Ivanhoe

Ivanhoe and Rebecca are such a great doomed couple, and I love how they are so open about their feelings for each other in this fast-moving drama. The casting was so perfect, and the action sequences were really explosive. Young Sam Neill (remember him as Damien in Omen III?) is perfectly Satanic as the villainous Norman Brian Guilbert. (His motto is Gare Le Corbeau, which means Beware the Raven!)

I just wish that James Mason and Michael Hordern could have switched parts. James Mason would have been much better as the robust, stubborn Saxon Lord Cedric, and Michael Hordern would have been much more compelling as the sad and mournful Isaac of York.

Remake of the 1953 classic movie directed by Richard Thorpe with Robert Taylor , George Sanders , Joan Fontaine and Elizabeth Taylor . Good family fare with romance and great action scenes . TV film which proved to be notable success in this lively rendition about chivalry and knighthood in 1194 England. Knights battle each other and woo maidens on this chivalrous epic romance .This splendid version of Sir Walter Scott's classic epic tale starts in 12th century, when Saxon Knight Wilfrid of Ivanhoe (Anthony Andrews , in the classic version Robert Taylor), a suitable noble wielding a shield titled Desdichado, having fought for Richard the Lionhearted( Julian Glover) during the Crusades, goes back to England . Meanwhile the King Richard has been taken prisoner and asks help : 'To the people of England . I am here held captive by Leopold of Austria. My brother, prince John has knowledge of it, yet he has denied my ransom. One hundred and fifty thousand marks of silver. I fear he does conspire with certain Norman knights to seize my throne. People of England, speed my deliverance. Your kingdom is at stake'. In order to regain his freedom , Ivanhoe confronts Prince John (Ronald Pickup in the role of Guy Rolfe) and his lieutenants (in this case Sam Neill , John Rhys-Davies , Stuart Wilson) and he's also drawn to Jewish healer Rebecca (Olivia Hussey in the Elizabeth Taylor's character ), daughter of Isaac of York (James Mason in the role Felix Aylmer). Meantime , Ivanhoe woo maidens, as his childhood sweetheart , Saxon heiress Rowena (Lysette Anthony in the Joan Fontaine's role). Prince John, now John Lackland will stop at nothing to assume the throne , while waiting for King Richard to return from the Cruisades . Ivanhoe join forces with Robin Hood and his Merry man who attack the stronghold.

Sir Walter Scott's story of romance and chivalry in Medieval England is faithfully brought to life in this superb Telefilm in which Anthony Edwards stars as Ivanhoe who fights the evil Prince John and his hoodlums in an attempt to restore Richard Lion Heart -the Black Night- to the throne. This enjoyable film displays romance, chivalry, knighthood, daring jousting and lots of action with spectacular castle attack . The jousting , tournaments and other action sequences with a plethora of sword-fights involving maces, axes and chains are magnificently handled . The authentic battle images are among the most spectacular ever shot for television , as the siege of Torquillstone castle is a truly exciting sequence and the ending duel between the dastardly Bois-Guilbert excellently played by Sam Neill and Ivanhoe is impressive . This one proved notable hit as well as the original version . But this is more than just the habitual British TV spectacle , as the novel's issue of anti-semitism is deal with honestly in the person of Rebecca and Isaac Of Yok , very well played by Olivia Hussey and James Mason respectively, who are discriminated against , while unfortunate Rebecca is put on trial and condemned as witch to burning pole ; being suddenly saved by Ivanhoe . The film packs a glamorous and luminous cinematography by John Coquillon and evocative musical score by Ferguson. The picture is excellently handled by Douglas Camfield.

The film is partially based on true events. Although Ivanhoe didn't exist, John Lackland was king of England from 1199 to 1216. Few monarchs have been subject to such appalling publicity as John, Although by no means lovable, he was an able administrator and spent more time in England than his predecessor and elder brother Richard I but he was jailed by Leopold of Austria, returning from Crusades. Besides appears Robin Hood, also known Robin O'Locksley and the Earl of Huntingdom, is probably and sadly a creation of romantic imaginations. If Robin Hood did exist, it's almost certain that he was not a Saxon , though his enemies may well have been the Norman sheriff of Nottinghan and Prince and later king John Lackland.

I guess all countries have a few strange traditions and this film is connected to one of ours in Sweden. Every New Year´s Day the last twenty years public service television have showned this movie in the afternoon, the perfect time for dragging yourself up, buying a pizza and maybe forget your extreme hangover for a while. Everyone knows the film inside out but are still watching it year after year; fills in on every funny line (like when de Boeuf shouts "Striiip him!"), laughs once again over great characters like Athelstone and Tuck and gets annoyed over how Ivanhoe can choose the boring Lady Rowena before foxy Olivia Hussey. I can´t really say anymore if it´s a good movie or not but I guess it´s perfect for a day after...

While there are also many changes in the plot of the movie compared to the book, in my humble opinion it is a far better and entertaining watch than the old movie from the 1952. Specifically, actors are more suited for their roles and Olivia Hussey is so breathtakingly beautiful that you will watch her with amazement for the whole movie. While I think TV series is far better suited for telling the whole story of "Ivanhoe" (there are multiple ones which I yet have to watch), considering the movie form, I think this version takes the crown, though that may be tested as I continue to watch other adaptations, though I seriously doubt it. The movie is a bit on the long side though and the pacing of the movie (both due to relatively faithful approach to the book's story) will test you attention span in it's second half, though it isn't a really a flaw because even in this form, a lot was left out. I give it 7.5/10 and I recommend it to anyone who likes the book. Casuals probably won't enjoy it as much due to it's slowness.

It's fun to think how Hollywood can start new traditions in countries far away. In Sweden there are a couple of things that must be broadcasted in the Xmas and New Year holidays...on Xmas Eve it's cartoon with Donald Duck & Co at 3 PM....(there was a great anger some years ago when there was rumor going on saying that the state-television wouldn't broadcast the show because it had been bought by an other commercial-station...luckily they got it back and broadcasted it thus saving that tradition). The second tradition from Hollywood is the broadcasting of this version of Ivanhoe. Always at 3 PM on New Years Day....

The movie is quite good. The actors does well performances and it follows the plot of the book good. But as in many mainstream-medieval-Hollywood-heroic-movies it romanticize the whole era a bit to much, but that is easily looked over. Therefore I feel I can strongly recommend this movie.

"Pax vobiscum"