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Here are nine pictures of unusual merit It shows the importance of Fairbanks to Hollywood.
Someone who is a businessman who was bale to churn out films but more importantly star in ones that were classed a good films too.
His name pasted on the page three times shows the importance of him and the originality to his work which was inventive yet familiar.
This page is a simple page with no pictures, this is to highlight the actors and directors work over the stylised visions of their imagination.
Within these three films there is a common occurrence. Love, romance, adventure and comedy. It creates a synonymous representation of the man himself: stunt loving, straight man and funny.
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Exhibitor's Trade Review (Sep-Nov 1922) Part 1: It shows Fairbanks as a businessman and entrepreneur. The cost of the film clearly shows the trust companies had him and the trust he had in himself to write, produce and star within this film. it shows he has intelligence rather than just brawn which is usually shown in his films in the 1920's
Part 2:Fairbanks' name is in the title of the film, this is massive and doesn't even happen today. It shows how famous he is and how much weight his name caries within Hollywood. Doing this alongside his wife brings in gossip that reaches media like this. It also shows how relevant the couple are. His life and image in the 1920's is conjoined with Pickford's where the power couple became so famous. His image is therefore bound alongside hers and the idea of the masculine man that won over Pickford and married her.
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A Kiss from Mary Pickford This shows their relevance to film. Although Fairbanks only has a cameo in the film, his face is on the posters. This shows his stardom and importance not just in Hollywood but as a star in Russia. He represents the wealthy, influential movie star who travelled to USSR and drew crowds to see him.
The films development centres around Pickford and Fairbanks who are small roles but are felt throughout the film as important figures.
Their roles show a perspective of the audience of wanting to meet their 'heroes'. It puts Fairbanks on a podium of being an influential star.
His good looks are prominent as one character is smitten with him which furthers his swashbuckling, rugged smart look which is a clear indicator of what type of actor he is. His heterosexuality is furthered by his marriage to the perhaps most famous woman of the 1910s and 1920s. This implies he has a charm and ability to win the best of the best. As if a trophy.
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Mary & Doug Travel to Russia Admirers of the advanced state of Soviet filmmaking, particularly Sergei Eisenstein’s Battleship Potemkin, Doug and Mary extended their annual trip to Europe to visit Moscow in July, 1926.
Eisenstein was a great admirer of Douglas Fairbanks and in the 'Mask of Zorro'.
They were greeted by an outpouring of interest from fans they didn’t know they had. This shows the extent to their fame which had reached Russia.
Footage from the trip was made into 'A Kiss from Mary Pickford' by the Russian director Sergei Komarov.
The inside, enclosed videos of the couple become glimpses into their love, they look happy and comfortable with each other.
Fairbanks has gone to Russia in love of the new filmmaking methods. It shows his love for the film industry and his own personal aim to create new and inventive films.
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Doug & Mary planting a “Douglas Fern” to celebrate their Fifth Wedding Anniversary in 1925
These home movies give us a rare glimpse into Doug and Mary’s life at Pickfair with their dog, Zorro. It shows they are real people too not just movie stars.
It shows the two are in love and happy to present their relationship to the public too. This can mean a growing relevance for the two in the public eye.
The Beverly hills in the background show off their wealth, fame and status in Hollywood.
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Douglas Fairbanks sitting on the back of Charles Chaplin, who is walking on all fours Both were known for their comedies in the 1910's and this shows the sense of humour they both have. A friendship tat would last a long time is shown as being playful and funny.
It shows that Fairbanks did not always take himself so seriously. Perhaps even humbles him and create a familiarity with the US population.
What does smiling usually indicate?
Image result for what does someone smiling in a photo imply
Fairbanks can be seen to use the smile to reassure others while communicating trustworthiness good intentions about this roleplay with Chaplin. It implies that Fairbanks and Chaplin are not intending to be photographed but appear to have been caught while messing around it insinuates a social connectors with the audience of the normality of stars. A child centre to them.
Does this playing with Chaplin however insinuate homosexuality between the two? Probably due to the famous marriage and affair with Mary that has occurred with Fairbanks.
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'Douglas Fairbanks in Robin Hood' Trailer
This shows scale of productions by Douglas Fairbanks Pictures and how Hollywood was a growing industry in the silent era.
The large scale of this film with hundreds of extras, massive sets and famous actors presents a clear identity of Fairbanks who is more than just an actor. He is a businessman, an actor and movie star. His wealth is huge.
Fairbanks stars in a film which is violent and stereotypically 'macho'. Violence, action, war and weaponry are themes even today that are associated more with male actors than females.
This presents a masculine portrayal of Fairbanks and the type of films he would star in and produce.
Shots of him and a women indicate a love interest, inferring a romance between the two characters which ties into sexuality in the 1920's
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'Spanish People at Pickfair'
This shows so much.
Firstly it presents Fairbanks as a lover of films who, in his spare time with friends, loved creating films for fun not just as a business.
Powerful friends like Charlie Chaplin and Mary Pickford show how big his influence was in 1920's Hollywood.
It situates itself aside from normal Hollywood and questions gender roles and courting of women. This shows an intelligence and interest in questioning societies normalities.
It does not however diverge from the heterosexuality of men even if this does resent Chaplin's characters consciousness of flaunting privacy where he pulls over his tunic and crosses his legs like a woman. Still sexuality is not questioned enough.
Mary Pickford stands out within the little film and that is perhaps of her stardom or of her figure against other women.
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Taming of the Shrew (United Artists) (1929) It shows how evocative and gossiped about their relationship was.
Their names are the the biggest text on the page which draw the reader in. it plays into the actors real lives which they are married to one another after divorcing others to be together.
Pickford's face hides Fairbanks' which insinuates that she is the main star and he is like an accessory to her stardom.
Perhaps it also hints at the films content where he plays a character who hides and is suspicious.
Produced by the couples production company it shows their prowess in the film industry.
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Douglas Fairbanks Stunts in "Don Q., Son of Zorro." Shows Fairbanks' masculinity by portraying him as a fearless man who faces danger and jumps through, he is able to better dangerous stunts from previous films in this meaning as a human he only grows. Making him look like the ideal American man
Love story within the article portrays his relationship as clearly of straight male that who faces rejection until he gets his way. Something which is wrong.
Subtly this articles presents the power of Douglas Fairbanks who, by my inference, has been able to get his sister-in-law onto a film to star in a film. This shows his massive presence in 1920's Hollywood both as an actor, businessman and producer.
His reach as an actor has crossed continents.
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The Iron Mask Containing other accessories for 'The Iron Mask', like posters and insert cards. It shows a suave Fairbanks in his heyday. Strong drawn images of Fairbanks highlight his striking facial features which were renowned as American features by the public.
The pressbook was designed to publicise the film and draw attention to its star - Fairbanks.
The size of his names text shows how famous he is. Fairbank's name sells tickets. Thus people go to see the film because he is in it.
