| ~Reaching For The Moon~ 1917 |
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| ~Plot Synopsis~ |
Daydreaming clerk Douglas Fairbanks discovers that he's of royal blood. In fact, if his information is
correct, he's next in line for the throne of Vulgaria. Leaving his job behind, Fairbanks travels to the
home of his forefathers to quell a takeover attempt by villainous nobleman Frank Campeau. He
saves the day with his usual eye-popping athletics...and then screenwriters John Emerson (who also
directed) and Anita Loos pull a fast one on the audience. Among the bit players in Reaching for the
Moon are Erich von Stroheim and Douglas Fairbanks' friend and "mascot" Charlie "Injun" Stevens.
Plot Synopsis by Hal Erickson, Allmovie.com
Alexis Caesar Napoleon Brown entertains delusions of grandeur although he is only a lowly clerk in a
New York button factory. Completely discouraged, he takes up a philosophy that claims that one
may attain any object in life by concentrating one's mind on it, but loses his job while trying to
practice the philosophy on his boss. Encouraged by the fact that his late mother came from the
kingdom of Vulgaria, Alexis concentrates on the subject of becoming a royal personage and falls
asleep. Soon after, the minister of Vulgaria appears and states that the king is dead and Alexis must
take the throne. Alexis accepts and travels to Vulgaria where he is kept busy dodging attempts made
on his life by Black Boris, a pretender to the throne. While dueling for his life after insulting the
homely Princess Valentina, his betrothed, Alexis falls over a cliff and awakens to discover that he has
merely tumbled out of bed. Thus disabused of his fantasies, Alexis eagerly returns to his life in the
button factory, proposes to Elsie Merrill, his down-to-earth sweetheart, and eventually finds
happiness as a family man in a New Jersey suburb.
Plot Synopsis from AFI.com
correct, he's next in line for the throne of Vulgaria. Leaving his job behind, Fairbanks travels to the
home of his forefathers to quell a takeover attempt by villainous nobleman Frank Campeau. He
saves the day with his usual eye-popping athletics...and then screenwriters John Emerson (who also
directed) and Anita Loos pull a fast one on the audience. Among the bit players in Reaching for the
Moon are Erich von Stroheim and Douglas Fairbanks' friend and "mascot" Charlie "Injun" Stevens.
Plot Synopsis by Hal Erickson, Allmovie.com
Alexis Caesar Napoleon Brown entertains delusions of grandeur although he is only a lowly clerk in a
New York button factory. Completely discouraged, he takes up a philosophy that claims that one
may attain any object in life by concentrating one's mind on it, but loses his job while trying to
practice the philosophy on his boss. Encouraged by the fact that his late mother came from the
kingdom of Vulgaria, Alexis concentrates on the subject of becoming a royal personage and falls
asleep. Soon after, the minister of Vulgaria appears and states that the king is dead and Alexis must
take the throne. Alexis accepts and travels to Vulgaria where he is kept busy dodging attempts made
on his life by Black Boris, a pretender to the throne. While dueling for his life after insulting the
homely Princess Valentina, his betrothed, Alexis falls over a cliff and awakens to discover that he has
merely tumbled out of bed. Thus disabused of his fantasies, Alexis eagerly returns to his life in the
button factory, proposes to Elsie Merrill, his down-to-earth sweetheart, and eventually finds
happiness as a family man in a New Jersey suburb.
Plot Synopsis from AFI.com
| Directed by: John Emerson Written by: John Emerson - story Joseph Henabery - writer Anita Loos - story |
| ~Cast~ Douglas Fairbanks ... Alexis Caesar Napoleon Brown Eileen Percy ... Elsie Merrill Richard Cummings ... Old Bingham the Boss Millard Webb ... Mr. Mann Eugene Ormonde ... Sergius Badinoff the Prime Frank Campeau ... Black Boris Joe Brooks ... Bit Role (uncredited) Jim Hogan ... Bit Role (uncredited) Bull Montana ... Bit Role (uncredited) Charles Stevens ... Boris' Lieutenant (uncredited) Keene Thompson ... Bit Role (uncredited) Erich von Stroheim ... Prince Badinoff's Aide (uncredited) |
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| ~Remaining Credits~ Produced by: Douglas Fairbanks Pictures Released by: Paramount Pictures Produced by: Douglas Fairbanks Cinematography by: Victor Fleming Sam Landers Film Editing by: William Shea Art Direction by: Wilfred Buckland Technical Assistant Director: Erich Von Stroheim Assistant Cinematographer: Glen MacWilliams General Manager: John Fairbanks Length: 5 Reels Runtime: 69 Minutes Released: November 17, 1917 |
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