La flèche noire

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.

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.

This fine film is a dramatic, tense and action-packed story set at the close of the War of the Roses when a young man returns home to find that his father has been murdered and his estate confiscated. Louis Hayward is the dashing hero of the proceedings and Janet Blair supplies the romance in this film of treachery and palace intrigue. Hayward's search for the truth about his father's death places him and Blair in grave danger as sinister forces remain in the shadows, watching and waiting for the right time to move on him. George Macready is excellent in his role as the suave but evil landowner who also covets Blair for his marriage bed. Edgar Buchanan supports the headliners as an aide-de-camp of the outlaw band that hides out in the forest, reminiscent of the familiar Robin Hood legend. The movie has a classic good vs. evil theme and is accompanied by a fine score by Paul Sawtell.

The film takes place after the War of the Roses ;now the York rule the country and the Lancaster ,should we believe the screenwriters ,have become rebels , their leader, John the dispenser of justice ,has his camp in the forest .Many scenes seem to have been taken by force from the numerous Robin Hood adventures; besides ,there's a younger hero (Hayward) a heir deprived of his valuable castle and lands by wicked greedy uncle MacReady ; Lady Marian is represented by the daughter (Janet Blair)of the lord ,who was slain : to make the matters worse,it's the uncle's brother (therefore the nephew's daddy) who was falsely accused of the crime. So nephew and future dad-in-law join their forces. Best moment is the Ordeal, rather violent for the time. As it is often the case,it's the baddie , cynically played by George McReady ,who walks away with the honors.

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