The Iron Mask (United Artists, 1929). Fine on Linen. One Sheet (27.75" X 40.75").. ...

Description

The Iron Mask (United Artists, 1929). Fine on Linen. One Sheet (27.75" X 40.75").
In the sequel to Douglas Fairbanks's The Three Musketeers (1921), the silent screen's greatest swashbuckler returns to the role of D'Artagnan. The Mark of Zorro (1920) marked a pivotal turning point in Fairbank's career in producing films of ever-greater panache and proportion. This was Fairbanks's last silent film, and D'Artagnan's death at the film's close marked the only time a Fairbanks character dies and became his farewell to a beloved genre. Fairbanks Biographer Jeffrey Vance wrote, "As a valedictory to the silent screen, The Iron Mask is unsurpassed. In one of his few departures from playing a young man-and with fewer characteristic stunts-Fairbanks conjures up his most multi-dimensional and moving screen portrayal in a film that is perhaps the supreme achievement of its genre." Note that Douglas Fairbanks Sr (his son, Douglas Jr was also a very accomplished actor) was a Broadway stage actor who did not move to Hollywood until 1915, when he was 32, and his son was 6. Even though Fairbanks seemed on the older side to be an "action hero", his great physical skills made his movies major successes, and by 1918 he was Hollywood's most popular and highest paid actor. He started an affair with Mary Pickford (then the highest paid actress) and in 1918 he was divorced, and he married Pickford in 1920! This one sheet has a wonderful stone litho artwork image of Fairbanks holding his sword, and embracing his leading lady. Professional restoration addressed paper loss and chips to the borders, chips to the lettering, and fold wear. The borders and parts of the background were airbrushed and painted, the lettering was airbrushed, and touchup was applied to the folds, and parts of the figures. There is a grease pencil bleed through that remains lightly visible to the figure at the upper right.


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