Rudolph Valentino’s career had almost been ruined by his own negligence and interference from his wife, Natacha Rambova, but this film saw him return to the public favour. (It was his penultimate movie - he made Son of the Sheik then died). He plays an officer in the Russian Imperial Guards whose act of heroism attracts the attention of Catherine the Great – she wants to make him her stud, but he refuses and takes off, resulting in a price on his head. It’s back to home where dad has fortunately been swindled out of his estate by a baddy – I say “fortunately” because it gives Rudy the chance to don a mask and become “The Eagle”, and fight for revenge. He pretends to be a tutor to the baddy’s daughter in order to get access but unfortunately he falls in love with the baddy’s daughter.
This is an enjoyable swashbuckler with some decent action and Rudy in good dashing form; he also gets the chance to do a bit of comedy and pulls it of. The film has story problems – we know the baddy is a baddy (all the locals hate him) yet he’s allowed to live and not even be punished at the end. They needed to give Rudy someone to duel – a henchman or something. Also the Catherine the Great angle is introduced, dropped for most of the film, then returns as a deux ex machina. It’s interesting that Catherine isn’t unsympathetically portrayed – she’s a tyrant, but with a heart. Vilma Bankey is Rudy’s love interest.
But it’s still a lot of fast-paced fun, with good performances, a pleasing risqué tone and pleasant art direction.
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