The Black Pirate (1926) review

A Duke (the legendary Douglas Fairbanks) washes up on shore with his father after their boat was seized and burned up by pirates, watches his father pass away and vows revenge against the pirates who did them harm.  There may be better sword-and-boat movies that came after this - it flags in energy in the third act (there's just a lot of running around and 'comic relief' from trusty sidekick Donald Crisp) - but Fairbanks, one of the early Wild Men of Hollywood, is charismatic as the lead (you've seen the stunts where he uses his knife to slice down sails) and Parker's direction is clean and efficient.  I'm not sure how Billie Dove got the lead role as the Princess-in-Distress, but maybe it was for her skill at covering her face with both hands.