Flame & Arrow

 

 

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Warner Bros. Pictures presents "THE FLAME AND THE ARROW" (1950) (88 min/Color) -- Starring Burt Lancaster, Virginia Mayo, Robert Douglas & Nick Cravat

Directed by Jacques Tourneur

Twelfth-century Lombardy lies under the iron heel of German overlord Count Ulrich 'The Hawk' (Frank Allenby), but in the mountains, guerrillas yet resist. Five years before our story, Ulrich stole away the pretty wife of young archer Dardo Bartoli (Lancaster) who, cynical rather than embittered, still has little interest in joining the rebels. But this changes when his son, too, is taken from him. The rest is lighthearted swashbuckling, plus romantic interludes with lovely hostage Anne de Hesse (Virginia Mayo).

One of my favorite all time films from my youth, when me and the neighborhood kids would play out every scene on our local street.

Oscar nominated for Best Cinematography, Color (Ernest Haller) and Best Music Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Film (Max Steiner)

Special footnote: -- Nick Cravat, who plays Piccolo, was an acrobat who was teamed with Burt Lancaster before Lancaster became a star. He appears in many of Lancaster's movies. In this one, and in The Crimson Pirate (1952), he plays a mute. The reason was that his thick Brooklyn accent, which he could not lose, would have been completely out of place in such period pieces. Cravat appeared with Lancaster in nine films

BIOS:
1. Jacques Tourneur [Director]
Date of Birth: 12 November 1904 - Paris, France
Date of Death: 19 December 1977 - Bergerac, Dordogne, Aquitaine, France

2. Burt Lancaster
Date of Birth: 2 November 1913 - New York City, New York
Date of Death: 20 October 1994 - Century City, California

3. Virginia Mayo [aka:Virginia Clara Jones]
Date of Birth: 30 November 1920 - St. Louis, Missouri
Date of Death: 17 January 2005 - Thousand Oaks, California

4. Robert Douglas [aka: Robert Douglas Finlayson]
Date of Birth: 9 November 1909 - Bletchley, Buckinghamshire, England, UK. [now Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England, UK]
Date of Death: 11 January 1999 - Encinitas, California

5. Nick Cravat [aka: Nick Cuccia]
Date of Birth: 11 January 1912 - New York City, New York
Date of Death: 29 January 1994 - Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California

Mr. Jim's Ratings:
Quality of Picture & Sound: 5 Stars
Performance: 5 Stars
Story & Screenplay: 5 Stars
Overall: 5 Stars [Original Music, Cinematography & Film Editing]

Total Time: 88 min on VHS/DVD ~ Warner Bros. Pictures ~ (October 23, 2007)

Though the plot is silly and derivative of "Robin Hood", this film makes a great vehicle for Burt Lancaster, as Dardo "The Arrow", a man who is adored by children, loved by women, and lives in a forest with his band of freedom fighters. It isn't the type of film one usually associates with Lancaster, as he won his awards and fame with serious drama; in his mid-thirties at the time, with chiseled bone structure, an incandescent smile, and an enormous amount of hair, he did his own stunts, some which are astonishing acrobatic feats.

Dardo's sidekick is a mute named Piccolo, delightfully played by Nick Cravat, and the love interest is the lovely Virginia Mayo.
It has a rousing Max Steiner score, lavish sets, and beautiful Technicolor cinematography in golden shades of red and brown by Ernest Haller.
This was one of the first films I ever saw as a child, and it made an indelible impression on me; seeing it over 50 years later, it hasn't dimmed in its charm or exuberance. Total running time is 88 minutes.

This movie is just plain fun! The lead actors do all therir own stunts- Also very witty dialoge!

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4.0 out of 5 stars Appreciate it for what it is
In the early '50's Burt Lancaster made a trio of movies, each a send up of a particulat genre. This is his send up of the Robin Hood movie. Read more

Published on April 8 2004 by Richard F. Grantges

1.0 out of 5 stars Excuse me, what movie were you watching?
In the one I saw, our noble hero captures the woman and keeps her chained by the neck to a tree while he lectures her about freedom, in one of the most repulsively sexist movies I... Read more

Published on Mar 3 2004

5.0 out of 5 stars the flame and the arrow
the best movie too see, i have seen it about 100 times it`s my favourite film

Published on Sep 9 2000 by henric

5.0 out of 5 stars An Ancient Masterpiece
I originally saw this movie in 1950 and it has always been one of my favorite. I had the opportunity to record it at one time but my copy has been destroyed. Read more

Published on Aug 8 2000 by John R. Billups III

4.0 out of 5 stars the flame and the arrow
Its about a pirat who figts the bad ones and protect the godd ones

Published on April 22 2000 by roar k jenssen

4.0 out of 5 stars the flame and the arrow
Its about a pirat who figts the bad ones and protect the godd ones

Published on April 22 2000 by roar k jenssen

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting but stale at times
Pleasing adventure film is beautifully photographed with Lancaster swashbuckling his way through. The action sequences are credible, yet too familiar as is the plot.

Published on Dec 27 1999 by Alex

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best historical movies I have ever seen
When is this movie available to buy

Published on Oct 17 1999

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