A man tries to avoid people entirely. The universe says 'nice try, idiot.'
Black Eagle is based on The Passing of Black Eagle, a short story by O. Henry. William Bishop stars as Jason Bond, who stays out of trouble by the simple expedient of avoiding other people. Unfortunately, the plot dictates that Bond must come into contact with several characters, all of whom end up fleecing our hero in one way or another. Even so, Jason manages to enjoy a brief romance with pretty Ginny Long (Virginia Patton) before returning to his life of carefree vagabondage. A very minor film, The Black Eagle makes the most of its excellent supporting cast, including Gordon Jones, Trevor Bardette, Will Wright and stuntman extraordinaire Richard Talmadge.
Acting
Virginia Patton's brief but genuine spark
Stunts
Richard Talmadge elevates minor set pieces
Writing
O. Henry's sardonic DNA survives adaptation
Director
Robert Gordon
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Virginia Patton retired from acting shortly after this film to raise a family, making Ginny Long one of her final screen appearances.
O. Henry's original story 'The Passing of Black Eagle' was more morally complex; the 1948 version sanded down the edges for postwar comfort viewing.
US
