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June 19, 2008Robin Hood de los Pampas, or ...David Jeffers… "Doug gets religion."
Douglas Fairbanks chose a swarthy Argentine anti-hero for his next-to-last silent role in The Gaucho (1927). A young shepherdess is visited by the Holy Virgin while tending her flock and a mountain shrine is built on the site. Years pass, and The City of the Miracle attracts wealth and attention. When a corrupt general known as Ruiz the Usurper (Gustave von Seyfferitz) takes over the town, they are liberated by The Gaucho. Fairbanks perennial Charles Stevens plays The Gaucho’s First Lieutenant and Mary Pickford appears (literally) as The Virgin, in two cameos that are almost certainly what were originally the two-color Technicolor segments now presumed lost.
The Gaucho began its Seattle run Tuesday, March 4, 1928 at the former Liberty Theater on First Avenue between Pike and Pine, which by then was re-named United Artists. Musical accompaniment was, "Perfectly Synchronized by Jan Sofer and United Artists Symphony Orchestra." Also featured on the program, "The $24 Island, a sensational novelty." A newsreel rounded out the bill, with admission at "popular prices."
The return of Robin Hood to Seattle’s Paramount Theater after twenty-three years was indeed a memorable event last Monday night. The film, and a beautiful arrangement of Victor Schertzinger’s original score, received an audience response that was more than resoundingly positive. During the intermission, enthusiastic audience members were customarily greeted by Dennis James at the Wurlitzer, to offer their thanks and discuss a variety of related subjects. Approaching Dennis, I found myself in utter astonishment as we chatted with an appreciative Victoria Fairbanks, granddaughter of the silent star, in attendance (she shops Trader Joe’s), unannounced and seeing this film for the first time!
Trader Joe’s, Seattle Theater Group and The Paramount Theater present Douglas Fairbanks in The Gaucho, Monday, June 23 at 7:00pm. Live accompaniment at the Publix One Wurlitzer will be performed by the Paramount’s organist–in-residence Dennis James. Tickets are available at the Paramount Theater box office, at Ticketmaster.com and at all Ticketmaster outlets.
Comments
I wonder if the choice to play a swarthy Argentinian was influenced by the Death of Valentino the year before whose famed started when he played an Argentinian in The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. I always found it interesting that Doug cast Mary, his wife, as The Virgin. I would love to see this in the theatre just for her cameo alone. How great you met Victoria Fairbanks- that never would have happened sitting at home watching it on DVD. Posted by: Anne Hockens at June 20, 2008 6:58 AMI am really going to have to check out another one of these silents at the Paramount sometime...the Mary Pickford film we went to was great, and I'd love to see another. |
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