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Rudolph Valentino, Alice Terry, Pomeroy Cannon, Alan Hale, Josef Swickard ... see more see more... , Nigel De Brulier , Brinsley Shaw , Jean Hersholt , Wallace Beery , Bridgetta Clark , Mabel Van Buren , Bowditch Turner , John St. Polis , Mark Fenton , Virginia Warwick , Derek Ghent , Stuart Holmes , Edward Connelly , Georgia Woodthorpe , Kathleen Key , Jacques D'Auray , Curt Rehfeld , Bull Montana , Isabelle Keith , Noble Johnson , Harry S. Northrup , Beatrice Dominguez , Arthur Hoyt , Claire de Lorez

The mystical novels of Vicente Blasco-Ibanez were much prized by ambitious silent filmmaker Rex Ingram, who filmed two of them in the 1920s, both ostensibly vehicles for his actress wife Alice Terry. ... read more read more...The first of the two, Four Horseman of the Apocalypse, was infinitely more successful than the second (Mare Nostrum), a fact that can be attributed to two little words: Rudolph Valentino. The quintessential Latin Lover stars as Julio, the scion of a wealthy Argentinian family. During the years prior to World War I, Julio's relatives relocate to Germany and France, with Julio opting for the latter country, where he opens an art studio. Here he carries on a torrid affair with Alice Terry, the wife of an attorney. When World War I breaks out, Terry joins the Red Cross and her husband enlists in the army, while the carefree Julio avoids involvement in the conflict. Only when visited by the spectres of the Four Horseman--war, conquest, famine, and death--does Julio don a uniform. His death is a symbolic sacrifice on behalf of Ms. Terry, whose husband has been blinded in the war: and, in an additional symbolic grace-note, Julio dies at the hands of his own cousin, now a German officer. The film's Big Money sequence was the one in which Rudolph Valentino danced the forbidden tango in a dingy, smoke-filled Argentinian cantina. That's what made him a star, not all that mumbo-jumbo about fate, destiny, and Four Horsemen. Proof that Valentino and not Blasco-Ibanez was the principal drawing card of this film was the 1962 remake, in which Glenn Ford portrays Julio. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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86% liked it

370 ratings

Unrated, 1 hr. 50 min.

Directed by: Rex Ingram

Release Date: March 6, 1921

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Alice Terry and Rudolph Valentino Rex Ingram and Valentino Rex Ingram, John F Seitz, June Mathis Pomeroy Cannon and Valentino The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse Alice Terry and Rudolph Valentino The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse Alice Terry and Rudolph Valentino The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
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Flixster Reviews (35)

  • scrambledegg7
    July 22, 2011
    scrambledegg7
    The metaphor is taken a bit far in this early anti-war film. There were moments I was really interested in this family's story, but found the transition between that and the "big picture" themes to be very jarring. While watching this, I realized I have not yet found a silent dra... read morema I truly like - I think the disconnect between acting styles is still something I haven't been able to get used to.
  • thrusz
    May 8, 2008
    thrusz
    Okay, I was amazed that this movie was on Flixster. I'm even more amazed to find it on Flixster twice.

    This is on the 501 Must-See Movie, but is wildly out of print. I mean, you can't get a $100.00 VHS of it. I couldn't even find a copy to buy. That's amazing to me. I mea... read moren, I work at a rare-video store and if I try hard enough, I can find a copy of almost everything. But this movie is impossible find. Luckily, it was Rudolph Valentino's birthday and the fine folks over at Turner Classic Movies decided to hold a Rudolph Valentino marathon in honor of the anniversary of his birth. Good for me. This really is a fine movie. I had no idea that the title would be so literal though. Really, this is more of a war movie than an action epic. It's one of those first real ant-war movies. I understand why. Unlike Wooden Crosses or All Quiet on the Western Front, this one uses far more biblical allegory and invovles an "out-of-war" situation. For most of this movie,w e deal with the relationships of a cocky Bruce Wayne who has been deprived of his fortune for reasons unknown. (I'm still quesitoning that moemnt in the movie. I mean, grandpa did say that he would be the heir of the fortune.) We see his socially promiscuous ways and that's when the idea of the war is brought up. But then Jesus shows up...

    I'm pretty sure he's Jesus. Rex Ingram wasn't exactly subtle with His Holiness's Bearded Blocking. (I'm aware "His Holiness" refers to the Pope...but it worked out too well.) We then see the physical manifestations of the titular characters every so often interspurced with non-related war scenes.

    What's really interesting is the B-story going on with Julio's father. His is the character that really makes the most on-screen change. Admittedly, Julio kind of pulls a lightswitch change, but seeing the miser deal with his family betraying him because of their German heritage was interesting. The Germans really get an unfair rap in this movie. I understand portraying the Germans as evil in the war scenes, but they're totally assholes outside of the battle sequences and that's just meant to win over audiences. Who can blame Ingram? I mean, it's not like this movie was meant to be watched almost a century later. Who am I to complain? I actually kind of giggled at poitns. But the best part about the story is the destruction of the house. That was soem epic stuff. I'll give the 501 those points watching the roof collapse and the Germans tearing apart the inside of the house and abusing the family and the servants. Pretty solid stuff.

    This is another one of those over two hour silents. Luckily, not too much longer, but it did drage a little. Good thing that the visuals really sold me in this one because it was honestly top notch. I'm probably going to buy this if it is ever released.

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Critic Reviews

Dennis Schwartz
June 8, 2006
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Has not worn well with age. Full Review

Dave Kehr
June 24, 2006
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader

Click to read the article Full Review

Bosley Crowther
June 24, 2006
Bosley Crowther, New York Times

Click to read the article Full Review

June 24, 2006
Film4

Click to read the article Full Review

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