Ursus nella valle dei leoni

Ed Fury as Ursus (Latin for the bear) in the lion pride

It's hard to believe that this extremely weak sword and sandal film by Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia was able to sell 1.335 million tickets in West German cinemas in 1962.

It couldn't have been because of the emaciated and stunned lions that so many people stormed the cinemas. Even the American bodybuilder Ed Fury (*1928) in the title role is not the most impressive Peplum hero of those years. Moira Orfei (1931-2015), who, as we know, comes from a famous Italian circus family, is enchanting as the female antagonist. She probably also brought the all too lame movie lions to the set.

Not a highlight from the oil-soaked heyday of Italian sword and sandal films!

The evil dictator Ajak sends his armies to attack a neighboring kingdom, and during the battle, the besieged King Annurius orders one of his subjects to take his son Ursus to a place of safety outside of the city, after first putting a royal medallion around the baby's neck. Ajak kills the king and usurps his throne, but the infant prince is smuggled out of the city to safety., and is reared by lions. Fate brings him to avenge his father's death ...

Ed Fury is Ursus, and he's given an origin story and he's the 'Tarzan of the Lions' living in a valley isolated from everyone- he's brought up by lions but it's odd that he speaks good English, but such illogic shouldn't be analysed, not if you want to enjoy this peplum. The villain is the standard power hungry barbarian who killed Ursus' dad but it's Moira Orfei who plays an interesting role - a scheming goldigger who helps the false king become aware of Ursus and his royal lineage, in order to sit on a throne beside him, but when king jilts her, takes Ursus' girlfriend as a possible queen, and sending her back to slave-Dom she changes sides. After all, if Ursus usurps the false king and wins his throne she gets to become the queen. The lion valley is well shot, and the action is energetic. There's some lull in the plot with some talking, a slow pace in the middle and the death of the villain by becoming the lion's snack is a little unconvincing, but overall, this is a decent picture. Boy, this genre certainly feature beautiful women.

First thing to mention is this one is in black and white. It's not the colorful peplum that we are used to from the 1960s. B&W films are great, some of my all time favorite films are in B&W.

Secondly, the film feels like is was a television episode of something. The way it is filmed and acted out looks like a Studio One production.

The story of Ursus is similar to Tarzan. Tarzan was raised by apes while Ursus was raised by lions. How their stories plays out is a bit different but there are a few parallels. Let's not forget the story of the boy who was raised by wolves. - You get the idea.

Overall, I am unimpressed by the entire film... and displeased with the circus animals in the film being used the way there were.

1/10

The print I saw was a very worn black and white one from Sinister Cinema and as the film went on it rapidly became clear that the print's lack of quality and color work against real enjoyment of the film.

The good king and queen of some far off kingdom are brought down by an evil invader, however the queen escapes with their infant son. She soon commits suicide rather than be taken prisoner, but does so only after getting the baby away. The baby ends up being raised by lions. Years later the adult Ursus ends up captured by the evil king who killed his parents and moves to prevent him from ever taking the throne. There's more to it than that but it at least gives you the basic idea of the plot.

The movie is a step or two above the normal sword and sandal film thanks to a largely knowing translation that has Ursus speaking of wanting to become the special friend of a slave girl he's carried off. I know you're saying why would Ursus carry off a slave girl, simple he was raised by lions. The acting isn't bad and the translation seems to match the lip movements.

Is this a movie your going to watch over and over again? Probably not but should you run across it on TV late one night you'll find yourself entertained.

I can't help it. I can't.

In spite of all of its many flaws and inadequacies, I quite enjoyed Ursus In The Valley Of The Lions (UITVOL). Of course, muscle-man Ed Fury, as Ursus, was this film's main attraction. Without Fury UITVOL (with its inferior "everything") wouldn't have amounted to very much as worthwhile entertainment.

UITVOL's story has a lot more in common with that of Tarzan rather than it does with Hercules.

Though he doesn't know it (until much later), Ursus is of noble blood. As a wee baby both his parents (the King and Queen of Atlea) were savagely murdered when evil King Simud ordered his ruthless army to conquer their tiny kingdom.

Shortly after this tragedy occurs Ursus is taken under the care of a pride of lions, who, instead of eating him up for a snack, raise him to adulthood as though he were one of their own.

Years later, now fully-grown, the brutally handsome and powerfully strong, (prince) Ursus soon ventures out to discover the great, big world beyond his home of the lion pride.

At this point evil King Simud plots to eliminate our hero Ursus, thus preventing him from reclaiming his royal birthright.

Released in 1961 - UITVOL, featuring a mighty impressive Ed Fury, is a fairly entertaining "Sword And Sandal" Epic-Adventure. But, with that all said, I sure am curious to know which one of those absolutely darling lions it was who cut Ursus' hair, regularly shaved him, taught him to speak perfect English and picked out his footwear for him.