Parvenus Américains

This is one of the movies that made Douglas Fairbanks, along with Mary Pickford, Gloria Swanson and Charlie Chaplin, the leading member of the new American aristocracy, the Movie Star. It is a pure star vehicle, with Fairbanks leaping gracefully over park benches and wire fences, leavened with a little social satire. True, his great production pieces of the 1920s -- THE THREE MUSKETEERS, THE THIEF OF BAGDAD and my personal favorite, THE IRON MASK -- lay ahead of him, but Doug puts out star power at megawattage, even in old, beat-up prints. If you don't know Fairbanks' work, you've got a treat ahead of you.

To begin, "American Aristocracy" sounds like something from Alexis de Tocqueville, but, of course, is much more tongue-in-cheek than that. An opening title cards reads: "Has America an aristocracy? We say yes!" From here, we're introduced to a high-class resort full of people made rich from trivial inventions, such as a hump in a hatpin to keep the pin from falling out. There's even a rift among this aristocratic class between old and new money; one of the new money includes a brewer named "Budhauser"-a gag reference easily deciphered to this day. This satire sets up some typical escapist fare for a Douglas Fairbanks vehicle-early in his career when he made modern comedies and before the swashbucklers. Here, money is not a problem and Fairbanks is contagiously charming and effortlessly successful, with stunts and in getting the girl.

In this Fairbanks outing, as a "bug hunter", he displays his usual acrobatics. One particularly funny scene shows Doug about to attempt to leap up to scale a building to its second-floor window, but before he does, he notices a first-story window is open. There are also some interesting scenes of a flying boat, which was probably a curiosity in 1916. Yet, this film is a bit slow to begin with, at least for a film with this star, known for his rapidly paced comedies. And, it includes a clichéd climax where the baddie abducts the girl. Fairbanks's charisma and athleticism, in addition to Anita Loos's amusing title card writing seem to always make for pleasant enough entertainment, though.

While Douglas Fairbanks is often known for his athletic prowess and adventure movies like "The Thief of Bagdad", "Robin Hood" and "Zorro", he also had a nice penchant for comedy. Though most of his surviving films are of the former type, a few comedies exist today—and "American Aristocracy" manages to merge BOTH genres into one! The film begins by making fun of all the rich industrialists' wives and how they view themselves as being much like European royalty. However, these families who live and vacation in luxury all made their fortunes through manufacturing things like chewing gum, hair pins and the like—yet they put on airs and behave as if they are somehow better than others.

Into this snobbish society comes Cassius (Fairbanks)—an entomologist who is not a part of this genteel world. But he wants to be accepted and tries very hard to crash society—mostly because he's infatuated with the fair Geraldine. His chance comes when Percy gets Cassius to pretend to be him. And, when Cassius drives fast cars and flies airplanes, Percy's friends all thing he is something else! However, Geraldine isn't so easily fooled and slowly falls for Cassius.

While the film had mostly been a romantic comedy up to this point, the plot turns quickly. You learn that Percy is evil—and secretly running gunpowder to the Central Powers (i.e., Germany and the other nations fighting the US during WWI). When Cassius finds out, he becomes a bit of an action hero—not just to save America, apple pie and democracy but because Geraldine and her father have been kidnapped by Percy and his baddies. Can Cassius somehow fight the forces of not niceness and save the day AND the girl? What do you think?! The film is a very nice balance between comedy, romance and amazing athleticism. As always, Fairbanks is clearly doing his own stunts and watching him running, leaping and nearly breaking his neck is quite exciting. A well-crafted film as well, this one has stood up well with time.

The first time that this German count saw the title of this Amerikan silent film he thought it was some sort of misprint. When he realized that was not case, he assumed he was dealing with a science fiction film but was amazed to find out otherwise and that the boldness of the title was meant to be taken literally, nightmarish though the thought is. Fortunately, during the film this German count's certainties were verified, proving that such hypothetical Amerikan aristocracy doesn't and never has existed.

And that is demonstrated right from the beginning. True the supposed Amerikan aristocracy do have similar habits to genuine old European aristocrats: they like to spend idle time in spas drinking a great deal of alcohol and looking down on the social climbers who dare to aspire to the upper echelon. However, there are two reasons why this supposed American aristocracy is not the genuine item; First, they made their fortunes thanks to bizarre inventions or selling common products like vulgar shopkeepers unlike European aristocrats who never exerted themselves and occupied their minds on the more pressing problem of how best to spend all their leisure time. Second, those Amerikan new rich have a lot of money and European aristocrats don't…

Fortunately Herr Lloyd Ingraham, director of "American Aristocracy" (1916) depicted very well those big differences with the help of the always enjoyable presence of the great Amerikan actor, Herr Douglas Fairbanks who does a lot of acrobatics in this film, including racing a car, flying a hydroplane and solving a mystery involving modern filibusters (not Senators but American agitators hoping to ferment revolution overseas). Of course he steals the girl from his rival too. This early Fairbanks film shows the star doing the stunts and performing in the way that would make him one of the most important actors of the silent screen, playing good bad men, pirates and local heroes.

The film was written by the multi talented Dame Anita Loos, and is a funny, small and unpretentious production, correctly done and effective, a valuable early vehicle for Herr Fairbanks. Equally important, this estimable document proves that genuine aristocrats have never existed in Amerika.

And now, if you'll allow me, I must temporarily take my leave because this German Count must found an organization that defends rights of real aristocrats.

Herr Graf Ferdinand Von Galitzien http://ferdinandvongalitzien.blogspot.com

First, this wonderful old comedy 'introduces' us to the high-nosed, gossiping and bored 'high society' of early 20th century businessmen and their wives, who've got nothing to do but counting their money and boasting with their inventions - like 'hatpin king' Hicks, who invented the 'hatpin with the hump'; an enormous achievement for mankind, of course... While his daughter Geraldine isn't only bored by her life, but also looking for a REAL man; because guys like Percy, the malted milk big shot who is after her, in fact are nothing else but lazy braggarts.

And THEN, of course, we meet the TOTAL contrast to all this dullness: our hero Doug Fairbanks alias Cassius Lee, an entomologist (or just plain bug-hunter), who runs carefreely and cheerfully through the fields, jumps fences and climbs trees in search for some rare insect - and as fate would have it, Geraldine and her friends happen to pass him by in their car; and she'd announced to them earlier that she was SO bored that she'd kiss the first man she'll see... Which she does - and Cassius, completely perplexed, has been bitten by the love-bug! But what chance is there for a 'simple' scientist to get into the 'American Aristocracy'? He isn't even admitted to the big seaside hotel dance without an invitation... He gets in, though, by his usual way of climbing walls - but is shown very soon very clearly that he's an 'unwanted person' in those circles; although Geraldine remembers him and seems to develop quite a liking for him... And he also makes the acquaintance of Percy, who, being rejected constantly by Geraldine because he never DOES anything but making money, believes that he can use this dashing, athletic, fearless young fellow as a 'double' to show the girl what a 'great' sportsman he is. And Cassius, in urgent need of money, accepts willingly - but he soon finds out that Percy has got a dark secret...

This wonderfully light comedy was a perfect vehicle back in 1916 for the rising star Doug Fairbanks, and of course his hilarious antics amuse and impress us just the same today; but it's also a movie of almost historical interest: we get a VERY good glimpse into the world of haughty pre-WWI business big shots: the "American Aristocracy"!