The Black Pirate

This 1926 silent picture is one of the most influential adventure films ever made and a technical landmark besides: it is among the first features shot in the two-colour Technicolor process. A nobleman whose father was killed by pirates joins their band to take revenge. Having to stay in character, he captures a merchant ship single-handed, and things get complicated when he finds a young woman of noble birth aboard. Douglas Fairbanks is both the star and the essential idea of the film; his acrobatics, above all the descent down a sail split open with a knife, became one of the most copied images in cinema. The use of colour is striking even now. Who it's for: viewers who love silent film and classic adventure. Who it's not for: anyone wanting modern rhythm and character depth; the film runs entirely on movement and gesture.