The Scarlet Blade

Set during the English Civil War director John Gilling delivers standard historical fare for Hammer Films as we see the Roundheads kidnap King Charles I, led by unscrupulous Lionel Jeffries and side kick Oliver Reed, only to be scuppered by his own daughter, beautifully played by June Thorburn.

These 3 actors are the best thing about the piece, the Scarlet Blade himself played by Jack Hedley is a rather bland swashbuckling hero who comes to save the day but has none of the charisma of a Robin Hood.

Like most Hammer productions it is handsomely photographed with nice sets and costumes to evoke the period whilst making the most of the English countryside but a lot of it is obviously done in a studio on a very low budget which limits it's scope. The pacing is slow and methodical and it requires patience to sit through but for Hammer purists it's well worth a visit to 1648.

Oliver Reed once said that "Hammer gave me my start, (Michael) Winner gave me my craft, and (Ken) Russell gave me my art." Well in 1963's THE SCARLET / CRIMSON BLADE you can see the arrival of the Oliver Reed we all know 5 years before his international success in OLIVER!. Here he crystallizes his screen trademarks. The quiet voice that can suddenly erupt, the smoldering look of rage and/or pain, and his sheer physical presence that can dominate the screen. This was Reed's penultimate film with Hammer (out of 6) and he owns the movie.

Although the nominal stars are Lionel Jeffries (usually known for comic roles in movies like CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG but quite good here) ,Jack Hedley and June Thornburn, Reed's portrayal of the adventurer Captain Tom Sylvester is clearly the focus of the film. Writer-director John Gilling, who made a number of films for Hammer including the celebrated "Cornish Double Feature" THE PLAGUE OF THE ZOMBIES and THE REPTILE, had worked with Reed before on THE PIRATES OF BLOOD RIVER showing that he could handle the actor as well as make a well mounted period action-adventure movie.

The story is set in 1648. Colonel Judd (Jeffries), once a royalist but now a follower of Cromwell, is trying to capture King Charles I to further his own career. Sylvester (Reed) is his second in command and has eyes for Judd's daughter Claire (Thornburn) who is secretly helping the local Royalists led by Edward Beverly (Hedley) aka The Scarlet Blade (the movie's original title). Claire exploits Sylvester's feelings for her while really loving Beverly. When Sylvester realizes this he is none too pleased but, rather than flying into a typical rage, Reed internalizes his anger and makes us feel his character's pain and sadness at what has happened.

The rest of the film is a solid period adventure yarn with swordfights and ambushes and an authentic look to the film despite the low budget. In fact parts of this film reminded me of Michael Reeves' WITCHFINDER GENERAL with Vincent Price made 5 years later only less brutal. This release of the American version (hence the title change) is its first appearance ever and the transfer is first rate. Not a great film by any means but a surprisingly engaging one thanks to Oliver Reed...For more reviews visit The Capsule Critic.

This was a good action/adventure film, with a historical background of 17thc England, in the last days of the reign of Charles I. Colonel Judd, (Lionel Jeffries) a former loyalist, has joined the Roundheads, and he and his men are responsible for the imprisonment of the king, much to the chagrin of his daughter, Claire (June Thorburn), a staunch Loyalist. She joins a group planning to free the king, whose leader (Edward Beverly, played by Jack Hedley) is known by the logo "The Crimson Blade". The group includes Edward's brother, Philip and sister, Constance (Clifford Elkin and Suzan Farmer) seeking vengeance for the murder of their father by Colonel Judd's officers.

There's romance in the story too, as well as a rivalry, when Claire and Edward fall in love, and face the anger of Captain Tom Sylvester (Oliver Reed), who wants Claire, and pledges to support her cause, despite being her father's right-hand man, to try and win her over. But his loyalty, like his love, is self-serving.

It's a movie that'll hold your interest, quick paced, not long and drawn out. I recommend checking it out.

This Hammer swashbuckler is one of the few films to be set during the English Civil War. Unfortunately, its treatment of the conflict is fairly simplistic ; the Roundheads are the baddies, intent on killing the king, and the Cavaliers are the romantic good guys, led by Jack Hedley, looking slightly too old to play the Robin Hood like hero.

The film suffers from the fact that the "villains" (Lionel Jeffries, Oliver Reed) are much more charismatic than the "heroes" (Hedley and an insipid June Laverick). The downbeat ending is also a surprise. Nevertheless, like most Hammer films, it is well-mounted and richly-photographed by Jack Asher. Watch out for the sequence in which the outlaws, disguised as bushes (!), creep ever-closer to the Roundhead guards. It looks like a scene from Monty Python!

Set during the civil war with the Roundheads portrayed as the baddies and the Royalists the dashing heroes. Some of the scenes are quite well shot and it's in Technicolor as well which is a plus.

Unfortunately, the heroes aren't very interesting and are overshadowed by the much better Oliver Reed and Lionel Jeffries, the heroes aren't even that likeable and June Thorburn's character is just downright nasty and annoying, she doesn't deserve anyone. Reed's character is by far the most well done and complex, he does a fine acting job too. Additionally, for an action film there's a notable lack of action and the fighting that is in is not very well choreographed or entertaining.

3/10: Worth a watch for Oliver Reed but as a swashbuckler is terrible