Coração de Leão

I regularely confound this movie in Gordon Douglas' filmography with ROGUES OF SHERWOOD FOREST, made two years later and speaking of a very close story, settings and atmosphere. Both features are obviously ROBIN HOOD films rip-offs, and excellent ones. In this medieval swashbuckler, Louis Hayward fights against...Guess who.... The main and unique villain of Columbia swashbucklers of the forties and fifties: George Mc Ready himself. Who else? Louis Haywad against George Mc Ready is like Errol Flynn vs Basil Rathbone. It was made in black and white, such a shame, but it was colorized. And guess what, for once, I appreciate a colorized film. And what a good surprise to see a Columbia Pictures swashbuckler not produced by the infamous Sam Katzman. Gordon douglas would have not survived to such a doomed situation.

Starkly made in classic black and white, this medieval adventure is set and in England at the end of the War of the Roses. The main character must cope with the death of his father, apparently at the hand of a once trusted neighbor. Naturally, a love interest is provided for him in the person of the daughter of his father's killer. The `Black Arrow' is the mysterious missive that keeps flying in, to suggest that things are not what they seem, and to motivate young Shelton to search for truth. Some good sword play, chase sequences, and a classic joust scene for the grand finale. A good film for a late afternoon unwind.

THE BLACK ARROW, based on a historical novel by Robert Louis Stevenson, is an American-made swashbuckler that's set in England and tells a tale that's very reminiscent of the Robin Hood story. Set in the aftermath of the Wars of the Roses, it sees a soldier return home to find his father murdered, apparently by a rival, although he soon discovers that the murderers lay close at hand and that foul play was involved.

This is a light and breezy affair, with a fast pacing and plenty of action to recommend it. The swordfights are conducted in the classic manner with the opponents adopting fencing stances and a general old-fashioned feel to them. Louis Hayward, the erstwhile hero, is a guy I didn't find particularly charismatic, but the supporting cast of dastardlies and outlaw heroes is a well-chosen one.

Of course, never for a second does this film convince you that it's set in England, and the American accents of some of the cast members don't help much. Nonetheless it's an entertaining piece, with all of the jailbreaks, skullduggery, rescues and escapes you could hope for in an adventure movie. The ferocious jousting climax is a real highlight and surprisingly barbaric for its time.

Lois Hayward is capable of much better than this. It was slow and awkward...some of the cast was good but over all I did not feel the casting was a great asset...certainly the script and direction were not...the cast deserved better to work with. Still if you are an afficianado of sword and swash be prepared to sit around for awhile and wonder why you bothered to wade thru this...definitely "not" a keeper...but watch it only if you love Louis Hayward movies.

The Black Arrow is directed by Gordon Douglas and adapted to screenplay by Richard Schayer, David P. Sheppard and Thomas Sellar from the novel written by Robert Louis Stevenson. It stars Louis Hayward, George Macready and Janet Blair. Music is by Paul Sawtell and cinematography by Charles Lawton Jr.

A little known swashbuckler, the Black Arrow has all the requisite touches for fans of such dashing fare. Story is set just after The War of the Roses has ended and pitches the returning Sir Richard Shelton (Hayward) into a hunt for the truth behind his father's murder. Political intrigue, fights, brutal jousting and romance does follow. It doesn't give the Flynn or Power swashbucklers a run for their money, but it's good honest family entertainment with medieval literacy at the core and red-blooded machismo bulging at the seams. 6/10