Golia e il cavaliere mascherato

"Everybody's favorite Greek strongman is back and this time he's helping the innocent people of Spain in their battle against some evil Dons and their loyal conquistadors. Hercules teams up with a masked avenger, who hopes to free the people of the tyrannical rule of the wealthy Dons and lead them into a life of peace and prosperity for all. With Hercules' mighty muscles and the daring skills of the Masked Rider, the two men wage a war against overwhelming forces," according to the DVD sleeve description.

Re-titled "Hercules and the Masked Rider" for American consumption.

Alan Steel as "Hercules" turns out not to be the star of this Spanish swordplay. Arguably, it's Mimmo Palmara as "Don Juan" alias "The Masked Rider" (think "Zorro!"). Naturally, they have a shirtless (knife) battle, then become chums. The sexy women are led by busty blonde José Greci (as Blanca) and beautiful red-haired Pilar Cansino (as Estella). The ladies keep their shirts on, firmly. By the end of the picture, Ettore Manni (as Blasco) co-stars. Villainous Arturo Dominici (as Ramiro) is most impressive.

**** Golia e il cavaliere mascherato (11/17/63) Piero Pierotti ~ Mimmo Palmara, Ettore Manni, Alan Steel, Arturo Dominici

The sword and Sandals movie were quite big in the 60s. So big you could not escape them. And while they tried to break some moulds, they could not escape certain things. So this pits "Hercules" and someone you could easily call Zorro together.

Now if that hasn't made you switch off yet, you may be in for a fairly entertaining ride. But beware, watch more than 2 or 3 of these movies back to back and you get more than fatigue ... you get bored. This one at least has quite the humor to it, which may give it a certain edge (there is a bit of Asterix and Obelix in one scene for example where it comes to counting the enemy and giving them a "hand"/punch) ... other than that, business as usual

No one should be misled by this title. The story is about a Zorro like character who goes around righting some wrongs done in 16th century Spain. Hercules as played by Alan Steel is one of gang of gypsies who help out the Zorro guy who wears a red mask instead of basic black. He must have had one of the George Hamiltons as a wardrobe consultant.

The plot such as it is has the evil Don Ramiro with designs on both Don Francisco's land and Don Francisco's daughter Blanca. Her kissing cousin off in Flanders fighting one of King Philip II's wars doesn't approve because he likes her and she likes him. But dad wants peace in the valley even if it means giving up her daughter to the villain.

So the cousin dons the red mask and joins up with both gypsies and soldiers of his former regiment and if you know how Douglas Fairbanks and Tyrone Power did it in their Zorro films you know how it comes out. Some bits from Robin Hood are tossed into the mix as well.

But if you like those sword and sandal epics, plenty of swords, no sandals here though. Not a chariot in sight.

This is indeed a Zorro film (spelled Zoro on a wanted poster at one point in the picture); the strong man is really Goliath, which is partly a reference to the legendary giant, but is really merely a signifier for "big strong guy."

Overwrought formula actioner. The film-making is by the numbers, the acting is competent at best. The plot is confusing, the action okay but nothing special; but the real problem, obviously, is that the filmmakers don't know what kind of movie they want to make.

Saturday afternoon hangover fodder. May give you something to do if you have nothing to do. Otherwise, ho hum when not just bad.

Though top-billed, Alan Steel -- he of the muscular chest -- has little to do in this modest swashbuckler which has the novelty of being set in post-medieval Spain. (The "Hercules" in the title was obviously added for American and other audiences who might still be interested in the sword-and-sandal cycle.) Basically this is a Zorro or Robin Hood adventure pitting the band of common folk, led by a charismatic hero, against the entrenched forces of the villain. It's efficiently done but offers little in the way of style or flair and is likely to fade from the memory quickly and without regret. Mimmo Palmara plays the hero and one of the movie's few "highlights" is his bare-chested knife-fight with Alan Steel. Steel's big "beefcake" scene comes when he engages in a tug-of-war with six men, three men pulling on a rope attached to each of his outstretched arms. Rather than being snapped like a wishbone, Steel manages to pull the men together, just as Steve Reeves mastered those charging horses in a somewhat similar scene in "Goliath and the Barbarians." Worth noting is the presence here of Ettore Manni who died young and in troubled circumstances but who left behind a number of notable performances.