My brother has for years told me about this silent film he saw with a "gold monster" in a nightmare segment. This always intrigued me but I had never gotten around to watching the recording he had made of it. That is, until today I hadn't.

Charles, played by Rudolph Valentino, is sent to live with his uncle after his father loses millions in the stock market and commits suicide. There he meets his cousin, the lovely Eugenie (Alice Terry.) While Charles was brought up in decadence and luxury, Eugenie lives in poverty brought on by her father's miserly ways. The two fall in love yet the uncle (seeing no profit in their marriage) refuses to allow it and works to keep them apart.

The Conquering Power is certainly a product of its time. The melodrama is a simple moral play told through the stylized lens of the silent screen. It's certainly a classic and if you are a fan of silent films you are in for a treat.

Labels: 31 days of film, Romance, Silent Films