Bardelys the Magnificent

Long thought lost, the 1926 swashbuckler Bardelys the Magnificent—based on the novel by Rafael Sabatini—was considered a trifle in the careers of King Vidor, one of the great silent cinema directors, and John Gilbert, one of Hollywood's noted stars of the day. But as viewers will discover, the film—found in 2006—proves to be a delightful work that walks a fine line between swashbuckler and spoof. Vidor directs with flair and good humor, while Gilbert's dry wit puts a sardonic spin on the classic silent screen lover in his role as Bardelys, an arrogant aristocrat who takes a wager to woo proud young beauty Roxalanne (Eleanor Boardman), but winds up truly falling in love. Painstakingly restored (including the reconstruction of a lost reel using production and publicity stills, as well as shots from a surviving trailer), Bardelys the Magnificent boasts a lively new score by the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra that fits perfectly with the film's sly humor and action (viewers have the option of selecting an alternate piano score of period photoplay music). The two-disc set also features the 1922 film Monte Cristo, an adaptation of Alexandre Dumas' novel The Count of Monte Cristo, starring a younger and less assured Gilbert as Edmond Dantes, the unjustly imprisoned sailor who escapes and takes his revenge. DVD extras include an audio commentary by film historians Jeffrey Vance and Tony Maietta on Bardelys, as well as an interview with Gilbert's daughter and biographer, Leatrice Gilbert Fountain. Highly recommended. (S. Axmaker)