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The War Lord is Chrysagon, as essayed by Charlton Heston, a knight come to a moody medieval place with his retinue to take charge. This is one of Heston's best performances, as he actually loses himself in the role, at least in a few spots, rather than projecting his standard Chuck persona. He's somewhat superstitious, as everyone is during this period, longing for a little love which he never had a chance to have before, and in strange, if expected, competition with his younger brother (Stockwell). The fighting scenes are excellent, a bit ahead of their time, even if they don't seem so now. Back then, having guys clanking swords always carried the same limited appeal, but here there's some nicely energetic choreography, quite complex in places. As someone states near the beginning, the atmosphere has a queer, moody tinge and all the players seem caught in a suffocating tragedy waiting to happen. Director Schaffner, as he would continue in later films, conveys a reality to all the proceedings, despite a rather fantastic setting from our point of view in modern times.

Most of the actors are terrific. Boone is Boone, being his usual tough ornery personality; no one would mess with this guy. Stockwell is tremendous; it's a shame he only appeared in a few more films which no one went to see and faded. He's very intense here, his envy of his brother and coveting his station a palpable energy. Forsyth, the object of Heston's desire, does seem out of place, never really in sync with the rest of the cast. In a way, this works in her character's favor, what with the suggestion of witchery surrounding her. Farentino, in an early role, doesn't get to show much range but what he does show is very effective. You genuinely feel for his plight towards the end due to the strong emotion he projects. In all, this is a smaller-scale epic than what one is used to from Chuck ("El Cid" and "Ben Hur" for example) but the almost intimate focus on this patch of land and the small cast of characters works in its favor.

I saw the film when it first came out and enjoyed Heston and Boone, but thought the female lead was a bust. I also was disappointed as I thought the film was disjointed. Sometime later I read Heston's comments. It seems there was a change of people in the front office at the studio and they recut the movie and added some more battle scenes. According to Heston they had a great script and story.

I have thought for years that I would like to see the movie as it was directed. After all Frank Schaffner was a great director, who later on did "Planet of the Apes" and " Patton". I think there would be a market for the original cut, if the cuttings are still around. They could in effect re-release it. Now THAT would be something. There is no end to the way the studios can make money again and again on the same movies, is there. He He Althought I often question thier intelligence. Remember when they tried to stop the VCR's and throw away a whole new source of revenue.

A very detailed battle scene, a devastating passion, both depicted in a believable way. Amongst these, however, a repetitive confrontation among brothers, stereotyped characters and moral tenets (more pertaining to 1965 than to Middle Ages, I fear) which fatally influence the ending.

Actors are outstanding: real stars. Charlton Heston fills the screen and makes all his scenes memorable. Rosemary Forsyth is such a beauty that it is not hard to believe that men could have fought for her. I wonder if you noticed: in movies from those years, girls are often incredibly attractive.

I was a little kid seeing this in the theatres for the first time and I remember that before the credits ran Heston and Forsyth did a little introductory summary about the middle ages speaking directly to the audience. I can't remember exactly, but I think they also addressed the issue of the violence in the movie - which by today's standards is pretty mellow. It seems to me they talked about it as adding credibility to the film in terms of historical content. When does that happen anymore? I don't know if it's included in the DVD but it would be cool. I also think Franklin Shaffner was a wonderful director. No slop. No unnecessary scenes. And as good as Heston is, the performance that blew me away was given by Guy Stockwell. Oh my god. How was his brother Dean more visible in the industry? I don't know. And of course Richard Boone was terrific - especially in his last tender scene comforting Heston - the son he never had. I usually hesitate watching movies that I saw as a child because I don't want to lose the special feeling they gave me as a child, but this one certainly retains the romanticism and excitement found in a few other movies such as Journey to the Centre of the Earth, Samson and Delilah, and Demetrius and the Gladiators. Definitely an "A".

XI century, the powerful Duke William of Ganthe sends his main knight Chrysagon (Charlton Heston) and some warriors to defend coastal villages in Normandy against continuous Frisios attacks that sack, ravage, rampage and pillage. Meanwhile , war-hardened Chrysagonn falls in love with a peasant girl named Bronwyn (Rosemary Forsyth) , adopted daughter of the old Odin (Nial MacGuinnis), though she is unfortunately engaged to someone else (James Farentino). The nobleman uses an old law which allows knights his feudal right of first night called ¨Ius Primae Noctis¨ after the wedding celebration. Nevertheless Chrysagon and Bronwyn become enamored and vow to never apart .

This mood piece is an interesting story set in the 11th century with impressive production values full of scenes like ancient prints, pulsating action in the keep attack and excellent performances. Splendid evocation of medieval time based on the play ¨The lovers¨ by Leslie Stevens (Outer limits) and well-adapted by John Collier (Silvia Scarlett) and Millard Kaufman (Bad day at Black Rock). Top-notch Charlton Heston as Norman noble who invokes his right and steals a bride, Guy Stockwell as embittered, deranged and ambitious brother. And gorgeous, sensitive Rosemary Forsyth who never bettered her role as frail and enamored peasant , in addition Richard Boone does a sincere portrayal as a veteran warrior . The aces in the hole of this stunning movie are the evocative musical score by Jerome Moross and colorful cinematography by Russell Metty with wonderful images of all kind of skies and turquoise interiors. Furhermore appropriate costumes fitting to Middle Age by Vitti Nino Novarese. The motion picture picture is finely directed by Franklin J. Schaffner in the first collaboration to Heston who later directed him in ¨Planet of apes¨ and as co-protagonist Maurice Evans who in ¨War lord¨ plays a likable priest. Schaffner filmed several hits as ¨Papillon¨, ¨Boys from Brazil¨ and of course ¨Patton¨ and some flops as ¨Nicholas and Alexandra¨, ¨Day of dolphin¨ and ¨Lionheart¨. Although had studio interference ¨War lord¨ is one of the most impressive pieces of Middle Age that Hollywood ever realized. Rating : Better than average, well worth watching.

Charlton Heston portrays a Norman knight who has been given charge of a Druid peasant village located on the seacoast of England. As "The War Lord", or warden, he can pretty much rule the area as he sees fit, just as long as his lord, the Duke, is satisfied.

Eventually, Heston invokes a certain law of "first night", meaning that he had the right to possess a bride on her wedding night prior to her being with her lawful husband. He begins to attempt to steal a bride, played by Rosemary Forsyth, and breaks his word of letting her return to the village after the night ends. This sets up a conflict between the villagers and a group of sea warriors to rid the village of Heston and the Duke's small group of defenders. Finally, Heston has to fight to preserve his love for Bronwyn,(Forsyth) and also keep his vow to the Duke.

A good drama, but can be of high interest to those who enjoy films depicting life in the Middle Ages.

Heston, despite what you may remember about his political views, with which you possibly disagreed, was a fine actor, and he demonstrates that again in this film, as does Guy Stockwell as Draco, his brother, in one of his better performances. The action sequences are well done, and the story keeps your interest. I saw it recently, again, having seen it when it first appeared, and liked it both times. The beautiful Rosemary Forsyth, who is possibly best known for this film, was somewhat wooden I thought, but passable. I did not like James Farentino in this film, or any other for that matter. But miscast here. Observant film goers will immediately recognize a certain speech, delivered by Heston near the film's end, as a direct borrow from a highly regarded Gary Cooper film, based on an Ernest Hemingway novel. See if you can spot it. Otherwise, an enjoyable film, and I would recommend it.

The War Lord stars Charlton Heston, Richard Boone, Rosemary Forsyth, Guy Stockwell, Maurice Evans, Niall MacGinnis, Henry Wilcoxon and James Farentino, amongst others. It's directed by future Oscar winning Director Franklin J. Schaffner (Best Director for Patton), and the screenplay is by PJohn Collier with the adaptation coming from the play, The Lovers, written by Leslie Stevens.

The War Lord harks back to days of yore as we enter the 11th century and ancient Normandy. The film successfully brings the period down to the nitty gritty and doesn't glamorise either the characters or the way of life of the various social dwellers. Time has been afforded the pagan mythologies that existed back then, whilst the upper class' rights such as "droit de seigneur" (ius primae noctis) forms the back bone for our story as Heston's Duke falls for the Druid peasantry virgin (Rosemary Forsyth) he has claimed his right too, tho his inner conflict with the ways irks him so. Thanks to Schaffner the film manages to blend its dialogue heavy plot with some well crafted battle scenes, with the use of weaponry and tactics particularly impressive. You can see that this hasn't just been thrown together as a cash in historical epic featuring Chuck Heston. The cast are strong, particularly Boone and Stockwell, while Jerome Moross (score) and Russell Metty (cinematography) capture the time frame with skill.

Rarely talked about in terms of historical epics, or even Heston epics come to that, The War Lord is however one of the more tightly written and thematically interesting movies from the genre. 7/10

If you want a movie about long ago and far away, this one is highly recommendable, unless of course you need light sabers or all-powerful rings to hold your attention.

Costume pictures often reek of Classics Illustrated comic books. This is among the few whose script as filmed is not an insult.

Director Franklin Schaffner obviously loves the material. He later returned to the period with "Lionheart: the Children's Crusade," after "Planet of the Apes," "Patton," and his other famous epics.

The film's atmosphere is incredibly strong - I was absolutely sure that this was shot on location in Europe until I recognized the Universal hillside towards the end. Rarely does a Hollywood movie hide its back lot origins so thoroughly.

Minor drawbacks must be acknowledged. The girl suffers well silently but can't deliver her few lines. Maurice Evans is an awful ham, showing once again why he was Orson Welles' least favorite actor. There's a handful of clumsy process shots, and Paul Frees not only delivers the opening narration but voices both Sammy Ross and Michael Conrad, later familiar from "Hill Street Blues." Someone in the Universal sound department thought that Frees' voice was undetectable; and it isn't. (It gets worse: you can hear Frees as four separate characters in "Spartacus.")

None of these quibbles matter. The "War Lord" is romantic, poetic, mildly gritty (by today's standards), and the production design, cinematography and music are all gorgeous. The tumultuous siege of the tower is solid in the way things were before computers, and features what seems to be every stuntman in Hollywood, including Joe Canutt, Hal Needham, Richard Farnsworth and Buddy Van Horn.

I wish Universal could figure out a way to keep the DVD in print. Remastering might help. If you have a multi-system, multi-region player, at this writing a far superior widescreen Danish transfer is available from both UK and German Amazon.

IMDb lists at least 250,000 worse ways to spend two hours than "The War Lord." Make yourself comfortable and enjoy.

THE WAR LORD is somewhat typical of the Hollywood historical adventure film in that the period it depicts looks nothing like it would have looked in real life. It's the odd haircuts and the silly armour that helps to spoil this one, although it's not a bad little film when it gets going and at least the storyline is rather atypical.

The film pairs director Franklin J. Schaffner and stars Charlton Heston and Maurice Evans just before they had a big hit with PLANET OF THE APES. THE WAR LORD isn't in the same league, and for a long time in the middle of the film it's rather stodgy, bogged down by endless romance scenes between an autopilot Heston and an insipid Rosemary Forsyth. However, the film is book-ended with action sequences, and in particular the large-scale siege warfare at the climax is well worth the wait and one of the better Hollywood depictions of medieval combat.

At all times, THE WAR LORD is a very obviously artificial viewing experience. Let's just say that California looks little like France, no matter how much they try to dress it up. Heston is oddly subdued and the likes of Richard Boone and James Farentino don't fit in the era at all, although Niall MacGinnis is reliably fluid. Still, I'm a sucker for a siege film, and at least the last half an hour is a lot of fun, almost making up for the problems found elsewhere.

If you're under 20 years of age this flick is going to look a little strange to you. There are no super-women wielding swords in battle, very little profanity, and the only sex is in PG form. Made in 1965, The Warlord is an accusing yet romantic look at medieval Europe. It's no Disney movie, but you could still take the whole family to see it.

The cast is first rate. Forget El Cid. This is the role Charlton Heston was born to play. You can pretty much say that about all the great actors in this story, most of whom are gone now. Richard Boone, Guy Stockwell, Maurice Evans, Michael Conrad,...but thank heaven we have them all assembled here in this exciting yarn about the middle ages. There's plenty of action, romance, and even a little comic relief. Men will enjoy the kick-butt sword fights, (Heston kicks one guy in the groin actually,--crude but effective). Ladies should enjoy the romance if they can remember that this is happening in the year 1060, long before the women's movement. The hero Chrysagon fights two empires for the love of one woman, says the promo. Even in 1965 that was enough for most women. The peasant girl Bronwyn, played by Rosemary Forsyth, has scores of men killing each other over her, although quite unintentionally.

Other good ingredients: a rousing and romantic musical score, and some well-done outdoor photography of Chrysagon's tower fortress and the battle scenes.

All in all, this is a great movie to watch on some Saturday afternoon. It will take you away from your problems for a while to a time and place long ago. And since medieval Europe really stank, it will make today's world look pretty good to you again.

Four years after Charlton Heston played the title role in 'El Cid' once more he donned chain mail in this ambitious attempt by Universal to make a romantic drama against a reasonably intelligent depiction of the Medieval era.

Made by an up & coming Franklin Schaffner - until then the most contemporary of directors - with the assistance of cinematography by seasoned professional Russell Metty the film has a distinctiveness unusual in that genre.

Guy Stockwell is excellent as Heston's rival sibling, Rosemary Forsyth makes a touching virgin bride to Heston; while Richard Boone provides his usual formidable support.

Charlton Heston was never one of my favourite actors: He lacked humour of any description which meant that he lacked an essential quality necessary for the creation of a fully-rounded character. The kind of role he plays here - that of a soldier awarded lands and the people who dwell on them in payment for his military services to a duke - is ideally suited to his dour and colourless persona, but the film's verbosity gives away its stage origins and makes for very dull fare.

Heston's lord of the manor takes a shine to a local peasant girl on the eve of her wedding and decides to take advantage of the local custom that entitles him to have her warm his bed on her wedding night. Naturally, the girl's new husband isn't too thrilled about this - and is positively apoplectic when Heston then refuses to give her back. A pitched battle between the lord and his subjects follows.

The trouble with this film is that it asks us to identify and sympathise with a basically unlikeable character. He gives no thought to the people and lives he is destroying by deciding to keep the girl for himself, irrespective of the fact that his feelings for her are reciprocated. Nor does he give any regard for the lives of the faceless soldiers who defend him when his castle is besieged by the understandably outraged locals. No lasting love is born from a one-night stand between a young married woman and a middle-aged single man between whom barely two conversations have taken place and so the audience sympathy is more closely allied to the peasants than the lord. Presumably, a kind of Romeo and Juliet scenario is supposed to be alluded too, but this dull effort falls far short of any Shakespearean aspirations it might have.

Painstakingly accurate historical epic that has Norman knight Heston, in charge of an 11th-century Druid community. He exercises his right to claim bride Forsyth on the night of her wedding, and she then falls for the knight, refusing to leave his side. Seeking vengeance, Farentino, the son of Druid leader MacGinniss, foments an all-out war between Heston and Heston's covetous brother (Stockwell). Despite the impressive scope of the battle scenes, The War Lord, based on a stage play by Stevens, is an intimate drama. Still, the sure-handed direction of Schaffner and the credible performances of Heston et al are well complemented by Morross's driving, Stravinsky-like score.

"The War Lord", which Franklin Schaffner made in 1965, was not a success. It's easy to see why since this medieval epic was totally unlike other sword-and-sandal pictures before or since. Fundamentally, it's a love story and a highly intelligent one, spoken in a strange dialect that's neither fish nor fowl. Charlton Heston is the war lord who falls for village girl Rosemary Forsyth, (and she for him), but she is betrothed to another so he uses his right as master of all he surveys and, as was the custom in those parts, to take her on her wedding night which naturally causes all sorts of trouble. It's an uneven film with some terrible miscasting. Richard Boone looks as if he's wandered in from "Have Gun - Will Travel", Guy Stockwell thinks he may be in "Hamlet" and Heston is, of course, his usual square- jawed wooden self but there is also much here that is very fine, (including some brilliantly staged battle scenes). It's very well written, (by John Collier and Millard Kaufman from a play by Leslie Stevens), and is superbly photographed in widescreen by Russell Metty. Naturally it's become something of a cult movie, as failures often do. It's far from being a great picture but it's also worth seeing.

Oh dear , take a look at the production values in the opening scene of THE WAR LORD . We see location long shots of the characters with their backs to camera so we can`t see their faces then cut to a medium shot of Charlton Heston and co standing against back projection . This happens throughout the movie with shots of characters in long shot ( And who are obvious stand ins for the big name actors ) to jarring cuts of Chuck and company standing in front of studio sets or back projection or indeed stock footage of wild life. It`s very annoying and oh so obvious

There`s several things that don`t go together . One is Arabs and nuclear reactors , another is Steven Seagal and celluloid , but perhaps the two things that should never combine is American accents and ye olde world dialogue . Richard Boone especially is totally unconvincing as an 11th century warrior while Chuck is ... well he`s Charlton Heston , a man who shouts and has a strange looking hairstyle . I don`t believe people looked or spoke like this in Normandy

But what the hell , this is a Hollywood movie and Hollywood shows us what it`s been doing best for decades : ignoring historical facts , giving us good guys and bad guys , a bit of romance and most of all - action . Despite the rather pondering nature of the script and the patchey production values the last third of the movie is taken up with some very impressive battle scenes as the bad guys try to storm the good guys castle . Okay we`ve been spoiled rotten recently by Peter Jackson`s LORD OF THE RINGS and THE WAR LORD battle scenes might not seem that good in comparison but please remember this was made in 1965 have must have seemed quite breath taking at the time . Did anyone else feel watching the Vikings trying to burn down the doors that it gave Peter Jackson some inspiration for the battle of Helm`s Deep ? As a footnote to the fight scenes I remember as a young child watching a movie that featured Vikings running about engulfed in flames after attacking a castle . It wasn`t until last week at the grand old age of 37 that I realised while watching it again that the movie that impressed me all those distant years ago was THE WAR LORD , and I wasn`t disappointed seeing the battle sequences again

As with most of Heston's films he is his normal character. What you have seen before is what you get. Whether it is in Roman Judea, Ancient Egypt, or in a submarine, he is the same. Wooden, tortured (perhaps constipated?), filled with anger. Don't get upset if you expected something else. Rosemary Forsyth matches his woodenness and as one of the other reviewers said, she has the personality of a sack of rocks. Guy Stockwell is obnoxious, which is one way to play the character. Personally I didn't care for his performance. In real life he wouldn't have lived beyond the age of 15. Richard Boone is perhaps the best character and actor in the movie. Steadfast, loyal and always keeping Chuck's best interest in mind. The music is too similar to Ben Hur for my taste, but I guess that is up to the viewer. The fight scenes are enjoyable and very well done. But it all comes back to Heston. Love him or hate him, this is his film all the way. His best performance is probably in "Touch of Evil" with Orson Wells. A Mexican police detective, complete with darkened skin and a cheesy moustach. It's a hoot!

It's always interesting (and fun) to see the many ways people connect Heston's movies with his most well known line from The Ten Commandments--"Let my people go!" In Grey Lady Down it's "Let my submarine go!", The Omega Man is "Let my zonbies go," Soylent Green--"Let my cannibals go," El Cid--"Let my paella go," Touch of Evil--"Let my tequila go," And this movie--"Let my castle go!" Give it a watch if you can but it is hard to get ahold of.

This represents one of the few movies which, in an acceptable & believable way, manages to convey what might be an accurate snapshot of life under the Normans, whether in northern France or in Britain.

The script might be a little clichéd, but the Heston & Boone characters are very convincing as 'men of their times' and the costumes and settings are superb. The movie creates an excellent period atmosphere and the soundtrack is brilliant.

I have to admit, l first saw this movie at a cinema many years ago and have seen it only once on TV in the past twelve years. But it stuck in my memory and l would dearly love to see it again, soon! Surely this excellent historical movie deserves a UK DVD release?

So, whoever owns the rights to this classic, PUT IT OUT ON DVD NOW!!!! I can't be the only one who wants to own a copy of The War Lord!

I am a medieval historian and for my money this is one of the best films about the period, maybe the best. The background research was far superior to that done for the much better known El Cid, and the script is intelligent and carries you along with it. This film really captures the flavour of life in the north-west coastal regions of Flanders in the mid- eleventh century. The tower in particular is thoroughly authentic as is the emphasis on hunting. Terrific stuff. As for the battle scenes, if there are better medieval ones I'd like to hear about them. The Frisians are nothing if not persistent ... Unfortunately the impressive input by design, costumes and cinematography is let down by the wooden acting of Rosemary Forsythe, which rivals that of Sophia Loren in El Cid for sheer blandness. But that's the 60s for you. If only we could take the feisty and charismatic acting of today's actresses and combine it with the realism of the best of post- war Hollywood, before post-modern tongue-in-cheek humour and cgi effects took over. This movie is far from perfect but it is eminently watchable.

THE WAR LORD is one of those maddening films with many epic elements compromised by a miserly studio. Like SPARTACUS (also made by Universal), production values very from sumptuous to horrible (looks like the same fake forest set as used in SPARTACUS). Director Franklin Schaffner(PATTON) simply lacks the panache to capture the romance on display, and Rosemary Forsythe has the physical assets but nothing else to pull off the female lead. One wonders what THE WAR LORD would have been had Kathryn Ross, another Universal ingenue, been cast. Fine performances by Charleton Heston, Richard Boone and Maurice Evans, but a slightly hammy one by Guy Stockwell. For all its realism, action, drama and mystical trappings THE WAR LORD simply does not add up to much. In only six years, Heston had fallen from BEN-HUR and EL CID to this claptrap. Sad.