La rose noire

After finishing his run in Mister Roberts in London, Tyrone Power stuck around to film Thomas Costain's novel The Black Rose. Costain was a popular novelist of historical themes and high adventure. The latter is what The Black Rose has plenty of.

Power is the illegitimate son of a recently deceased lord who left him some money to the distress of his wife Mary Clare and son Laurence Harvey because in effect in the will he acknowledged the affair that produced Power. In addition Power is still possessing those old prejudices of the original Saxon inhabitants against the Norman conquerors. A lot of people are telling Power to get over it, but he won't.

In fact he takes off for adventure in the Far East with similarly minded Jack Hawkins who's most handy with an English longbow. A fact that impresses Mongol lord Orson Welles who gets Power and Hawkins into his service. Welles has intentions of conquering China, an ambitious task that has failed most in history.

The title refers to Cecile Aubry the French accented daughter of a Crusader who is in Welles's harem. But she likes what she sees in the two exiled Englishmen. She's supposed to be English and that might throw a few people, but one must remember England at the time occupied a good deal of what is France. I'm sure Costain better explained it in the novel.

Power is properly heroic, but also cynical at the same time. It takes a dose of Jack Hawkins's reawakened patriotism for Power to see where his duty lay.

The real historical characters of King Edward I and Roger Bacon appear in the story. Edward I nicknamed Longshanks is played by Michael Rennie and it's far more favorable and civilized picture of Edward than Patrick McGoohan did in Braveheart. Henry Oscar plays Roger Bacon who was Power's teacher at ancient Oxford and one of the most brilliant minds of his time.

Henry Hathaway one of the best action directors ever keeps the whole thing moving well. The book is a great deal more complex than what you see on the screen, it would probably make a good mini-series. The color cinematography is some of Jack Cardiff's best work.

For those like myself who like the romantic Tyrone Power, The Black Rose is a medieval tale of high adventure and romance and not to be missed by Power's still powerful legion of fans.

It is set in XII century , during the reign of Edward I (1272-1307) , son of Henry III , with a strong rivalry between Norman and Saxon people . Two young Xasons (Tyrone Power and Jack Hawkins) decide to leave England crowned by King Edward (Michael Rennie) and since 1066 when the Hastings battle took place ruled by the Normans . They are going to Orient along with a beautiful girl called Maryam (Cécile Aubry , though Leslie Caron was offered first the character , which was eventually given to Aubry) escaped from avaricious merchants (Herbert Lom , Alfonso Bedoya whose voice was dubbed by Peter Sellers) . As they arrive in Mongol territory governed by Gengis Khan and they enlist to General Bayan's (Orson Welles) troops that want to conquer China . During war they are imprisoned and will suffer numerous dangers , adventures and risks ; besides , they will learn great number of Chinese inventions , such as : compass , silk , powder , among others .

It is a spectacular adventure with plenty of emotions , action and romance . This exciting picture blends far eastern adventures and medieval scenario . This is one of the most amusing oriental adventure movies ever made and extremely well produced in awesome Technicolor photography . This juvenile romp is utterly fun and entertaining . Tyrone Power (who died in Spain filming ¨Salomon and Queen of Saba¨) and Jack Hawkins are firmly teamed , they make a first-class duo as the adventurer pals . Magnificent Orson Welles who interpreted for getting the financing ¨Othello¨ and other yarns that remained unfinished due to poor budgeted backing . Orson played several exotic personages (The Tartari , Saul , Cagliostro , Macbeth , Cesare Borgia). Here appears known supporting actors , but very secondaries , thus : Robert Blake (as Mahmoud) , Laurence Harvey , Henry Oscar (the friar named Roger Bacon) , James Robertson Justice and many others . Glimmer and splendid cinematography by classic cameraman Jack Cardiff (Black narcissus) and sometimes filmmaker (Dark of the sun) . The film was professionally directed by Hollywood veteran Henry Hathaway who subsequently shot ¨Rawhide¨ , a fundamental western also with Tyrone Power . The flick will appeal to fanciful far Eastern saga enthusiasts and Tyrone Power fans .

This is a feature film about which viewers cannot even begin to agree. Some believe it to be a major production with award-winning costumes, good actors, a vivacious leading lady, a clever story-line and colorful thirteenth-century adventures. Others deny all these judgments and assertions. The only thing that all its fans agree upon is that the movie was unusual, worth-making and worth discussing. The novel by Thomas B. Costain is clever and perhaps not-entirely-historical. It is a fictionalized biography and a recreation of an era that sets two Saxons against their Norman overlords at a time when this may have been an old-fashioned attitude; but this gives Walter of Gurnie an excuse to leave his homeland and his studies, with a companion, Tristram Griffin, master of the English longbow, to take service with Bayan of the Hundred Eyes, General to the Great Khan of China.. The other elements in the plot line are thus Bayan's inscrutable personality--he and Walter play chess and debate; Griffin's prowess with a weapon that astonishes the Easterners who see him employ it; and the two men's love for a disguised girl who is forced to flee and joins their caravan, she who is the titular "Black Rose" of the piece. The screenplay by adventure writer Talbot Jennings (developed from Costain's logical but slightly creaky novel) is perhaps a very good one; it is my assertion that with a bit more money and a better leading lady, the film might be more famous and even more appreciated. It deserves an updated remake, in my view. The director of the piece was veteran Henry Hathaway; he makes the events seem both realistic and important, never stooping to trickery to try to inject excitement at the points where none is indicated by the script. Richard Addinsell composed the music for the film, and William C. Andrews provided the art direction. The costume designs by Michael Whittaker I find to be quite serviceable and good for the period, but not extremely exciting. The cinematography by Jack Cardiff is as beautiful as it always is; the film looks as good as budgetary constraints permit in either B/W or color, which is quite a feat. it is played as an adventure; I believe it could be refashioned as a dramatic work; but what we have here is an engaging and rewarding script and production. Tyrone Power is a bit too-old for a student, but he is attractive and vivid in the lead. Jack Hawkins steals the film due to his charisma, energy and award-level interpretation of Tristram. Orson Welles is interesting and enigmatic as the general. As the Black Rose, Cecile Aubrey is adequate, often charming and able to get the basics of her very youthful part across but not much more. Michael Rennie, Finlay Currie. Herbert Lom, Mary Clare, Henry Oscar as Roger Bacon and Laurence Harvey are also featured. I like the film, and have good memories of reading the novel and seeing it years ago. It holds up well, due to its solid construction; but I yearn to remake it as a drama worthy of the very-interesting story-line even moreso. Watch for the great archery contest--surely the visual highlight of this adventure production.

This is one of those movies that makes you feel like a 12-year-old sneaking into the local movie palace on a Saturday afternoon.

If you like exotic locales, rousing action, a lot of humor and a bit of romance thrown in for good measure, you'll probably enjoy this film as much as I do.

Orson Welles ("Bayan of the Thousand Eyes") is the real star, though Jack Hawkins, as usual, is terrific. This movie is a delight, and it stands the test of time. Best of all, it leaves you with a contented smile on your face.

I rate it a solid 8.5 out of 10.

....was cast in Henri-Georges Clouzot's masterpiece "Manon" before her Hathaway film;her career was short-lived but she triumphed in the field of series-for -the-whole-family with her "Belle et Sebastien" saga -four or five seasons-starring her own son,Mehdi El Glaoui.

Her performance in "black rose" in not particularly memorable;neither is the film,which is far from Hathaway's great adventures films such as "lives of a Bengal lancer" or even "legend of the lost" .the desultory script which takes the audience from Norman England to China is never really exciting .Tyrone Power and Jack Hawkins are a good pairing (along Welles who does not seem to care about his character).Their situation in the court of the empress of China will remind some users of Kipling 's "the man who would be king" which John Huston transferred to the screen masterfully with M.Caine and S.Connery.(1975)