lorenellroy

This short but affecting movie was produced as a, promotional tool by the New York Fresh Air Fund, a charity dedicated to providing short breaks for children living in the slums of that city. A poor boy sells newspapers for his precarious living. His alcohol ravaged mother abuses him and he finds respite when taken for an excursion into the surrounding countryside. During the picnic he socialises with other children and listens, rapt, to a tale of an enchanted, fairytale world where he sees himself as a prince rescued from the clutches of an evil witch (his real life mother). In the the vision he is rescued by a young woman with a magic wand and transported to the Land of Eternal Happiness. When the time comes to return to the city and the life of abuse and grinding poverty he opts to stay behind. He makes a choice, the importance and implications of which are monumental. The closing shots are incredibly moving. Pure poetry. The movie is an expert blend of social realism and fairy tale. Undeniably sentimental, it is also utterly memorable.

Lady Elizabeth (Joanna Pacula) has proved herself a more than capable warrior ,doing valiant service in the Crusades when she is wounded and compelled to return to England .There she finds that major changes have taken place on her manor.A local warlord ,Grekker (Rutger Hauer) has gathered together a formidable band of outlaws ,is exacting tribute from the local peasantry ,and has taken her only son prisoner ,raising him in the outlaw way.She tries to raise a force to tackle the outlaw and recapture her son but the locals are too cowed and fearful to take action .Instead she assembles a small group of women ,all outcasts ,who are willing to fight on her side .There is the formidable Hunter(Molly Culvert) a skilled archer and sword fighter ;the prostitute Eve (Charlotte Avery)and the gypsy Sybil ,an expert on spells and potions .

Also in the brigand's camp -albeit reluctantly -is Luke(Arnold Vosloo) ,an enigmatic individual with a chequered past and who is uneasy at the actions of Grekker ,and his part in perpetuating his reign of terror.

The action is lively enough ,although budget restrictions don't help ,and the cast is better than usual for such fare .Sadly,the movie does not follow through on its themes ; for instance in the clearly implied sexual attraction felt by Hunter towards Elizabeth .This movie could have been so much better given the talent on display but is mired in the "adequate time passer " category .Watchable but a missed opportunity

This a "town tamer " Western ,like such classics as "Dodge City " or "My Darling Clementine " ,and without ever approaching the heights of such quality movies it is a perfectly decent little movie,always assuming you can overlook some less than ideal dubbing . The local Mr Big is rancher Edwards ,whose men display open contempt for the law ,and whose son is a vicious ,bullying weakling ,hiding behind his father's power and reputation.The new Sheriff turns out to be made of sterner stuff than his predecessors and stands up to Edwards and his men ,finding time along the way for some amorous dalliance with the daughter of a man killed on Edward's orders.

There are hints of "Rio Bravo" in the characters of the town drunk redeemed by the support of the Sheriff ,and the elderly town gaoler ,a garrulous and verbose gentleman .These have parallels with the roles played by Dean Martin and Walter Brennan in the Hawks classic,

The movie is a sturdy ,uncomplicated and old fashioned Western that will be mainly enjoyed by those who like that particular genre ,