La Charge des Cosaques

This film is set during the mid-19th century when Russia flexed its empire-building muscles. The mountain tribes of the Caucusus rebelled against the Russian domination. The region is on the border of the southern most part of Russia today. The princess, who takes a trip to deliver the Czar's new orders to her husband, had to travel more than about 1,500 miles from St. Petersburg.

Steve Reeves play the lead role of Hadji Murad. The movie is based on a novel by that name written by Leo Tolstoy. Some of its account of the years of struggle in the Caucusus is fiction. But, many of the specific incidents did occur. In reality, a reading of a short bio or encyclopedia article on Hadji Murad would convince one that his escapades in this film were quite tame by comparison.

"The White Warrior" is an interesting film about a time and place for which American's have only occasionally shown interest. Still, it has historical value, and is based on a famous author's book of fiction.

Agi Murad (Steve Reeves), a Chechen chieftain, leads his people in the fight against the Russian Empire. The czar Nicholas I, tired of the endless fight that is costing him money and armies, gives a letter to Princess Maria (Scilla Gabel) to be handed to her husband Prince Sergei (Gerard Herter), containing instructions to negotiate a peace treaty with the rebels. She leaves St. Petersbourg on a coach destined for the fortress in which the Prince Sergei, her husband, leads the fight against the rebels.

Agi Murad is loved by the daughter of Haslem Bey (one of the chieftains engaged in the rebellion) - Sultanet (Giorgia Moll) is her name, and Agi Murad naturally loves her too. But Sultanet has another suitor, the cruel and mischievous Ahmed Khan (Renato Baldini), also engaged in the league against the Russians.

Here we have the basic outline of the plot. This film, like many Italian epics (much more a horse & lance than a sword and sandal film) is very colorful, with a good cinematography, dancing numbers and battle scenes. The actresses Giorgia Moll and Scilla Gabel are gorgeous - Sultanet loves Agi Murad, and Princess Maria will love him too. Both actresses provide charm and sensuality to the film.

Already in the beginning of the film, when the all-powerful Czar Nicholas I is talking to Princess Maria about her mission, it's all too clear that he's under her spell and Princess Maria charmingly takes advantage of his infatuation for her own means (after this scene I was hooked). And the lovely Sultanet commands the heart of two men - something that will have its consequences in the story.

There's good chemistry between Giorgia Moll and Steve Reeves. Both of them would work together again in the enchanting "The Thief of Bagdad".

This film is entertainment guaranteed. The production values are not as high as those of the American epic films, but this film is more creative and more fun. Don't expect much of the story, it's has been told many times before. See the film for its colors and spontaneity. "The White Warrior" is not so deadly serious like its American counterparts - the hero may fight for freedom and justice, and the villains can do very bad things, but there's always time for delight.

Italian adventure with intrepid rebels and exotic scenarios . An enjoyable adventure movie with historical backstage , action , thrills , love , battles and spectacular scenarios . The story of Hadji Murad (Steve Reeves), a 19th-century Chechen chieftain who led his warriors in a fight against the invading forces of the Russian Czar , Nicholas I (Zivanovic) . Along the way Murat takes on a traitor named Ahmed Khan (Renato Baldini) , Prince Sergei Vorontzov (Gérard Herter) and falls in love for Sultanet, Aslan Bey's Daughter (Giorgia Moll) and Princess Maria Vorontsova (Scilla Gabel) .

The film is a passable adventure movie, lavishly produced , a lot of extras and usual dancing scenes in charge of gorgeous dancers . This classic story of romantic adventure come to life enriched by Technicolor cinematography in charge of Maria Bava , the notorious cameraman and filmmaker , and adapted regularly to the screen . However , being necessary a right remastering for the washed-out copy . The movie suffered several cuts by Italian censorship and was based on a book by Leo Tolstoy, who in turn based the book on his experiences in the Russian army in Chechnya when his unit was sent to help subdue Chechen guerrillas . Overwhelming battles and duels and full of villainy , romance , and heroism . Evocative as well as atmospheric musical score by Roberto Nicolisi . Steve Reeves is cool as the hero who encounters dangerous situations while trying retrieve his lover . Reeves acted as a corpulent hero in several movies, starring historic and legendary characters, such as ¨Romulus¨ in Romulus and Remo ; ¨Phillipides¨ in Giant of Marathon; ¨Eneas¨ in The war of the Trojan and The horse of Trojan ; ¨Glaucus¨ in The last days of Pompei and ¨Hercules¨ in the Queen of Lydia. He starred several adventure films such as ¨Thief of Baghdad , Morgan the Pirate¨, ¨The avenger¨, ¨Pirates of seven seas¨ , among others . In the picture appears usual secondaries and familiar faces from Peplum and Spaghetti Western such as Gerard Herter , Renato Baldini , Goffredo Unger , among others.

The motion picture was middlingly directed by Riccardo Freda who used a number of aliases during his career, including Robert Hampton or George Lincoln and as screenwriter Riccardo Freda . Riccardo is a classic director who realized all kind of genres . Freda along with Vittorio Cottafavi continued to realize films in the historical-spectacular style , at which he developed a considerable skill and mastery . From the mid-50s Freda's liking make for atmospheric and colorful scenes of shock began to itself apparent , especially in such musclemen epics as ¨Teodora¨ , ¨Spartacus¨ , ¨Giants of Thessaly¨ , ¨The seventh sword¨ , ¨Samson of the 7 miracles of the world¨ , ¨Sins of Rome¨¨Maciste all's inferno ¨, the latter a gripping/horror Peplum and of course ¨Maciste in the court of the Great Khan¨, one of his best films . In the early 60s , he was a pioneer in Italy of horror-fantasy films frightening audiences the world over , especially with ¨I Vampiri¨ and ¨L'Orrible Segreto del Dottor Hitchcock¨ as he combined with that wide-staring of actress , the British-born Barbara Steele . He also made adventures as ¨Black Eagle¨ , ¨The son of Black Eagle¨ , ¨White devil¨ , ¨Son of D'Artagnan¨ , ¨The Mongols¨ and uncredited ¨Daughter of D'Artagnan¨ . From there he went to melodrama and spy films as ¨¨Mexican Slayride¨and ¨Coplan FX18¨ and even made some western as ¨No killing without dollars¨ with Mark Damon and signed under pseudonym as George Lincoln . Strong on visual style, Freda's movies had popular appeal , and were usually commercial hits . Several were French/Spanish/Italian or other European co-productions . He has been called a filmmaker "who brings some style to exploitation pictures", and has something of a cult following .

Steve Reeves takes a vacation from ancient times in order to play a Moslem resistance fighter in The White Warrior. He plays the real life Hadji Murad who led Moslems in Chechniya in the 19th century against the encroachment of Russia. How times have changed. Made today the Russians would be the heroes, but in 1959 these were the years of the Cold War.

The film is not biographical in any sense, it rather is based on a Leo Tolstoy novel on the same subject. Reeves is a popular hero and one of the clan leaders in fighting Russian imperialism. He's also the beloved of both the sultan and his daughter whom Reeves would like to marry. But there's intrigue in both camps and he's got to overcome all that plotting.

Fans of the Herculean physique will be disappointed in that he only takes his clothes off in one scene. What's the purpose in casting Steve Reeves then?

It is such an annoyance to watch mutilated foreign films, specially Italian productions as in this case, which was obviously a well- mounted co-production, benefiting from the participation of the Yugoslavian film industry which provided beautiful art direction and bright choreography, as well as fine performers, combined with Italian professionals: cinematographer Mario Bava (a year before making his first feature, "La maschera del demonio"), composer Roberto Nicolosi and director Riccardo Freda, all working in beautiful scenery and sets. The version I just saw is English-dubbed and 10 minutes shorter than the original (even with the restoration of some footage that had originally been censored in Spain, where my copy was issued): it is a strange mixture of average-looking sections with others that seemed to come from a blown-up VHS copy. "Agi Murad" though is an attractive wide-screen adventure film with a touch of history, in spite of being not very well acted by Steve Reeves, who this time seems a little beyond his scope for the title role in the dramatic scenes, but he compensates his shortcoming in the action scenes and has Gérard Herter to counteract as he chews the scenery playing the Russian villain, and sexy Scilla Gabel as his scheming wife, who has fallen for the "White Devil", as Murad is called. By the state the home-video business is in these days, it is a pity that we will probably never be able to watch these films in their original form.