Douglas Fairbanks (Ned Thacker) was living with his parents in his mid-30's? He was a bit older than his character, but his athleticism makes up for him acting like a much younger man. This is Fairbanks before "The Mark of Zorro", "The Three Musketeers", "Robin Hood", or "The Thief of Baghdad" and it's his athleticism that makes this movie stand out. He's climbing church steeples, shimmying down street lamps and drain pipes, handstands on the edge of the Grand Canyon - all to save the damsel in distress Elsie Dodge (Marjorie Daw).
Ned can't help it though! His mother was reading The Three Musketeers and similar stories while she was pregnant with Ned and apparently kept reading The Three Musketeers until the time Ned left the home. Mr. Thacker (no name was given for this actor) bought Ned a Ford to leave home with. How do I know it's a Ford? There's an inter title stating, "After Fording (Fording is underlined) the desert, they reach the vicinity of El Tovar. Note:- Please pardon the pun." Ned meets up with Elsie, her mother, Forrest Vandeteer (aka Forest Barris and the richest man in Yonkers), and his driver in the middle of nowhere. Ned's ingenuity managed to drive his Ford and Vandeteer's car on deserted railroad tracks that conveniently go right past the El Tovar lodge near the edge of the Grand Canyon. Ned's ingenuity causes the French driver of Vandeteer's car to comment that this is why the Yankees will help beat the Germans.
Well, Ned doesn't beat the Germans in "A Modern Musketeer", but to avoid spoiling the fun of watching this movie, I won't mention who does beat in the end. And how!
