, you get what you pay for (especially with silent film releases).

This beautiful 2-disc set by Flicker Alley is one of the year's most exciting silent film releases, bringing us two outstanding films previously believed to be lost. Such a rediscovery is always exciting, but when it concerns a neglected silent screen legend and two of his best early films, then this set simply cannot be missed. Until now, John Gilbert has been remembered mostly as Greta Garbo's co-star in several sultry and unforgettable silent films of the late 1920s such as "Flesh and the Devil" and "A Woman of Affairs", at which time it was John Gilbert who received first billing in the credits. Rivaling Rudolph Valentino in popularity, it was after Valentino's premature death that Gilbert attained the status Valentino held as the screen's great romantic lover and hero.

It is therefore significant to see these two earlier films of another genre and style by this silent star whose brightness shone only briefly yet brilliantly, and I found his performance in both films surprisingly and delightfully refreshing and different. In the King Vidor production of "Bardelys the Magnificent" he rivals Douglas Fairbanks in his famous swashbuckling action-adventure, "The Three Musketeers", with a similar setting and many exciting action scenes. It is a good story told beautifully with light humour which blends perfectly with the romance, suspense and adventure of the whole film. Although one reel is missing from this exciting rediscovery, the use of stills and extra intertitles fills the gaps nicely and does not detract from the overall smooth, stylish and sophisticated feeling of the film. An outstanding and perfectly-suited orchestral musical score by Rodney Sauer and the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra enhances the quality of this already very satisfying Hollywood-style escape.

My personal favourite of the two films in this set however is the second film, "Monte Christo", being one of many versions based on the ever-popular Alexandre Dumas novel, and of all the ones I've seen, this is by far the best, in my opinion. If not for the slightly inferior picture quality and a piano score instead of the full orchestral treatment, it would proudly stand on its own as a great film, ranking among the best early versions of The Count of Monte Christo. As Edmond Dantes, Gilbert goes through various stages of appearance, circumstances and emotions, showing that he was a competent actor in other roles besides romantic leads. The first half of this legendary tale allows Gilbert to play the role of the prisoner whose hair and beard have grown wild and long, desperately trying to find a way out and seek revenge on those who caused his unjust imprisonment. When he is rewarded with treasure and becomes the Count of Monte Christo, he again takes on a new aura and manner as he plots to ruin the lives of those who ruined his. It is a serious yet satisfying story told especially well for a silent film made in 1922, and greatly contributes to completing the picture of John Gilbert, the actor.

A top quality glossy brochure with many fine photos accompanies this set and provides more background information on the films and Gilbert himself, along with the audio commentary and half-hour documentary, which is basically an interview with John Gilbert's daughter, Leatrice Gilbert Fountain, who wrote a biography of her father some years ago. All together, this is a wonderful set about a charming actor of the silent era whose films deserve to be remembered and enjoyed once again in this restored condition.

John Gilbert is finally getting some attention in a deluxe DVD release. Flicker Alley's DVD sets have been superb so far, and I am looking forward to this one too. It not only features two of Gilbert's films, it has some documentary material on Gilbert as well. Gilbert's story was one of the saddest of the silent to talkie transition in film. He was a sensation from his appearance in 1925's "The Big Parade" until the end of silent films in 1929. Sadly, his first talking film, "His Glorious Night", was full of the problems that were parodied in "Singin in the Rain". Gilbert actually did kiss the leading lady while repeating over and over "I Love You". That and the fact that the recording of his voice went awry making it sound unrealistically squeaky dealt his career a blow from which he never could recover. "His Glorious Night" was made by MGM, but is now owned by Paramount who bought the rights hoping to do a remake, which is why you've never seen it on Turner Classic Movies.

At any rate, the following is the press release for this set:

Bardelys the Magnificent (1926, 85 min.)
Based upon the novel by Rafael Sabatini and directed by King Vidor, who just one year before had directed Gilbert in the smash hit The Big Parade. In France "in an age of light loves and lively scandals," the Marquis de Bardelys (Gilbert), casual womanizer and accomplished swashbuckler, is entranced by Roxalanne de Lavedan (Eleanor Boardman); and against a background of knavery and intrigue, he sets out to woo and win her. Lavishly mounted and superbly directed with spectacular action scenes, Bardelys is a hugely entertaining action romance given an A-plus MGM production.

The sole surviving print was found in France in 2006; the English titles are restored according to the original script. A gap in the recovered footage (the third reel) is bridged with stills, titles, and footage from the original trailer so the story is complete; the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra provides a lovely score of period photoplay music. This release is possible through the permission of Warner Bros. and Sony Pictures.

Monte Cristo (1922, 100 min.)
Adapted from the novel by Alexandre Dumas, and directed by Emmett J. Flynn, Gilbert is Edmond Dantes, a sailor unjustly imprisoned for twenty years, time he spends acquiring education and finesse. Later the accidental heir to a vast fortune, Dantes reinvents himself as the Count of Monte Cristo, and wreaks revenge on those symbols of the decadent monarchy that wronged him.

Fox Film spared no expense on this prestige film with lavish sets and a distinguished supporting cast. The sole surviving copy of Monte Cristo is a worn and choppy print found in the Czech Republic, but nearly complete. English titles have been restored with the help of the original script. Pianist Neal Kurz arranged and performs a score of obscure yet beautiful French music of the period.

End of press release.

BONUS FEATURES:
Film historians Jeffrey Vance and Tony Maietta draw from their own extensive historical research into the life of John Gilbert to provide:
1. A full-length audio essay on Bardelys the Magnificent
2. An enclosed booklet
3. A brand-new thirty-minute documentary Rediscovering John Gilbert, featuring an on-camera interview with John Gilbert's daughter and biographer, Leatrice Gilbert Fountain.
4. 200+ Image slide show

This DVD release is so exciting on so many levels it is difficult to know where to begin. A big budget MGM "prestige" picture, starring their most popular male lead, John Gilbert, and directed by their best director, King Vidor. A beautifully costumed swashbuckler based on a book by the greatest writer of historical romance, Rafael Sabatini. A film missing for 80 years, known only through a brief clip in Vidor's classic comedy, Show People, and still images in movie magazines and silent film histories; FINALLY, you can see this lost feature.
As the DVD also features a documentary, Rediscovering John Gilbert, let's start with the much loved star. Leatrice Gilbert Fountain, the actor's daughter, has been campaigning for years to rehabilitate Gilbert's reputation, mainly concerning the "high voice" MYTH and his talkie career. ( As such, it is disconcerting, to say the least, to see another reviewer -a `vine voice' no less-repeat the "high pitched nasal voice" canard in "his" review. Not that I consider cutting and pasting an article from a movie web site writing a review, but there it is.) So I'll put it all in caps: THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH JOHN GILBERT'S SPEAKING VOICE. Anyone who's seen "Queen Christina" or any of his other talkies knows this. Personally, as a silent film fan, I don't think Gilbert's reputation needs much boosting. He starred in what is arguably the greatest silent film ever made- one of the greatest films ever made, period-The Big Parade, and will always be the subject of scholarly scrutiny because of this and his work with Erich von Stroheim (The Merry Widow), Great Garbo (the aforementioned Queen Christina, A Woman of Affairs, Flesh and the Devil and Love) and Vidor. His `downfall" has more to do with perceptions of fantasy and reality vis-a-vis talkies /silents, and changes in public taste.
For all those "Gilbert is no Fairbanks" naysayers I'll say, "You're right." But it's equally true that Fairbanks is no Gilbert, and the part of Bardelys- an amoral ladies man who wages he can seduce a young girl- is wrong for "Doug", right for "Jack". (I might add that neither Allan Dwan nor Fred Niblo is King Vidor, either. You may prefer Errol Flynn to Tyrone Power, too, but you'll never get to see Flynn play Zorro. It is what it is.)
As stated earlier, MGM really put their money into Bardelys, and it shows. Beautiful costumes, great sets, massive crowd scenes. Vidor, Gilbert and the stunt team do indeed try to "out Fairbanks" Fairbanks in the climax, and what's wrong with that? A great show. Swashbuckler fans shouldn't hesitate on purchasing this one- you've seen (as have I) Fairbanks' eight great costume pictures from 1920 -29 ( Zorro- The Iron Mask) over and over- here's a "new" adventure romp to enjoy again and again. I've owned the Grosset and Dunlap photoplay edition of Bardelys the Magnificent for years, so I've always pictured Sabatini's hero as Gilbert, and the actor doesn't disappoint. Speaking of whom, is there a better adventure writer than Rafael Sabatini? Simply, no. Dubbed "The Modern Dumas" by his publisher's publicist, Sabatini (author of Captain Blood, Scaramouche and The Sea Hawk) is in fact the better writer. The Count of Monte Cristo, subject of the second film on this set, was plotted by Dumas' highly paid secret collaborator Auguste Maquet, who wrote the initial drafts of his most famous books. The filmed version here is serviceable enough, but lacks the flair and polish of Bardelys. It has many of those "stage set" shots found in middle period silents, where the camera is the fourth wall of a perfectly balanced scene, the lines of the floor, ceiling and two walls symmetrically receding to the central, one-point-perspective vanishing point. Lacking the fluid camera work of the Vidor -directed Bardelys, the film gets its strength from the familiar revenge story, stripped of the many digressions and sub-plots of the unabridged novel, and Gilbert's strong lead performance.
The third part of this DVD release is Rediscovering John Gilbert, a single camera shot interview with Leatrice Gilbert Fountain. While she overlaps a few of her recollections so they don't quite jive with her previously written record, her love for her father, who died 73 years ago, is palpable, and it is an important oral record. Would the filmmakers had inserted a few photos of the people she discusses, for those unfamiliar with the silent period, or provided some other supporting material. Here's a hearty recommendation for her wonderful book, Dark Star, the biography of John Gilbert, one of the best biographies of a silent star available- and I've read plenty. I'd just like to reiterate that the likelihood of her father being forgotten or dismissed from film history is highly remote. Now if Flicker Alley would only release some work by some truly hard-to-find performers, such as Milton Sills or Thomas Meighan, two other stars who also died too young. Still, Bardelys the Magnificent? Never thought I'd see it. Bought it as soon I knew it was available. You should, too. Given the talent involved I knew it had to be great, and it is better than I imagined.

Bardelys The Magnificent, Monte Cristo
If you're a fan of silent films or a fan of John Gilbert's,this is a must.
I don't have anything extra to add that hasn't been said already. I only know that I love this,and it was well worth the price paid.
So if you're thinking about picking this up,go ahead and buy it,you won't be sorry you did.

I love silent films but I'm not a big fan of John Gilbert except for THE BIG PARADE which is one of my favorite films. BARDLEYS THE MAGNIFICENT was ok, but I'm a big Douglas Fairbanks fan and Gilbert is not about to outdue Fairbanks when it comes to swashbucklers. The real prize here is MONTE CRISTO. This film alone is worth the price of this collection. I've seen the Donat version numerous times, yet I was spellbound by this silent version. Another great job by Flicker Alley. Highly recommended.

Internet site AllMovie.com reports: "Bardelys the Magnificent" was an excellent vehicle for MGM's top male star John Gilbert. Set during the regime of France's King Louis XIII, it concerns a bold young braggart named Bardelys(Gilbert), whose sexual conquests have now become legendary. Unfortunately, "Bardelys the Magnificent" no longer exists. So ends the review. Now, in mid-2009, "Bardelys the Magnificent" does exist. Again. Long thought to be lost, this new DVD edition has been mastered from the recently-completed reconstruction of the film conflated from a print that was recovered in Paris, France by Lobster Films. Missing footage is amended by stills, intertitles, and footage from the original trailer. You get two single-sided dual-layered discs with Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo sound. The DVD has audio commentary by Jeffrey Vance, which sadly is haughty and irritating. The volume mixing was apparently done by a 5-year-old child. And at the end of the movie, the DVD fails to return to the menu. There is also "Rediscovering John Gilbert", a 30-minute documentary with Leatrice Fountain, his daughter, and a photo gallery. And there is also the 1922 presentation of Gilbert in "Monte Cristo". Innovative movie producer Thomas Ince built a city of motion picture "sets", inhabited by mostly cowboys and Indians, on a massive stretch of land rolling from Santa Monica, California, to the Pacific Ocean. They called it "Inceville". It was here, in 1915, that young John Gilbert came to become a film actor. He started as a stunt-man and bit-player, but became a leading actor within two years. The physical hazards and constant harships of the bit player included injury; sometimes death. In 1921, Gilbert signed a contract and went to Fox. His popularity soared as a leading man. In 1924, he signed with MGM, which put him into Erich von Stroheim's most successful film, "The Merry Widow". He starred in the huge MGM hit "The Big Parade(1925)". He was now as popular as Rudolph Valentino. In 1926, Valentino died suddenly, and John Gilbert vaulted to the top, without competition. He starred with Greta Garbo in "Love(1927)", and the year before in "Flesh and the Devil(1926)", with her. The pair reeked of sexual chemistry. Gilbert was in love. But when it came time to marry, Garbo did not show up. Emotionally damaged, Gilbert's movie performances began to suffer, and he began to drink heavily. Gilbert had a violent confrontation with MGM studio boss Louis B. Mayer, in a bathroom. Insulted, Gilbert knocked Mayer down, earning his eternal emnity. Pushing him into sound films, Mayer starred Gilbert in the juvenile "His Glorious Night(1929)". Gilbert's high-pitched, nasal vocals produced laughter in the audience. "Night" flopped, and the actor Lionel Barrymore would never again be employed as a director. Gilbert's home rested on top of Tower Road, in Benedict Canyon, over-looking Beverly Hills. One night actor John Barrymore, living next door, heard pistol shots. Rushing to his side, Barrymore stayed up-up all night with Gilbert, trying to soothe his rattled nerves. Gilbert was still under contract to MGM, with a large salary. But in 1933, he appeared in "Fast Workers", and the contract ended. Nevertheless, Garbo insisted that MGM co-star Gilbert with her in "Queen Christina(1933)". In the film, Gilbert is clearly unhealthy and thin; in fact, almost shaky. His fourth marriage failed. And he continued to drink. This was the end for the highest-paid matinee idol of the decade($250,000 per movie). John Gilbert appeared in just one more film, and died of a heart attack in Jauary 1936. He was 38 years old. There is much to praise about this ambitious DVD package, produced by Berkeley, Calif. archivist David Shepard. John Gilbert rose from prop-boy to the lofty heights of the movie world. But the view-from-the-top can sometimes be dazzling. As his daughter describes in her intimate biography, Gilbert ended in despair, just another foot-note, just another Hollywood "Dark Star".