I think that if most Hollywood producers would think first, then very few, if any, movies about King Arthur would be made. With the exception of MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL, I can't think of another Arthurian movie that was both worth watching and made money. This film, FIRST KNIGHT, CAMELOT, Excalibur (sorry, but I really hated this movie since it was so anachronistic and over-the-top) and a host of other dreadful films SHOULD be enough evidence to stop once and for all for choosing this theme.
So what in particular is bad about this film? Well, the dialog and action are lethargic to say the least. And, Alan Ladd isn't so young any more and he was a big-time drinker by this time, so his playing a knight just isn't very convincing. And, worst of all, the movie just isn't interesting and I had to really struggle to pay attention. This is REALLY bad considering I am a fan of Ladd's movies.
But all the blame can't be placed on Ladd's lackluster performance. No, the biggest problem was the silly script. First, at the Round Table was a bizarre knight, to say the least, in the form of Sir Palamides (Peter Cushing) as a "Saracen"--in other words, a Muslim Arabian! Just how he came to be in England, I haven't the foggiest notion! On top of that, Cushing's and the other Saracen's makeup changed a lot in the film--sometimes very light and other times they practically looked like minstrels!! Second, the outfits were occasionally amazing--and I don't mean that in a good way! The worst was the outfit worn by Ladd's fiancée at the end of the film. I swear, she looks just like a giant duck!! You really have to see it to believe it!
So, Saracens, "duck lady", a limp script and Ladd with a very lethargic performance--all parts of a recipe that, at best, leads to sub-mediocrity.
So what in particular is bad about this film? Well, the dialog and action are lethargic to say the least. And, Alan Ladd isn't so young any more and he was a big-time drinker by this time, so his playing a knight just isn't very convincing. And, worst of all, the movie just isn't interesting and I had to really struggle to pay attention. This is REALLY bad considering I am a fan of Ladd's movies.
But all the blame can't be placed on Ladd's lackluster performance. No, the biggest problem was the silly script. First, at the Round Table was a bizarre knight, to say the least, in the form of Sir Palamides (Peter Cushing) as a "Saracen"--in other words, a Muslim Arabian! Just how he came to be in England, I haven't the foggiest notion! On top of that, Cushing's and the other Saracen's makeup changed a lot in the film--sometimes very light and other times they practically looked like minstrels!! Second, the outfits were occasionally amazing--and I don't mean that in a good way! The worst was the outfit worn by Ladd's fiancée at the end of the film. I swear, she looks just like a giant duck!! You really have to see it to believe it!
So, Saracens, "duck lady", a limp script and Ladd with a very lethargic performance--all parts of a recipe that, at best, leads to sub-mediocrity.