The swashbuckling genre is not noted for its progressive treatment of women. Even ladies who take up arms must either be damseled by the finale or die in order to make way for a more “proper” love interest. That’s why The Fighting Eagle is such a breath of fresh air.
While Rod la Rocque and Sam De Grasse are the official hero and villain, Phyllis Haver and Sally Rand are the ones who get things done. It’s a Napoleonic spy caper and while it takes a bit of time to get going, it turns into a smashing little adventure film. Highly recommended!
How does it end? Hover or tap below for a spoiler.
Haver and the local barmaid save the day by locating papers implicating the baddies in treason.
If it were a dessert it would be: Spicy Devil’s Food Cupcakes. Looks cute but packs a wallop.
Read my full-length review here.
Availability: Released on DVD by Grapevine.
Movies Silently 
What a great team Haver and La Roque made in this fun film! Lucky enough to own the DVD, so watched it again tonight.
The Spicy Cupcakes recipe has gone into our Halloween buffet file- thanks much for sharing it. Always up for a choco and peppers combination- this one has the potential to be volcanic 😮
So glad you like it too! Yeah, those cupcakes look like a literal kick. Yum!
The beautiful, charming, talented Julia Faye must be excellent as Empress Josephine (a 1920s review states that her appearance in this film is brief but effective). She’s one of my favorite silent film stars. She also played Queen Victoria in “The Yankee Clipper.” Did you know that DeMille starred her in two of his studio’s productions, “His Dog” (a drama with Joseph Schildkraut) and “Turkish Delight” (a comedy with Rudolph Schildkraut)? Furthermore, she was also featured in two great films, “The King of Kings” and “Chicago”. All the aforementioned films were released in 1927, a great year for Faye and certainly the peak of her silent film career.
Yes, it’s a great pity that the print I saw left her scenes on the cutting room floor. Here’s hoping there is a more complete version somewhere.