| The Strange Adventures of Prince Courageous | |
| Director: | Frederick G. Becker |
| Producer: | Clem Beauchamp |
| Screenplay: | Robert N. Lee[1] |
| Starring: | Bessie Love Arthur Trimble |
| Cinematography: | Hal Mohr |
| Studio: | Arthur Trimble Productions[2] |
| Distributor: | Anchor Film Distributors |
| Runtime: | 2 reels[3] (each film) |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | Silent (English intertitles) |
| Budget: | $22,000[4] (each film) |
The Strange Adventures of Prince Courageous, also known as The Adventures of Prince Courageous,[5] is a 1923 American silent fantasy film series[6] starring Bessie Love and five-year-old[7] Arthur Trimble, directed by Frederick G. Becker.
Although it was planned to be a series of 12 two-reelers,[8] only three films were made:[9] [10] The Little Knight, The Love Charm, and The Crown of Courage (also referred to as The Crown and Courage). A fourth film, The Little Defender, is documented in publications from as early as the 1930s,[11] [12] but is most likely an alternate title for The Crown of Courage.
The Little Knight is preserved at the Harvard Film Archive,[13] and The Little Defender is rare, but commercially available.[14] The preservation status of "Love Charm" is unknown.
Norman Kennedy was the art director for the series,[15] which re-used much of the sets and costumes from Douglas Fairbanks in Robin Hood (1922). Director Frederick G. Becker had been an actor in Robin Hood.
The same cast was used throughout the series.
A knight (Butts) kills the giant son of a witch, and the witch (Coulson) retaliates by turning the knight into a little boy (Trimble). One day, King Lagg (Fabing) encounters the little knight in the forest, and invites him back to his castle, where the knight falls in love with the king's daughter Beatrice (Turner), who is to marry Duke Craven (Collins). The little knight saves princess from abduction, and the witch's spell is broken by the king's magicians.[16] [17] [18]
When King Lagg leaves on a trip, and must take his Royal Guard with him, the castle is left unprotected. His son, the little prince (Trimble) takes on the responsibility of defending the castle when a band of renegades attacks the castle. The prince pulls together a ragtag army and saves the castle.[19]
Although it is unclear whether the films were formally screened in theaters, the first film was shown at Hollywood's Granada Theater, and the audience was asked to vote whether they liked it. 95% of the votes were positive.[20]