The Eagle – One Sheet

The Eagle (United Artists, 1925). Fine on Linen. One Sheet (28″ X 41.5″).
After becoming a superstar with The Sheik in 1920 Rudolph Valentino diversified with other kinds of roles and did not have the same success as with the Latin lover he played to perfection in the earlier role. With this movie, set in Imperial Russia, Valentino took on an action role similar to those Douglas Fairbanks was having so much success with, playing a masked avenger who falls from favour with Catherine the Great and has his lands stolen. This was his first film after joining United Artists, the studio that had released Douglas Fairbanks’ The Mask of Zorro and Robin Hood, and this movie was very successful, giving Valentino as much popularity with gentleman audiences as he already had with the ladies! This extremely rare one sheet (possibly the only surviving example of this poster), with an image of the Black Eagle on horseback with his love interest, played by Vilma Banky. The poster displays touchup to fold wear, tears, the title, and chips in Rudolph Valentino’s credit. The borders have been replaced and airbrushed. Six inches of the lower poster have been replaced and heavily painted. With a clean image, this poster now displays excellently for any collector of silent movies.