The Iron Mask is Douglas Fairbanks's last great film. It is one of those rare birds, a sequel which improves on the original. The Three Musketeers is a fine film, a fun swashbuckling romp, but The Iron Mask has a better story and has a depth which the earlier film lacks. Fairbanks was coming to the end of his career when he made The Iron Mask and seems to have put everything into it. The sets and costumes look authentic, the extras are numerous and the cast are uniformly first rate. Nigel de Brulier reprises his role as the scheming Cardinal Richelieu. He is a good villain because he is not wholly malevolent. He is the enemy of D'Artagnan, but the two respect each other and behave towards each other honourably. Richelieu is cruel but it is the cruelty of the statesman who will do anything in the interest of the state. Marguerite de la Motte is, once again, the lovely Constance. Her romantic scenes with D'Artagnan show why he will go to any lengths to save her from Richelieu's plots. Fairbanks is his usual athletic self. He performs amazing stunts, all the more remarkable because he was nearly fifty when he made The Iron Mask. But Fairbanks's performance is not merely a matter of swordplay and gymnastics. His acting shows greater depth of emotion than in some of his earlier films. This story is at times poignant, but Fairbanks has the acting skills to be equal to the changes of mood. He is wonderful as the aging musketeer full of regret, saddened and chastened by life, but still willing to give his all for his King.The print used for this Kino DVD is wonderful. It scarcely has a blemish and the black and white photography is shown in all its glory. There are two brief talking sequences in The Iron Mask one at the start and one half way through. There is thus the chance to hear Fairbanks talk. The sound crackles a bit, but is about as good as can be expected from the sound systems of 1929. The rest of the film has a fine orchestral score by Carl Davis. This sounds great and fits the action and the mood of the film very well. Davis uses Wagnerian themes as the film darkens its mood and his score really adds to the whole viewing experience. The DVD contains a good few extras. There are three sets of out-takes, which show how Fairbanks performed some of his stunts. It is extremely rare for out-takes from silent pictures to survive so we are fortunate indeed to be able to see these. Next there is a five-minute extract from the film with Douglas Fairbanks Junior providing narration. This is interesting, but shows most of all why narrating silents does not work. There is a collection of stills from the film and a good collection of informative essays. Altogether this is a very fine DVD of one of Fairbanks best films.