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6.9/10
Archivist John
Senior Editor
A definitive 6.9/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Under the Black Eagle remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you have about an hour and you really like dogs, you should probably put this on. It is a silent movie from 1928, so if you hate reading title cards or black-and-white grain, you will absolutely hate this.
But for everyone else? It’s actually kind of sweet in a sad, dusty way. 🐕
The story follows Karl, played by Ralph Forbes, who is just a regular guy that gets sent off to fight in the Great War. He has this dog named Flash—a German Shepherd who is basically the smartest character in the whole film.
I noticed early on that the dog seems to react to things before the actors even do. It’s like Flash read the script and was waiting for his cue while the humans were still figuring out where to stand.
There is this one scene where Karl is leaving for the front and the dog just watches the train pull away. It actually hurt my heart a little bit.
The war stuff feels very... stagey? Not in a bad way, but you can tell they were working with a smaller budget than some of the huge epics from that time.
The trenches look like they are made of very dry cardboard and the explosions are mostly just puffs of white smoke. It reminded me a bit of the vibe in The Brand, where the setting feels more like a backdrop than a real place.
Flash eventually follows Karl to the battlefield because, of course he does. A dog like that doesn't just sit at home eating sausages while his human is in trouble.
There is a specific moment where Flash has to crawl through the mud to find Karl. The camera stays on the dog’s face for a long time, and you can see him sniffing around with so much purpose.
I think I liked this more than Set Free because it doesn't try to be too many things at once. It’s just a boy and his dog vs. the entire German army.
Ralph Forbes is fine, I guess. He does a lot of that wide-eyed silent movie acting where he looks perpetually surprised that he is in a war.
But the dog? Flash is a pro. He carries things in his mouth, he jumps over debris, and he looks genuinely worried when the shells start going off.
The pacing gets a bit weird in the middle when they focus on the commanding officers. I found myself checking my phone during the parts where the humans talk about strategy because it just isn't as interesting as the dog.
One reaction shot of the general lingers so long it becomes funny. Like, we get it, he is mean and has a mustache.
If you’ve seen The Winning Stroke, you know how these 1920s dramas usually go—lots of heavy leaning on the scenery and very dramatic hand gestures.
This movie has all of that, but the dog makes it feel more grounded. It’s hard to be too melodramatic when there is a German Shepherd licking your face.
The ending is exactly what you think it will be, but I still got a bit misty-eyed. I’m a sucker for animals in peril, even if the film is nearly a hundred years old.
It’s not a masterpiece or anything. It’s just a solid, simple story that doesn’t overstay its welcome.
Watch it if you want something short that feels like a time capsule. 📽️
Don’t watch it if you can’t stand the sight of a dog looking sad in the rain. It will ruin your afternoon.
Also, the title "Under the Black Eagle" sounds way more intense than the actual movie is. It’s more like "Flash the Dog Goes to France."
IMDb 4.7
1914
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