Post by kims on Oct 5, 2023 22:06:54 GMT
starring Charleton Heston, Richard Boone, Rosemary Forsyth. Sometimes called a historical film, that's a misnomer- call it a period piece because none of the characters appear in history.
Made in 1965, it has the earmarks of the period: to get people in the theaters, we need "some stout-hearted men who will fight for the right" type characters, lots of action of 11th century fighting and a lack of good screenwriting and editing. AND the doubtful practice of a warlord allowed to bed a bride before her husband. Wow, what a load of rationalization there, in an era when the Church still rules heavily and allows our pure hearted hero Heston to be morally ok to commit adultery-bedding the bride after the marriage but before the husband.
Editing takes the place of screenwriting-no Dalton Trumbo here. The characters have little depth, so when we arrive at crises points, there is little backstory to explain the inner crisis, no dialogue for a hint, at one point we have wordless close up of profiles of Heston and Boone nose to nose, the scene held silently too long and leaving no clue what thoughts are involved.
Poor Rosemary Forsyth-this is a film that did not help her career. Her character is only given innocent facial expressions and the impression that there is nothing in that little brain. She has loved the James Farentino character since childhood, is happy at her wedding, is led unemotionally to the warlord's bed and at my best guess has an epiphany from sexual awakening and is devoted now to the Warlord. The most Forsyth is allowed to do is stand around looking mournful-which seems opposed to my supposition that sex made her love the warlord. As I said, there never seems to be any thoughts in that pretty little head.
All that aside, it's not a waste to give it a watch. It fits more in the genre of the Hercules, myth based films except with a bigger budget for costumes, sets and stars. The film is driven by action not story and if it has basis in history, let me know. It doesn't fit with what I learned about the 11th century i.e. think Europe during the Crusades.
Made in 1965, it has the earmarks of the period: to get people in the theaters, we need "some stout-hearted men who will fight for the right" type characters, lots of action of 11th century fighting and a lack of good screenwriting and editing. AND the doubtful practice of a warlord allowed to bed a bride before her husband. Wow, what a load of rationalization there, in an era when the Church still rules heavily and allows our pure hearted hero Heston to be morally ok to commit adultery-bedding the bride after the marriage but before the husband.
Editing takes the place of screenwriting-no Dalton Trumbo here. The characters have little depth, so when we arrive at crises points, there is little backstory to explain the inner crisis, no dialogue for a hint, at one point we have wordless close up of profiles of Heston and Boone nose to nose, the scene held silently too long and leaving no clue what thoughts are involved.
Poor Rosemary Forsyth-this is a film that did not help her career. Her character is only given innocent facial expressions and the impression that there is nothing in that little brain. She has loved the James Farentino character since childhood, is happy at her wedding, is led unemotionally to the warlord's bed and at my best guess has an epiphany from sexual awakening and is devoted now to the Warlord. The most Forsyth is allowed to do is stand around looking mournful-which seems opposed to my supposition that sex made her love the warlord. As I said, there never seems to be any thoughts in that pretty little head.
All that aside, it's not a waste to give it a watch. It fits more in the genre of the Hercules, myth based films except with a bigger budget for costumes, sets and stars. The film is driven by action not story and if it has basis in history, let me know. It doesn't fit with what I learned about the 11th century i.e. think Europe during the Crusades.