The Flame and the Arrow
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Movie Reviews of The Flame and the Arrow
Movie Review: LANCASTERS' FIRST SWASHBUCKLER
Summary: 4 Stars
Burt Lancaster exploded upon the screen in the 1946 film noir THE KILLERS. For the remainder of the decade film noir was Lancasters' stock in trade with such classics as BRUTE FORCE and SORRY,WRONG NUMBER. In 1950 however, Burt made a sharp left turn when he combined his extraordinary acrobatic ability with this tongue-in-cheek swashbuckler which (literally) vaulted him to new heights. (Warner Bros. offered a million dollar "reward" to anybody who could prove that Lancaster did not do his own stunts.) In this film Burt swashes with the best of them as he plays an Italian peasant who reluctantly leads his people in rebellion against the occupying forces of the Hessions. Lancaster with his overwhelming charm and that trademark grin puts himself in Errol Flynns' class with this one. However, as good as this film is, it is NOT a great one. (Lancaster's 1952 film THE CRIMSON PIRATE is a great one and for my money the best swashbuckler ever made.) That said, THE FLAME AND THE ARROW is a pleasant enough diversion for those of us who enjoy an old fashioned tongue-in-cheek adventure film every now and then. For that reason and Burt Lancasters presence I recommend this film.Movie Review: The Flame and the Arrow
Summary: 4 Stars
This is a movie I saw as child. I am a big classics fan!!!
Burt Lancaster's action, adventure movies were fun than. My
sister and I have fun with them today.
Movie Review: The Flame and theArrow
Summary: 3 Stars
I remember this fondly from my childhood but it was a mild disappointment this time around. Nothing wrong with Burt Lancaster, mind you, he's in fine acting form. This is just an entertainment piece of fluff not meant to be more than that. Lancaster & Cravat do pull off some incredible stunts which shows off their circus background. Virginia Mayo is lovely but almost anyone could've played the female lead. Hollywood has done better versions of swashbuckling than this, but not with any other actor gifted as Lancaster, athletically. This is an average movie lifted a hair above by Lancaster. The quality is excellent with a Joe McDoakes short & a Beaky Buzzard cartoon that are restored also. So get some popcorn & have a Saturday matinee.Movie Review: Fun (sort of) but fluffy
Summary: 2 Stars
I had high hopes for "The Flame and the Arrow," since I'm a fan of Burt Lancaster and director Jacques Tourneur, who made some very atmospheric horror movies. I also quite like Virginia Mayo, for obvious reasons...
But, alas, I didn't end up liking this movie. It's essentially a weak Robin Hood knock-off, with all the trappings of Sherwood Forest but none of the iconic heroes or villains. The plot is the usual "rise up against the oppressors" stuff, but there isn't any real depth to the political situations or the characterizations. Even worse, the story is supposed to take place in Italy, but it looks suspiciously like a bunch of old studio sets instead, and many of the characters have ridiculous/condescending names like "Piccolo" and "Bambino."
Okay, so I know that nobody should expect realism or depth from a fun action movie. But "The Flame and the Arrow" is more than just a little silly ... it's also bland. It lacks the star power and sparkle of a film like "The Adventures of Robin Hood," or the wit of Tyrone Power's "The Mark of Zorro." Even the action scenes don't work too well; Lancaster's acrobatic tricks may be impressive, but they look more suited to a circus than a swashbuckler movie.
In short, there are many, many better movies out there with similar subject matter. "The Flame in the Arrow" may be good for a bit of nostalgic fun, but it isn't actually a good film.
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