Prince Valiant
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Movie Reviews of Prince Valiant
Movie Review: I just love this movie!
Summary: 4 Stars
Henry Hathaway's 'Prince Valiant' is an epic adventure story set in the Golden Age of Chivalry... It is the story of a Viking Prince who pledges to go to Camelot and there strive with honor and diligence to become a Knight at King Arthur's Round Table...
'Prince Valiant' is about a ghost who plots treason, a black-armored knight who appears and vanishes at will... It is about a deadly Black Knight, who uses his disguise to make a pact with a Viking traitor to overthrow a great king...
'Prince Valiant' is about a desperate squire who dares to wear the armor and identity of a chivalrous Knight of the Round Table... And about a loyal squire who crowns a mighty knight with a rock, and tries to win a beautiful princess for himself...
'Prince Valiant' is about the son of an exiled king who seeks King Arthur's help against the usurper, and becomes involved in a court plot... It is about a courageous lad who faces the treachery of a mysterious black knight, who is scheming betrayal and murder...
James Mason portrays the shining knight Sir Brack who suffers the indignity of being challenged on the field of honor by a squire in the guise of a knight...
Janet Leigh plays the lovely damsel with one purpose, to answer love fully...
Robert Wagner plays the young hothead with one vow to fulfill before he can think of anything else...
Debra Paget plays the shy and charming dark-haired princess with a secret wish...
Sterling Hayden plays Sir Gawain, the perfect knight who knows that his duty is to find the Black Knight and destroy him before his treason ripens...
Victor McLaglen plays the Christian Viking hiding behind a red curtain with a long knife in his hand...
Donald Crisp plays the exiled King of Scandia who was overthrown by a Viking traitor and escapes with his wife and son across the North Sea to Britain...
Brian Aherne plays Arthur, King of the Britons, who assures Valiant that 'knighthood cannot be had for the asking...' It must be won! Barry Jones plays the father of two lovely princesses who suffers to get the best knight for one of his daughters...
Well... I just love this movie! Its good old magic moves me to some of the most cherished memories stored in my mind... It is an agreeable historical piece that has prowess, romance, and grace, and a breathtaking duel, one of the best you will ever see...
Movie Review: Sword-n-Swagger
Summary: 4 Stars
Before the youthful Luke Skywalker learned to be a Jedi Knight, the youthful Prince Valiant learned to be a knight in King Arthur's court. Hal Foster's Sunday comic strip was a logical story to bring to the screen, in the wake of MGM's "Ivanhoe" and "Knights of the Round Table", when "sword epics" were getting their second wind.
As a film, "Prince Valiant" works rather well on several fronts, although there are a couple of minor drawbacks. One is the casting of Sterling Hayden as Sir Gawain, a role that should have brought more of a combination of heroic ego and a bit of comic relief. Another bit of questionable casting is that of Victor McLaglen as the leader of the Christian Vikings. He's barely recognizable behind that beard, but the moment when he first opens his mouth - and that Irish brogue spills forth - will lift a few eyebrows. The Vikings are all stereotypes, of course, complete with horned helmets and burly beards. In fact, when shown as a group, they look like a cattle call for mascot auditions at a Minnesota football game.
But the positive aspects of this movie rule the day. James Mason makes a fine villain, just the kind everyone would "love to hate". My guess is that 1954 must have been Mason's year. Besides "Prince Valiant", he starred opposite Judy Garland in "A Star is Born", and created perhaps his greatest role, that of Captain Nemo in Disney's "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea". Robert Wagner as Valiant is on shaky ground at the film's start, but he proves himself at the end. The late Janet Leigh makes a most beautiful "damsel in distress", and the almost overlooked Debra Paget matches Leigh's beauty in the role of her sister. The final, climactic sword duel must rank in excitement with the ones in "The Adventures of Robin Hood" and the more recent "Rob Roy".
Franz Waxman's score is one of his finest in a long career, full of melody and swagger. If the exhuberant opening main title music doesn't positively lift you out of your seat, I suggest you make an appointment for an MRI.
The print is fine, with lively color to go with the always slightly defocused Cinemascope image (Technirama and Panavision would later prove to be far better in both picture and sound). Overall, a very good piece of entertainment, guaranteed to send a rush.
Movie Review: Yankees in King Arthur's Court !
Summary: 4 Stars
Released in 1954, "Prince Valiant" is as much fun for the whole family now as it was fifty years ago. This colourful, Cinemascope movie is a feast for the eye, and thoroughly entertaining from start to finish. You have a brave young hero to cheer for--a nasty villain to "hiss"--action--romance--beautiful sets, locations, costumes--and Henry Hathaway's expert direction.
A very young Robert Wagner stars as "Prince Valiant", a Viking who wishes to become a knight in the court of King Arthur--he certainly cuts a dashing figure, once you get used to a rather outlandish, but compulsory, Prince Valiant wig ! Valiant soon finds himself involved in a treacherous plan to oust his own father, King Aguar ( laid-back, avuncular Donald Crisp ), and--zounds !--King Arthur himself ( laid-back, avuncular Brian Aherne ). Of course, our hero still finds time to fall in love with Princess Aleta ( gorgeous Janet Leigh )--not enough romance ?--well, Aleta's handmaiden, Ilene ( sultry Debra Paget ) is "smitten" with Valiant's mentor, Sir Gawain ( a bluff and hearty Sterling Hayden ). Stirring up the whole pot is the ambitious, unscrupulous Sir Brack ( James Mason, stealing scenes with ease ). We have a very lively jousting scene, plenty of battles, narrow escapes and other feats of "derring do". There is, in fact, never a dull moment ! There are more than a few "camp" aspects to this movie, not the least of which are those strong American accents of Mr.Wagner and, especially, Mr.Hayden. Remember "The Black Shield of Falworth" when Tony Curtis, in heavy Bronx accent, says " take me to da castle of my fadda " ? There are a few smiles like that here.
The DVD is beautiful--you will be hard pressed to find many films more colourful than this lovely Cinemascope gem from Fox. Extras are sparse--a few trailers and a brief promotional clip from the fifties. Some comments from Robert Wagner would have been fun--fifty years later, and he still looks great--I wonder what he eats for breakfast ? !
While it may not be in the same class as "The Adventures of Robin Hood", "Prince Valiant" remains a fine example of Hollywood swashbuckling hokum that will not wear out its welcome with repeated viewings. Recommended.
Movie Review: Love That Hair: "Prince Valiant" a Foppish Spectacle
Summary: 4 Stars
Director, Henry Hathaway's film version of cartoonist, Hal Foster's Scandinavian hero, "Prince Valiant" is one of those over-blown, wacky-tacky epics that is impossible to take seriously, but so much fun to watch. Robert Wagner is the rather effeminate looking title character who takes Camelot by storm. Determined to regain his own throne, Valiant uncovers the treachery of the Black Knight (James Mason, in a toss away role) and challenges him. Of course, there's also time for love with bombshell, Princess Aleta (Janet Leigh - who quite often found herself squeezed into a corset during her 1950s film tenure.) The film veers between comic book pulp and self-conscious seriousness, but Hathaway's direction ensures that neither become the vice to sink his epic. Brian Aherne (as a credible King Arthur)and Sterling Hayden (a not so credible, Sir Gawain) costar.THE TRANSFER: Pretty good. Colors are generally bold, vibrant and well balanced. Flesh tones seem a bit pasty but that's in keeping with early Cinemascope/Eastman color dye transfers. Shadow, contrast and black levels are generally solid. Rear projection photography is more obvious than it should be. Pixelization and edge enhancement are present but do not terribly distract. The audio is 5.1, delivering a nice spread in the music tracks. Dialogue is not natural sounding, but again, this was usually to be expected for the vintage of the film.
EXTRAS: Sorry. Nothing but the film.
BOTTOM LINE: This prince is worth a second glance, but its not quite as glamorous as, say "Scaramouche" so much as it belongs as the bottom half of a double bill at your old-time drive in.
Movie Review: Fun Americanized Arthuruan Adventure!
Summary: 4 Stars
"Prince Valiant" is a fun, colorful adventure yarn from 1950's Hollywood. It isn't very faithful to the tone or style of Hal Foster's groundbreaking and beautiful comic strip but is far above the average swords'n'armor pic of the era.Lacking the style of Curtiz's swashbucklers, the solid scripting of Thorpe's "Ivanhoe" or the visual panache of his stunning tribute to the Brandywine illustrators, "Knights of the Roundtable", "Prince Valiant" packs in lots of well executed, wide-screen action, terrific set pieces, wonderful costumes and attractive landscapes.
Done with a straight American accent (apart from James Mason's stage-villain turn as the traitorous Sir Brock) it often reminds one of George Lucas's "Star Wars".
I've shown this to alot of kids & they all love it. Presented in its original 2.35.1 aspect ratio from a really clean print, it looks remarkably good considering it's a B-picture from half a century ago.
Oh, it also stars the wonderful Donald Crisp ("National Velvet", "How Green Was My Valley"). Overall, a steal for the sell-through price. Enjoy!