"The Vikings" is a very good and entertaining movie, even if it is a big comic book brought to the big screen. Featuring two Jews and an Italian playing Scandinavians is just the start of the fun. Great action sequences, exciting battles, insights into Viking customs, Frank Thring as a cold blooded villain, a wolf pit, Exact scale long ships and much more make this a classic. Kirk Douglas and Tony Curtis play half-brothers Einar and Eric, sons of Ragnar, portrayed with his usual flair by Ernest Borgnine. Ragnar kills an English king and rapes his queen, resulting in the birth of the rightful heir to a petty kingdom. Aella usurps the throne and Eric is sent away for his own good. Eric is captured by Vikings and made a slave, but he wears a sword pommel stone for identification, which is recognized years later by a renegade English noble, played by James Donald, who's been collaborating with the Vikings to protect his lands. Aella forms an alliance to be sealed with his marriage to a lovely young princess, Janet Leigh. The Vikings intercept her ship, take her prisoner and plan to use her against Aella. Einar falls for her and intends to deflower her, regardless of the original plan. Eric follows him to the boat Morganna the princess is held on, and knocks out the drunken Einar. Eric, another slave, Morganna and her Lady-in-Waiting set sail for England using a magnetized fish for a compass to navigate through the fog. The Vikings follow incautiously, and Ragnar's ship hits rocks and sinks. Eric fishes "Dad" out of the sea and takes him to Aella. Aella decides to feed Ragnar to his starving wolves, but Eric gives Ragnar a sword so Ragnar can die like a Viking. Ragnar jumps into the pit, where he's devoured, but Aella isn't happy and slices off Eric's left hand. Eric returns to the fjord and tells the Norsemen what happened and they launch their ships for an attack on Aella's castle. A wild, improbable battle that has to be seen occurs, the Vikings take the castle, Einar flies through a window to find Morganna. They climb onto the battlements where Einar calls Eric over for the final showdown. The duel ends and the film ends with a Viking funeral.
Review of The Vikings
