The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1921)

At the dawn of the twentieth century, the wealth-infused plains of Argentina are home to the Madariaga family, led by the robust patriarch, Julio Madariaga. He has two sons-in-law of distinct nationalities - the Frenchman Marcelo Desnoyers and the German Karl von Hartrott - each married to one of his daughters. Madariaga shows a distinct preference for Marcelo and his family, particularly his grandson, the charming and carefree Julio Desnoyers, causing simmering resentment within the German lineage. In this rich tapestry of relationships, Julio, a talented artist and tango instructor, emerges as a ladies man, his life a whirlwind of casual encounters funded by clandestine support from his doting mother. However, the winds of change blow across his romantic landscape when he falls deeply in love with the beautiful Marguerite Laurier, a woman trapped in an arranged, loveless marriage to an older man, Etienne Laurier. With the death of the family patriarch, the family fractures, with each son-in-law returning to their respective homelands. Marcelo and his kin relocate to the art-laden streets of Paris, while Karl and his progeny retreat to the solemn landscapes of Germany. As Julio navigates the tumultuous currents of his newfound love for a married woman, the world around them shudders with the murder of Archduke Ferdinand, marking the onset of the Great War. The war draws an iron curtain between the two halves of the family, with the Desnoyers and von Hartrotts finding themselves on opposing sides of the conflict. Patriotic fervor threatens to overshadow familial bonds as Marcelo pledges his allegiance to France, while Julio grapples with his own personal dilemmas and his desire to be with Marguerite. The war not only complicates their love affair but also casts a long shadow over the family, testing their bonds and their resilience in the face of immense adversity. "The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse" paints a vivid and heartbreaking portrait of a family torn apart by war and love, their lives forever altered by the tides of history and the power of the human heart.

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse is a drama movie featuring Rudolph Valentino and directed by Rex Ingram.

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