Heyst is a man who lives in isolation and peace on a secluded Island, but while doing business at a hotel on the mainland encounters Alma, an attractive violinist who is being abused in her profession. He takes pity on her, and as she wishes to escape, steals her back to the Island with him. Schomberg, the owner of the hotel, desired Alma for himself, and teams up with a group of criminals in order to win her back. The criminals travel to the Island, and once there it is one betrayal after another. The girl tries to please both Ricardo and Heyst in order to save herself. Ricardo, desiring the girl for himself, turns against their criminal leader Mr. Jones, as does Pedro who suddenly sees an opportunity to avenge Mr. Jones for murdering his brother some years ago. A couple of these characters die, one survives, and Heyst and Alma suddenly realise they love each other. For some reason we never get closure on what happens to Pedro or Schomberg, and the film ends with a few plot threads hanging.It is essentially an early pirate film, violence and adventure, and of course, sex appeal, with Alma spending much of the third act in a dress with her shoulders bare, which was fairly raunchy for the time. It was perhaps quite a spectacle in 1919, but pales in comparison to the achievements of modern films. And while the winding plot keeps us engaged, it all unravels in the end. Mr. Jones, leader of a criminal gang, can not hit his target with a pistol from five metres, nor can Ricardo, expert knife thrower, hit his, but Heyst, peaceful man who has never held a gun before in his life, can hit his target from a greater distance. Actually, not much in the third act makes a great deal of sense. I guess they were hoping the gunfights would distract you from that, but that trick won't work in 2018!Thematically, it is about the strong allure of women, and how their very nature can turn men from their peaceful ways, and against each other into wickedness. To the films credit, the scenery was nice, as was the use of the smoking volcano as both metaphor and potential hazard.

Axel Heyst (Jack Holt) is a strange would-be author. Instead of the usual way of writing a book, he movies to a Pacific island and lives the life of a hermit to get inspiration. My wife is a very successful writer, though she has never needed such inspiration (thank goodness)! One day, he has to take a trip to civilization and goes to another island. There, quite unexpectedly, the hermit comes upon a beleaguered lady (Seena Owen) who is being abused by a band leader (Wallace Beery--hiding under a lot of fake hair and a beard) and his nasty wife. While Holt wanted to remain alone on his island paradise, he can't stand to see the lady being treated this way and helps her sneak off to his refuge.The reaction of Beery didn't make a whole lot of sense. Sure, he might have been mad that this lady ran off and left his band, but it was just one lady--yet he vows vengeance and goes to incredible lengths to find her. Later, when he learns where she is, he sends a gang of scum (which included Bull Montana and Lon Chaney) to get her by lying to them about a treasure on the island--saying they should torture the man and woman to learn where it is! The problem is that Holt is an avowed pacifist and he cannot bring himself to fight these ruffians when they arrive. What will happen? What will become of the love that is blossoming between Owen and Holt? Tune in and find out--though I will say that part of the ending (having to do with a fire) was 100% unexpected and shocking! This is an agreeable little adventure film-romance. While it's not one that will change your life, it is worth seeing for its odd plot, a chance to see Chaney playing a Hispanic man and to see Holt, who was quite the matinée idol in the 1920s--though by the 30s he'd become more of a supporting actor as his hair thinned. Decent acting, a decent script and a nice tropical look make this a winner considering it was made in 1919.By the way, this is bundled with THE WICKED DARLING (also 1919) on DVD, though fortunately the print of VICTORY is much better.

Maurice Tourneur was a gifted and sensitive director, who also directed Lon Chaney in "Treasure Island". Tourneur's films had great visual appeal through his mastery of set design and lighting. It is very apparent in "Victory". Lon Chaney was on the brink of stardom in 1919. He had just given a break through performance as "the Frog" in "The Miracle Man" and in 1920 would shock everyone with his role as "Blizzard" in "The Penalty". In "Victory" he was surrounded by established players - Wallace Beery, Jack Holt, Bull Montana and Seena Owen, who had starred as Princess Beloved in "Intolerance" (1916), but he still managed to make his mark.Axel Heyst (Jack Holt) lives on a solitary island, surrounded by his father's books. He feels that only by being an observer of life rather than a participator, can he find true peace. While staying on another island to finalize some business, he comes to the aid of Alma (Seena Owen) who is a violinist in the local band. She is being pursued, not only by Schomberg (Wallace Beery) but the band leader as well and begs Axel to take her to his island so she can escape. Axel agrees.Schomberg goes on a thorough search of the island and as a last resort, hires 3 thugs who have been causing havoc at his hotel. He wants them to go to Axel's island to search for Alma and lures them there with tales of hidden treasure. Lon Chaney is almost unrecognizable as Ricardo, a knife carrying crazy, who tells how Pedro (Bull Montana) can "snap men's back's like rotten sticks". Bull Montana is scary as the cretinous Pedro, who throws a boat boy overboard and carries his luggage around between his teeth!!!When they reach the island, Ricardo attacks Alma but she fights back with such force that Ricardo is full of admiration and asks Alma if she wants to come in with them for a share of the treasure. Ever since she has been on the island she has felt lonely. Axel is not interested in getting to know her so she pretends to throw in her lot with the thugs hoping to save Axel.With the smoldering volcano as background violence is let loose. Ricardo is shot on the roof and falls into a pit - in real life Chaney, who did all his own stunts, missed the pit when he fell, knocked himself out but still insisted that he complete the scene when he came to!!! Pedro throws Mr Jones into the fire because "when you killed that man in South America - he my brother"!!! It ends conventionally enough with Axel realizing that Love is the most powerful emotion.Highly Recommended.

Maurice Tourneur's VICTORY was made only four years after the publication of the source novel by Joseph Conrad, and features silent film sensation Lon Chaney in an early co-starring role.When pre WWI isolationist Jack Holt steals a girl away from predatory hotel permitee Wallace Beery, Beery sics a trio of island-hopping fortune hunters on him. Lon Chaney steals the film as the shiv-shoving Ricardo, but Seena Owen is his equal as the desperate but clever Alma. Jack Holt is the jut-jawed hero, Bull Montana (the "ape man" of 1926's THE LOST WORLD, which starred Beery) a simian heyboy and Ben Deeley is the languid, almost Ernest Thesiger-like villain of the piece.Jules Furthman's script simplifies Conrad's novel, and provides a much happier ending, but it's still surprisingly faithful and Conrad's witty butfatalistic voice rings loud and clear.