Rex ingram born reginald ingram montgomery hitchcock, 15 january 1892 21 july 1950 was an irish film director, producer, writer and actor. However, when the official learns who the accused is, he immediately orders andres arrest. Scaramouche 1924 there is no better description of a swashbuckling hero than the famous opening of rafael sabatinis 1921 novel, scaramouche. Although griffiths film was made first chronologically the order of the. Lee, rex ingram was literally born on the mississippi river, somewhere between natchez, ms, and cairo, il, where his mother resided. Over the next decade, he became one of the most popular directors in hollywood, directing smash hits such as the four horsemen of the apocalypse 1921, the prisoner of zenda 1922, and scaramouche 1923. Rex ingram established his reputation in the 1920s with the success of such fil. Master of the silent cinema by liam oleary goodreads. Visionary director of the silent screen by ruth barton 2014, hardcover at the best online prices at ebay. Scaramouche 1923 director rex ingram starring ramon.
More than a simple example of an exceptional film, scaramouche s release in september 1923 inspired a discus sion of the standards and aesthetic traditions on which the committee members based their evaluations. Rex ingram great director profile senses of cinema. It maybe ninety years old but this grand old silent film directed by the great rex ingram and produced at metro in 1923 is a marvel and still holds up today as a grand adventure drama. A grand old silent film directed by the great rex ingram and produced at metro in 1923 is a marvel and still holds up today as a first class adventure drama. When a nobleman murders his best friend, a lawyer becomes a. With lloyd ingraham, alice terry, ramon novarro, lewis stone. This is actually a more faithful adaptation than the 1940 remake with errol flynn. More a lushly romantic melodrama than a straight fairbanksian swashbuckler, rex ingram s scaramouche, from the sprawling 1921 novel by rafael sabatini, remains one of the most beautifully spectacular of silent epics despite the fact that both sabatini and ingram at times seem to have been overwhelmed by the weighty historical events surrounding the story.
In rex ingram, ruth barton explores the life and legacy of the pioneering filmmaker, following him from his childhood in dublin to his life. In 1980 the film archivist and historian liam oleary published the first, and until now only, monograph on the irishborn film director and writer rex ingram. A nobleman ramon novarro masquerades as an actor and joins the revolution to avenge the killing of his close. Silent hall of fame has created a silent gems collection of rare and for the first time available films with our stars, as well as other silent. Ingrams next film and one that still exists was the french revolution epic scaramouche 1923 from the novel by rafael sabatini. Noted for his charisma, talent, and striking good looks, director rex ingram. This is a wellproduced spectacle, from director rex ingram. Its story based upon rafael sabatinis 1921 historical novel under the same title, about a young. Scaramouche, like his other gorgeously mounted adventure sagas the four horsemen of the apocalypse, the prisoner of zenda, or benhur which he codirected illustrate clearly how the art of cinema took a body blow with the. Directed by rex ingram and starring ramon novarro, the film was produced by metro pictures shortly before metro merged into metrogoldwynmayer. Best known for his ambitious artistic films of the silent era.
The son of a steamer fireman on the riverboat robert e. Scaramouche 1923 director rex ingram starring ramon novarro. The newly rechristened beatrice, returned to films in 1919 in a small role in the rex ingram picture, the day she paid 1919 followed by another ingram film, under crimson skies 1920. Based on the rafael sabatini novel and set in prerevolutionary france, not only is it a rattling good story but a superb example of early filmmaking by a true visionary. The cover of the book has some minor but noticeable wear and markings throughout. Markey urged young alice to try to get a job at thomas inces studio inceville. She did some work in film editing and bit acting roles, but nothing really. Based on the rafael sabatini novel and set in prerevolutionary france, not only is it a rattling good story but a superb example of early filmmaking by a true. Like many of his contemporaries, rex ingram liked to employ the same cast in all his films and so the main roles of scaramouche remained very much in the family. A staple of the silent film era, the story documents lovefilled drama. Scaramouche 1923 is a silent swashbuckler film based on the novel scaramouche by rafael sabatini, directed by rex ingram. Rex ingram s the four horsemen of the apocalypse was john waynes favorite filmand made valentino a star. Rex ingram master of silent cinema oxfam gb oxfams. He spent a big part of his youth working with his father on riverboats until he entered northwestern university and, later, medical school.
The africanamerican actor rex ingram not to be confused with the irishborn director of the same name from the silent era was, for a time, the most prominent black dramatic performer in hollywood and second only to paul robeson in recognition among all black actors. Rex ingram 1 18951969 actor at a glance 2 fought against racial stereotypes in film 3 fame and dignity on stage 4 struggling for his principles 5 troubled personal life threatened career 6 determined to the end 7 sources 8 when rex ingram 9 returned to the stage after what seem. It is interesting to note that italianborn british author rafael sabatini 18751950 had. After immigrating from ireland to the united states in 1911, he went to yale to study. Rex ingram s work has tended to be overlooked and forgotten as a result of his retirement. Scaramouche 1923 is a silent adventure film directed by rex ingram based on a book with the same title by rafael sabatini. He was born with the gift of laughter and a sense that the world was mad. A few intact reels have recently been discovered in europe. There have been several film versions of the book, which one critic called probably the best swashbuckling novel of the twentieth century. When a nobleman murders his best friend, a lawyer becomes a revolutionary with his heart set on vengeance.
Scaramouche 1923 is a silent swashbuckler film based on the novel scaramouche by rafael sabatini, directed by rex ingram, released by metro pictures, and starring ramon novarro, alice terry, lewis stone, and lloyd ingraham. Rex ingram established his reputation in the 1920s with the success of such films as the four horsemen of the apocalypse and scaramouche. Rex ingram ebook by ruth barton 97808147109 rakuten kobo. Scaramouche became public domain in the united states on january 1, 2019. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Scaramouche from italian scaramuccia, literally little skirmisher, also known as scaramouch, is a stock clown character of the 16thcentury commedia dellarte comic theatrical arts of italian literature. Patricks day always reminds me of silent era filmmaker rex ingram, among whose silent era efforts are the four horsemen of the apocalypse, the prisoner of zenda, scaramouche, mare nostrum, the magician, and the garden of allah, and whose birth as reginald ingram montgomery hitchcock took place in dublin on jan. Carl laemmle saw her and considered her an exceptional motion picture type and.
The spiritualist by rafael sabatini, paperback barnes. Its story based upon rafael sabatinis 1921 historical novel under the same title, about a young lawyers romantic adventures during. He liked art he created some of the earliest, artistic silent films ever made. Born in dublin, ireland, ingram was educated at saint columbas college, near rathfarnham, county dublin. A study of 1920s cinematic representations of the french revolutionary crowd. Scaramouche a romance of the french revolution illustrated.
Rex ingram may be the bestknown enigma in film history. He was born with a gift of laughter and a sense that the world was mad. Scaramouche 1923 film news newspapers books scholar jstor october. In chapter two i begin the film analysis portion of the thesis with rex ingram s scaramouche. More a lushly romantic melodrama than a straight fairbanksian swashbuckler, rex ingrams scaramouche, from the sprawling 1921 novel by rafael sabatini, remains one of the most beautifully spectacular of silent epics despite the fact that both sabatini and ingram at times seem to have been overwhelmed by the weighty historical events surrounding the story. Noted for his charisma, talent, and striking good looks, director rex ingram 18931950 is ranked alongside d. Dumas who, unlike dumas, wrote in an era when he realized his books might be adapted for the screen.
Two silent adaptations of sabatini novels which do survive intact are rex ingram s scaramouche 1923 starring ramon novarro, and the sea hawk 1924 directed by frank lloyd and starring milton sills. Scaramouche by rex ingram ramon novarro, alice terry. Topics silent film, silent movie stars, free classic film. Scaramouche is the 1923 film adaptation of the novel by rafael sabatini. In the 1950s, when mgm head dore schary was asked to name the top creative people in the early days of film, his choices were d.
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