Very well executed

Perfect cast and a good story

Excellent, a Must See

A lot of fun.

Of the Douglas Fairbanks films I've seen so far, there is not one that came across as bad. The Gaucho may be my least favourite of them, it does get a tad too heavy-handed at times and the religious stuff sometimes bogs it down and give off an odd feel. But what makes Fairbanks' films as good as they are are most definitely present in The Gaucho. The sets are some of the most exotic and lavish of any Fairbanks film, and the same can be said of the costumes. The photography is equally beautiful, and the music score is appropriately rousing which make the stunts and such even more exciting than they already are. There is a strong sense of humour that is as fresh and current now as it was then, the director handles things deftly and the story cannot be called routine, if anything of all the films Fairbanks did The Gaucho is perhaps his least conventional story-wise. It is also very briskly paced and with a constant sense of fun and energy, as well as memorable scenes like the aftermath of the healing miracle. It's not a Fairbanks film without mentioning the stunts and they are spectacularly choreographed and dazzlingly executed. And with real athleticism that has not been matched much by many films today standards. Fairbanks steals the show, as he should as he is the star, he is charisma personified and clearly looks like he's enjoying every moment. His stunts are athletic and youthful and he does show some expressive acting like in the healing miracle scene and its aftermath. He is very well-supported by the rest of the cast, the standouts being Lupe Velez, who plays with a lot of appealing spunk and is sexy without even trying, and Gustav von Seyffertitz, whose suave charm but very twisted malevolence makes for one of the nastiest villains of any Fairbanks film. All in all, while not one of Douglas Fairbanks' best it is still a treat. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Technically speaking, this was a good movie. It's obvious United Artists put a lot of money behind this project (and why shouldn't they, as two of the company's creators were the star of this film and his wife!). The sets and costumes were nice, the matte paintings and backgrounds were among the best I've seen in a silent and the stunts were fantastic. However, the overall package was still very weird, as there was an uncomfortably odd combination of various earlier Douglas Fairbanks films along with what looked almost like the Jennifer Jones film "The Song of Bernadette"! Odd to say the least.The film begins with a religious prologue about a young shepherdess falling from a cliff but being miraculously healed by what appears to be the Virgin Mary. Soon a religious shrine is built there.Ten years have now passed. It seems that in this South American nation, a corrupt government is now oppressing the people (just like in "The Mark of Zorro" and "Robin Hood" and "The Black Pirate" and several other Fairbanks films). Fairbanks is a bandit (it's not clear if he steal from the rich and gives to the poor...maybe he just steals) and he and his men take over a small town run by government thugs. However, despite the lovely stunt-work and women who adore him, the Gaucho is a bit of a jerk. When, as the new town's leader, he's mean to someone who has some weird disease (that looks NOTHING like any real illness). As a result, this afflicted person sneaks up on him later and deliberately infects him! And, thanks to some prayers and a re-appearance by the Virgin, the Gaucho is healed and life is good.The story is great to look at but heavy-handed and silly. My advice is first see Fairbanks' more famous films--they are better. Then, if you're curious, try this freaky film. It's good but not among his best by any standard.By the way, speaking of weird, get a load of the 'house scene'. If you see the movie, then you'll know what I mean!!

This was hyped at the 2009 SF Silent Film Festival as dark, unconventional and more to 21st century tastes than most silent films. I found it a combination of over-the-top silliness with heavy-handed religious tedium. Perhaps it can be described as surreal. Unfortunately I did not find that entertaining. There is a bit more sexuality than in other Fairbanks films, but nothing compared to Valentino. His continual silly cigarette tricks. too-fast jumps, Velez's arms-on-hips heaving-breast stances, the house dragging scene, and the German expressionist style fake landscapes, walls that crumble at a touch, and the constant performance of miracles, take away from any feeling of reality. They say El Gaucho is the prototype for Mickey Mouse, and the movie does have a cartoon-like character, except for the religious parts. Perhaps the religious element is part of the formula to "get away with anything as long as you throw in religion". For me, it can't hold a candle to The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse or even The Eagle. Fairbanks movies that I prefer include The Mark of Zorro and The Black Pirate.

Combining the familiar Douglas Fairbanks action scenes with some unexpected material, "The Gaucho" is interesting and pretty good. It might be just a cut below Fairbanks's very best movies, but it has more than enough to satisfy most silent movie fans. The story is involved, and it features some creative turns, while the production is resourceful and quite good for the most part.Fairbanks's character here is not quite the same as in his usual roles. While the story does give him plenty of action and adventure sequences, his character is not nearly as likable as most of the ones that he played. The way that "The Gaucho" treats the other characters is not at all what you would have expected from his other movies - normally, even when his character is an outlaw in the eyes of the authorities, you get the feeling that you'd have nothing to fear from him unless you deserved it. Not so here.That does make the character interesting. As with Fairbanks's usual roles, he seeks justice and respect, but unlike most of the others, he also needs redemption in a much deeper sense. And that fits in well with the other unusual aspect of the movie, which is established at the very beginning with the founding of the miraculous shrine. It introduces a supernatural or quasi-religious dimension that is not at all part of movies like "The Black Pirate" or "The Three Musketeers". Yet, for all that it requires a suspension of disbelief, it works pretty well as part of the overall story.The detailed and sometimes impressive settings, along with the supporting cast, also help out. Lupe Velez has plenty of energy, Gustav von Seyffertitz is a suitable villain, and it's enjoyable to see Mary Pickford's brief appearance. Overall, it's pretty good, despite varying in some respects from time-tested formulas.