The Black Shield of Falworth

I guess this qualifies as an overdue "thank you" to this movie for getting me started in a lifelong love of history. I saw this movie originally as an 8 year old. I knew nothing about movies, stars, plots, directors or anything else about film, but Oh how I wanted to swash and buckle after seeing it! It also got me interested in reading more about the era, and beyond that to other eras as well. Since then I have always been sympathetic to historical epics and movies on screen--and elsewhere. No matter how horrendous they might be (and some of them are pretty horrendous), I figure if it gets people interested they can go from there. The funny thing is is that the real history is often much more fascinating--and can be more fun--than the Hollywood variety. In fact I never fully understood why people thought history was boring--perhaps it was too many dates. So thanks Tony, Janet, David, and Craig for getting me started.

Written as a document the "pink casting couch" phenomenon of the 1950's this movie sees a lot of well turned out lads with greaser haircuts being groomed for knighthood (starring roles) by a lot of Ado-masochistic old men (producers/directors) while being warned away from women. Amazingly this movie got past the Hollywood brass and the censors to become a minor hit which is a testament to Rudolph Mate, a lifelong celibate and dog-handler. Much rambunctious dorm tomfoolery ensues between these little honeys. Critics pan Tony Curtis for his Medieval English accent and at the time some of these critics were old enough to remember the era so their words may ring true. Janet Leigh looks like a pint of milk rubbed with lipstick which may be intentional.

This is an adaptation of Howard Pyle's "Men of Iron", and an unusually enjoyable film from start to finish. Ignore Tony Curtis's accent; it hardly matters to anyone that young and everyone in the film is bright, lively and suitable to his/her part. The direction by Rudolph Mate gives a light, sunny feel to the entire piece, and he keeps the action moving splendidly in my judgment. The storyline is classic. Myles and his sister Meg have been raised as peasants. One day they journey to Mackworth Castle and enter a new world, the world of noble landowners, quarrelsome young prigs and knights. Myles continues to search for the secret of his origins and finds it in the Library finally, the Black Shield of Falworth, shield of an attainted traitor--his father; of course he was innocent; and when Myles turns out to be a promising young knight of courage and natural skills, he is willing to be knighted in order to fight it out--at Prince Hal (the future Henry V's) plan--with the villain of the piece to claim his rightful heritage and wear the family symbol again. Along the way, he falls in love with the daughter of the household and his sister with his best friend in the dangerous and unruly body of young knights. In the cast along with Curtis and Barbara Rush as Meg are Janet Leigh, then Curtis's wife, as his love, Torin Thatcher in top form as the master of knights, David Farrar, Herbert Marshall as Mackworth, Dan O' Herlihy as Prince Hal, Patrick O'Neal as Walter Blunt (very good), and Craig ill as his friend Frances; others in the stellar cast include Ian Keith as Henry IV, Doris Lloyd, Rhys Williams, Maurice Marsac and others. Music was supplied by Hans J. Salter, and the screenplay adaptation of Pyle's novel is the work of Oscar Brodney. Irving Glasberg's cinematography is delightfully rich,the art direction by Alexander Golitzen and Richard H. Ledel very good indeed. Rosemary Odell's costume are worth the price of admission. But this is an in-depth adventurous look behind the grim tapestries that usually baffle the seeker into the late Medieval Age, There is humor in this film, much hard learning for the young knight-to-be, mystery, skillful dialogue and unusually well-developed characters. This is an enjoyable and memorable work that is bright and lively from start to finish.

Moviecut—The Black Shield of Falworth

At least it was when I was 7! If you like The Vikings, Scaramouche, The Adventures of Robin Hood and The Crimson Pirate, you absolutely can not go wrong with this. Curtis is excellent (in an anachronistic sort of way) and Torin Thatcher is one of cinema's greatest villains. I wish someone would bring it out on DVD!

I guess this qualifies as an overdue "thank you" to this movie for getting me started in a lifelong love of history. I saw this movie originally as an 8 year old. I knew nothing about movies, stars, plots, directors or anything else about film, but Oh how I wanted to swash and buckle after seeing it! It also got me interested in reading more about the era, and beyond that to other eras as well. Since then I have always been sympathetic to historical epics and movies on screen--and elsewhere. No matter how horrendous they might be (and some of them are pretty horrendous), I figure if it gets people interested they can go from there. The funny thing is is that the real history is often much more fascinating--and can be more fun--than the Hollywood variety. In fact I never fully understood why people thought history was boring--perhaps it was too many dates. So thanks Tony, Janet, David, and Craig for getting me started.

I'm surprised and delighted to see so many other comments, two or three of them identical to the one I had planned to make. I too saw this movie at age 8, and enjoyed it so much, I thought it my favorite movie the whole time I was growing up. I haven't seen it since it came out 53 years ago (!) yet I still looked it up, when IMDb was invented. Other little boys obviously had the same experience I had. My favorite comedy moment (no plot spoiler) at age 8 was the one in which Tony, being disciplined, is forced to hold a cannon ball at arm's length overnight, and in the morning can't put down his arm. The young Janet Leigh was in the film too? She must have been ravishing, but I never even noticed, of course. Hope an affordable DVD comes out which I could share with my son before he's too old to fully enjoy it. Best wishes to you other guys. It wasn't your imagination; it really was special, if you were a boy.

My brother and I would wait and wiat and wait for this movie to be shown on TV on a classics show, and growing up loving D&D this was the closest thing we had for a movie that was clean and enjoyable dealing with the awesome subject matter and decient story line, and "OK" acting. But we did not care it had knights, and damsels, and kings, and jousting, etc... Great for the whole family and manI wish it would come to DVD!!!! Even the used VHS is $100, that is just too much for me! If you ever get to watch this film do yourself a favor and go see it without any expectations and realize the date it was made and you will enjoy it!

Looking back, it seems like they showed this movie every other Sunday afternoon (and I watched it everytime). It's of a time when knights were bold and their women were beautiful. And, a time when you settled your disputes on the 'field of honor'. Tony Curtis looks a bit awkward in the role of 'knight wannabe', but you soon suspend belief and accept him in the part. The story unfolds in nicely presented vignettes (over the course of years), that are assembled effortlessly and almost seamlessly. Battles and glory await our hero (the girl awaits too). It's an entertaining journey to the climatic finish. Enjoy....

I have always been a huge Tony Curtis fan and loved this movie when I was a kid. It has been marvelous to see his development from fluff like this (great fluff though) to The Sweet Smell of Success. He is one the the most versatile and underrated stars of the last 50 years. The unusually excellent cast make this movie rise above the usual such fare. As one of the other posters here state, the training sequences are great as is Torin Thatcher (almost as good as his evil wizard in The 7th Voyage of Sinbad). This movie is fun, anachronistic and historically inept but I love it almost as much now as I did as a child of 7/8 when I first saw it and revelled in the swash (and indeed buckle) of the medieval romp. Tony has never looked better and Janet Leigh is a dream. I remember playing Knights in armour all the way home with my pals after seeing this at the local fleapit. Power to you Tony!!! He never did say " Yonder lies the castle of my Fadda!" Suspend disbelief and enjoy!