La flèche et le flambeau

One of the more enjoyable swinging-from-the-chandelier-with-a- -sword adventures made a la Erroll Flynn. A lively pace, loads of action, a witty-if-fluffy script, an enchanting score, good performances, and above all an incredible number of acrobatic stunts make this utterly enjoyable. Lancaster had been a circus acrobat before he got into films, and managed to work every stunt he could do into the script. He even balances and poses on the top of a 20-foot pole, for real. I'm still amazed that a guy that big could be so good.

(This film also had an ongoing effect on Hollywood: At the time Lancaster's career was fading, he was typecast as a big dumb lug in the kind of Film Noir that was rapidly going out of fashion. He realized that he had to do something, and rather than rely on the studios he bought this script and produced it himself. And gave himself a whole new career, an example not lost on other actors. This was one of the films that marked the beginning of the end of the paternalistic studio system, one that showed actors that they could control their own careers. For good or ill.)

I honestly feel if anyone is does this film down for it's jovial nature then they surely are missing the point. I wasn't around at the time of its release, but I would have been surprised if the makers had marketed it as a searing swashbuckler for the ages. The film is fun, it tells a fun tale, and yes it's in the Robin Hood arc of plot structure, but ultimately it's a tale well worth watching due to the extended dexterity of its stars.

I would think that tagging this film "The Acrobatic Peasant Vs The Horrible Hessian Lord" would serve it about right, the cast are having fun and really the viewer should be in on the joviality unfolding as well. Burt Lancaster and his old circus performing pal Nick Cravat dazzle with flings and flops, arrows and lances, and it all works for what I term perfect Sunday afternoon entertainment.

All that and Viginia Mayo has a smile that could stop an army in its tracks, what more do you want ?, hooray ! 7/10

THE FLAME AND THE ARROW is one (1) of those films that every ten (10) years we see and are pleasantly surprised how well it holds up. It is also amazing how it appears and disappears. In the 60's it was on quite frequently, the 70's not so. American Movie Classics (AMC) showed it often in the 80's and it came out on VHS. Now it is been buried again so a new generation of viewers are going to have to wait till it comes out on DVD. I have just watched my 80's VHS recently so this is based upon it.

It is what other commentators called it ROBIN HOOD JR. That does not mean it is small or poorly made film. Instead you see the full power of a major studio Warner Brothers (WB) behind it. The props and sets many coming from larger films (Adventures of Robin Hood, Elizabeth and Essex, The Adventures of Don Juan) are quite evident and effectively integrated into the story line. Burt Lancaster's supporting cast consists of the current studio stock company, all professionals. Who knew what to deliver and did so. It had the full Three (3) Strip Technicolor process in all it's glory and finally Max Steiner's score. Romantic and rich and appropriate for such a concept. This is a super 'B' film and there is no disgrace in that. We have seen plenty of 'A' films today that are not half as well done.

It is though Burt Lancaster that is the central focus of the film. His first 'independent' production he knew if he did not carry it well it would have failed. Every time he is on the screen he is the focus of attention and fortunately he is on very often. Whether exchanging insults, engaging in acrobatics or romance he is hitting the target every time. He is ably supported by Virginia Mayo as his leading lady. A underrated actress with a attractive and strong physical presence. Lets be frank, does anyone believe that DARDO would fall for some skinny twit like Audrey Hepburn (or today Angelina Jolie) no way. We did not believe that when Sean Connery did in ROBIN AND MARIAN!

So if you can check this selection out. Your library may have a copy (mine does) on VHS. We are sure it will be out sometime on DVD. Lancaster later made another period film THE CRIMSON PIRATE. Not quite as good but still fun, but it seemed to lack the backing. polish and push that WB gave THE FLAME AND THE ARROW.

ADDENDUM; NOW AVAILABLE ON DVD.

Both this film and The Crimson Pirate established Burt Lancaster's reputation in the swashbuckling genre. When discussing Lancaster's career even with Oscar nominations and one Oscar for roles vastly different than who he plays in The Flame And The Arrow, I find it fascinating that so many still refer back to these films and label Lancaster a swashbuckling star like Errol Flynn.

Taking place in medieval Lombardy, the province is part of the Holy Roman Empire and they have a particularly evil Hessian provincial governor in Frank Allenby, known as "the Hawk" for his partiality to falconry and for his rapacious designs. Five years before, Allenby just took for himself the bored wife of Burt Lancaster played by Lynne Baggett leaving him to raise their son Gordon Gebert.

Now however Allenby at Baggett's suggestion comes in and takes Gebert away from a wounded Lancaster. Up to this time Lancaster has lived isolated in the mountains. Now he finally decides to join the rebels in revolt against Allenby and the Empire. Nothing like a little child stealing to provide motivation.

Before taking up acting Lancaster and his partner Nick Cravat were circus performers and his natural abilities in that direction made producers want to cast him in films like The Flame And The Arrow. But Lancaster knew his talent and always tried and succeeded in getting better parts. He never did want to have the career of Errol Flynn.

Burt also gets the opportunity to romance Allenby's niece Virginia Mayo who is being offered to a recently impoverished count Robert Douglas in the hopes of peace and unity. Douglas however is working an agenda all his own in The Flame And The Arrow. Mayo is curiously enough the mirror image of Baggett. She's bored with court life and finds certain attractions among the peasants especially the lusty and charismatic Lancaster.

And Burt has the charisma going full blast in this film. As well he would have to, otherwise why would the peasants be following him. It's an expansive part and no one could be as expansive as Burt Lancaster when the part called for it.

The Flame And The Arrow holds up well today. It should as it has a universal theme of a man protecting his child.

Dardo (Burt Lancaster) The Arrow , a Robin Hood-like outlaw in Medieval Italy under power of Federico I Redbeard leads his gang of mountain freedom fighters versus a mercenary warlord , Count 'The Hawk' Ulrich (Frank Allenby who provides personable villainy) who has seduced his spouse Francesca (as Lynne Baggett) and abducted his child . Dardo , his pal Piccolo (Nick Cravat) and his loyal followers and local rebels use a Roman ruin as their headquarter , and all of them fight against their tyrannical overlord carrying out an astute insurgency . Later on , Dardo kidnaps Hawk's niece and then it happens the usual romantic interludes with lovely hostage Anne (Viginia Mayo) and subsequently to battle the Hessian conquerors .

This is a joyous adventure movie with spectacular acrobatics , action-filled , including thrills , fights , duels , marvelous outdoors , a cast of thousands as well as Lancaster and Cravat performing their own stunts adding interest to the ordinary swashbuckling . Deemed by many to be one of the best adventure movie laced with comedy and enthusiastically paced . Burt Lancaster was a great actor as well as big on athletic prowess and highly enjoyable to watch on-screen . Here Burt spectacularly runs , rides , shoots arrows , bounds and leaps . This top-notch adventure established the handsome Burt as the natural successor to Douglas Fraibanks Sr , Douglas Fairbanks Jr and Errol Flynn in Warner Brothers' swashbucklers . It also strengthened his credentials as a leading man and not just another swashbuckling hero , from then on he started to get much wider range of characters . Lancaster teamed with his ex-circus colleague Nick Cravat , long-time acrobatic partner appeared with Burt in nine films . Cravat according to reports was as strong as a bull , he may have been short on stature but he was a real acrobat . In this film and The Crimson pirate (1952), Nick played characters that were mute and this was because he spoke with a very thick Brooklyn accent that he could not shake , and it would have been wildly out of place in such period costume dramas . Before his Hollywood acting carrier Nick Cravat also worked in the circus with Burt in a Rolla-Bolla duo act known as the Saxons . He partnered with Lancaster in a perch-pole balancing act where Nick , as bottom man , balanced Burt forehead atop a ten foot perch-pole . Support cast is pretty good , such as : Frank Allenby , Aline MacMahon , Lynn Baggett , Norman Lloyd as Apollo The Troubador , Victor Kilian as Apothecary and the British Robert Douglas , once a national fencing champion . And uncredited Richard Farnsworth as an outlaw . ¨The flame and the arrow¨ (1950) was 11th biggest grossing movie in the world for the year , recouping several times its original cost to the surprise of the studio . It displays a colorful cinematography in Technicolor by Ernest Haller . And a thrilling and evocative musical score by the classic composer Max Steiner .

This derring-do film was professionally directed by the underrated filmmaker Jacques Tourneur , though the present-day he is better considered . Jacques directed all kinds of genres , such as : Western : ¨Great day in the morning¨, ¨Stranger on horseback¨, ¨Canyon passage¨, ¨Wichita¨ ; Terror : ¨Curse of demon¨, ¨I Walked with a Zombie¨, ¨Leopard man¨ , ¨Cat people¨, ¨Comedy of terrors¨ ; Film Noir :¨Out the past¨, ¨Berlin express¨, ¨Experiment perilous¨ , ¨Nightfall¨ and Adventure : ¨The giant of Marathon¨ , ¨Tombuctú¨, ¨Martin the gaucho¨ , ¨Anne of the Indians¨ and ¨The flame and the arrow¨.