Graf Orloffs gefährliche Liebe

This British swashbuckler movie, directed by an American film maker, specialist of westerns and adventure flicks too, and made in the mid fifties looks really like a French swashbuclers movie from the forties, or also maybe English, but certainly not American movie from the fifties. Everything here is shown in dark, dark photography, most of scenes filmed in darkness; I guess it was mde on purpose but I was surprised. So, yes, this is a feature of shadows. That said it is rather agreeable to watch, not bad at all, speaking of the feud between Catherine of Russia and the rest of Europe; a not so usual topic during this time. Not the most action packed swashbuckler or cloak and dagger movie ever though, a bit talkative. I prefered from director Sidney Salkow. RAIDERS OF THE SEVEN SEAS, THE GOLDEN HAWK, far more spectacular, and most of all, colourful.

Richard Greene had been swashing buckles since the thirties when he made this film.It is competently made but not very memorable.Obviously not quota an A film given that it was shot in black and white rather than colour.It has to be said that the story is a touch on the dull side.However the climax is on the violent side.Valentine's Cortessa is chained to posts and whipped and a failed has his head pushed into a bucket of molten steel.Of course Richard Greene was going to go on to fame and fortune in 144 episodes of Robin Hood.

Some old films are awful, even with great big stars and all the trimmings. But this one is so good. It is a story that I can follow, I know who the characters are, the acting is always great, there are some really good scenes and good dialogue. So, I rate it a 10.

Two features, 1. Noticeably good filming. The scenes look good and sharp. 2. The actors look as though they are really enjoying what they are doing and that spreads to me too. A minor negative is that the carnival scene seems to go on a bit long?

The story is about Europe in 1775 or so. There are treaties, alliances, double-crossing, betrayal ... Hey, not much different from today in many respects, but the characters are different, the ladies wear really fancy kit, and men and women have crazy hairstyles.

Set largely in Venice, and maybe some of the sets were also used in "Dangerous Beauty"? It looks real enough. There is action, romance, some lighter moments, some thrilling ones and even if we know that the heroes will survive, it is great watching. Everyone involved should have gone to greater things?

There are few times I've seen films where I actually think that the actors saved the show. This low budget action/romance uses the exterior of Venice to its fullest. Richard Greene and Valentina Cortesa makes a romantic couple even if some scenes are a bit superficial. There is something old fashion about this film, sort of outdated for its time. It seems like the film should have had a cast of thousands. Some scenes seem empty, especially where there are guards chasing after Green or horses riding across empty fields. Scenes like these do not become dangerous enough to keep you in suspension. The film lacks the energy and enthusiasm a good script gives. It makes you wonder whey this film was actually made. But the acting is good and Binnie Barns and Greta Gynt (Gynt said yes to the role in order to get her out of her contract with Universal International) makes the best of the characters they play. If you are a fan of any of the cast members it will be a worthwhile film to see.

SHADOW OF THE EAGLE is a film with potential, but lack of production values and a script that has originality makes it an unforgettable experience. Unfortunately !

This is a film I can watch over and over again, for the beauty of the black and white photography, the Venetian interiors and exteriors, the Carnival, and the costumes. But above all for the romance - Valentina Cortese's assured, dignified, brave, and lovely Tarakanova, and the commanding air of Richard Greene as Count Orloff, with his unflappable right-hand man Captain Sergei Nikolsky ("I am within my rights at present, and that suffices").