-
Clipping - The Thief of Bagdad This clipping shows how relevant Fairbanks was. His name as large as the title. Above the title. He is more important and what draws crowds to watch the film.
The detailing around the clipping is like a cinema screen. The box-like appearance is connoting to the reader what its like going to see a feature-length film. Hoping positive connotations come from experiences at the cinema therefore they may go.
Its exclusivity is almost an echelon for the public to view Fairbanks as if a work of art.
-
Oscar Price and the founders of United Artists Corporation This is a photo of celebrities but in a private manner. Their backs are turned which indicates hiding something, in this instance it is the business details of creating United Artists.
Backs facing the camera shows the unawareness of the photo or the meaningfulness to have their faces within the photo.
Although outside the 1920-1929 dates it is important to understand this context of the friendship these stars had and the power they had for the next decade.
-
Swashbuckling Douglas Fairbanks in 'The Thief of Bagdad'. Douglas Fairbanks was not a lazy actor, usually performing his own stunts he became the swashbuckling actor.
Swinging from ropes and vaulting across film sets meant his fame in the 1920's stemmed from these swashbuckling films.
He portrays a rough, rugged character who likes adventure and outdoors. Characteristics that are commonly associated with the ideal man.
-
'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
-
'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.
-
Picture Theatres This shows Fairbanks' reach outside of the US. His name is repeated three times on this small article at the top of the newspaper.
Again Fairbanks' influence into the film industry as he himself was a supervisor on the film, and his brother was head of technical effects. Douglas got places and had the importance to bring his family along.
Nepotism for Robert Fairbanks.
The showings were in 1922, two years after "The Mollycoddle" was released. Presents an importance and status to the film. It could be to gain more revenue on the fil or due to its popularity.
-
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.
-
Douglas Fairbanks Touring the US selling Liberty Bonds It shows Fairbanks' American identity. The allegiance to his nation.
Willingness to want to help and promote himself in the meantime.
The legacy of this photo, although outside the 1920-1929 time period is pivotal in understanding his importance to the US people and the legacy he led.
From the picture it is easy to imply that Fairbanks gives an authority to the crowd who are below him. He seems as if royalty or a God by how he is stood above the crowds as if better than them and he is also separated for his own safety.
-
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.
-
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.
-
The Era of the Great Single Film: "Robin Hood" - A full-sized Screen Play, as Opposed to "Variety" It shows the important role Fairbanks has within the film. This swashbuckling man who wins the woman and saves the day.
Exemplifies the importance of his role within the film as he also produces it with his then wife, Mary Pickford. He is the part owner of the distribution company United artists too. Showing he has wealth and control over his own acting and roles.
States his figure and ability to do his own stunts. Presents him as a fit, healthy man. All traits as a masculine man strive to achieve to be a model American.
This film was also released in Sweden in 1923
