Rex Ingram and company show us the French Revolution in style! Ramon Novarro (in an exceedingly fine performance) is a vengeful lawyer turned actor turned swordsman turned revolutionary. Busy fellow, yes? Lewis Stone is his wily aristocratic opponent and turns in one of the best performances of his career by playing against type.
Witty and with atmosphere to spare, one of the finest action epics of the silent era and certainly one of the most beautiful. Come for Ramon and stay for everything else, it’s most excellent.
How does it end? Hover or tap below for a spoiler.
Ramon is actually Lewis’s illegitimate son, which forces them to call a truce. Lewis is killed fighting sans-cullottes and Ramon escapes to safety.Read my full-length review here.
If it were a dessert it would be: Mille Crepe Cake. Dozens of small, perfect details add up to an epic whole.
Availability: Released on DVD by Warner Archive.
Movies Silently 
Navarro is at his most handsome and dramatic best. This is line of the finest historic adventure films made. It has an excellent old fashioned story.
It’s really excellent
Not one of my favorites, but I’ll take Ramon in anything. It’ s interesting to see ‘Judge Hardy’ as a swashbuckler, and also to compare Stone’s performances in the silent and sound ‘Scaramouche’ productions, both excellent.
Stone really surprised me here, he is a surprisingly effective villain.
I haven’t gotten around to watching Scaramouche yet, but I did purchase a copy of it. When my son saw the title, he started singing “Scaramouche, Scaramouche, will you do the Fandango” and laughing. I wasn’t sure if I should have sent him to his room or praised him highly.
Anyway, I am looking forward to watching this film, I’ve always been impressed by Ramon’s work and I’ve heard a lot of good things about this one.
I bought this film recently only to find that, in spite of the disc and case being marked Scaramouche, the movie in the disc is some trashy modern fim about surfing beach boys!
I contacted the vendor and Warner Bros., to no avail !!