Douglas Fairbanks is a contender for the greatest silent-film star, and of all the films I've seen of his they've never been less than entertaining, having seen The Mark of Zorro, The Thief of Baghdad, The Three Musketeers, The Iron Mask, Robin Hood and this. All are great, with my favourites being The Thief of Baghdad, The Mark of Zorro and this, The Black Pirate. As with all of Fairbanks' films, the film looks great and holds up well, the sets are suitably lavish and The Black Pirate really does look as though it was shot with care. The pacing is snappy without being rushed though with time to breathe for the more dramatic parts, and the direction shows a sure hand and an imaginative touch. The story is simple and quite standard but is still a huge amount of rollicking fun, both in drama and adventure. That is helped further by the impeccable stunts that are equally so in execution, then again that was hardly going to be a disappointment considering that all of Douglas Fairbanks' films have great stunts, and also some very imaginative set pieces and touches. Especially good were the underwater swim, beautifully shot and daringly choreographed, and the knife-blade descent down a billowing sail, which thrilled audiences then and still thrills now. The acting is good, with the exception of beautiful Billie Dove, who looks lost and doesn't have a lot to do. Anders Randolf and Sam De Grasse are appropriately sinister villains who come close to stealing the show in places(Randolf is particularly great, truly hissable), and Donald Crisp is characteristically excellent even in a cast against type role here. But it is Fairbanks' film, the very meaning of a bravura performance, whether in his charismatic acting to his dazzlingly athletic stunts, Fairbanks fans will be in awe guaranteed. To conclude, a great film and one of Douglas Fairbanks' best. 9/10 Bethany Cox