THE EAGLE (1925) Rudolph Valentino 8x10 and similar items

This is a vintage original 8x10 in. U.S. double-weight matte publicity photograph from the classic silent film adventure/romance, THE EAGLE, released in 1925 by United Artists and directed by Clarence Brown. Rudolph Valentino stars as Vladimir Dubrouvsky, a lieutenant in the Russian army, catches the eye of Czarina Catherine II (Louise Dresser). He spurns her advances and flees and she puts out a warrant for his arrest, dead or alive. Vladimir learns that his father's lands have been taken by the evil Kyrilla Troekouroff (James A. Marcus), and his father dies. He dons a black mask, and becomes the outlaw The Black Eagle. He enters the Troekouroff household disguised as a French instructor for Kyrilla's daughter, Mascha (Vilma Banky). He is after vengeance but instead falls in love with Mascha. The image features a beautiful interior long shot of the handsome Russian Lt. Vladimir Dubrovsky (Rudolph Valentino) wearing a period suit with a topcoat and holding while gloves as he stands in front of a heavy tapestry. Printed on double-weight stock with a matte finish, this vintage original photograph is in very fine+ condition only tiny signs of wear on the tip of 3 of the 4 corners. There are no pinholes, tears, stains or other flaws and the image quality is razor-sharp with fine detail and beautiful rich contrast. This photograph initially was in The Sydney R. Barker Collection and features a handwritten inscription in black fountain pen ink on the bottom of the verso. Mr. Barker was one of the most famous of the early collectors on Rudolph Valentino. The film was originally titled The Black Eagle but was changed when it was discovered that Douglas Fairbanks was producing the similarly-titled The Black Pirate (1926). In the scene where the camera moves along the banquet table, the table used had to be specially designed to move apart so that the camera could travel backward. Valentino wanted to project a more "butch" image in this film, so in order to establish his masculine bona fides with the cast and crew, he sent home stunt double Nicky Caruso and did the spectacular opening stunt - leaping onto a horse and chasing down a runaway carriage - himself.