For his farewell to the silent screen Douglas Fairbanks chose to continue with the further adventures of The Three Musketeers in The Iron Mask just as Alexandre Dumas did in his novel. It was certainly a worthy farewell.
Douglas Fairbanks probably could have continued his career in talkies and he did make a few films in that medium. But silent films were perfect for his boisterous personality. Neither he or Mary Pickford every really learned to dial it down a bit for sound. I like to think of this rather than The Private Life Of Don Juan as his real farewell picture.
Actually a bit of The Three Musketeers plot is brought in to set the stage for the twin sons of Louis XIII who threatened a dynastic crisis for the Bourbons in France. Rocheford the villain who dies in The Three Musketeers lives here in the person of Ulrich Haupt who takes over the raising of the second born twin in obscurity in the Pyrenees over the Spanish border. Rocheford works on the kid, but being abandoned by his parents will work on you psychologically no matter what the circumstances.
When the time is right Haupt strikes and substitutes one twin for the other, both played by William Bakewell. It's bad karma to kill royalty outright so Haupt devises this iron mask to imprison the real Louis XIV so no one knows who he is and thinks him a mad man.
Of course the plot is foiled and Fairbanks repeating the role of D'Artagnan does the foiling together with his musketeer companions of days gone by as they ride one last time for the honor of France.
The version I saw eschewed subtitles and had a narration supplied by Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. who did the dialog with proper élan and reverence for his father. It makes for marvelous viewing and hearing.
The Iron Mask has to be considered one of Douglas Fairbanks best films and holds remarkably well for today's audience.
Douglas Fairbanks probably could have continued his career in talkies and he did make a few films in that medium. But silent films were perfect for his boisterous personality. Neither he or Mary Pickford every really learned to dial it down a bit for sound. I like to think of this rather than The Private Life Of Don Juan as his real farewell picture.
Actually a bit of The Three Musketeers plot is brought in to set the stage for the twin sons of Louis XIII who threatened a dynastic crisis for the Bourbons in France. Rocheford the villain who dies in The Three Musketeers lives here in the person of Ulrich Haupt who takes over the raising of the second born twin in obscurity in the Pyrenees over the Spanish border. Rocheford works on the kid, but being abandoned by his parents will work on you psychologically no matter what the circumstances.
When the time is right Haupt strikes and substitutes one twin for the other, both played by William Bakewell. It's bad karma to kill royalty outright so Haupt devises this iron mask to imprison the real Louis XIV so no one knows who he is and thinks him a mad man.
Of course the plot is foiled and Fairbanks repeating the role of D'Artagnan does the foiling together with his musketeer companions of days gone by as they ride one last time for the honor of France.
The version I saw eschewed subtitles and had a narration supplied by Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. who did the dialog with proper élan and reverence for his father. It makes for marvelous viewing and hearing.
The Iron Mask has to be considered one of Douglas Fairbanks best films and holds remarkably well for today's audience.