My thanks to a couple of prior reviewers for this film in mentioning that Burt Lancaster had an athletic circus career prior to Hollywood. I didn't know that, but it confirms what I thought I saw in the picture, that Lancaster must have been doing a fair share of his own stunts. There were a couple of flips and rolls I wouldn't have expected but it sure looked like he wasn't using a stunt double, so one has to appreciate the gymnastic ability involved.
Story wise, the formula is derivative of "The Adventures of Robin Hood", down to the many sidekicks and romantic interest provided by Virginia Mayo's character, Anne de Hesse, niece to the story's arch-villain, Count Ulrich going by the nickname of 'The Hawk'. The German Count demands his share of taxes from the peasants of Lombardy, though an arranged marriage would smooth things over if his niece married the Marchese Alessandro de Granazia (Robert Douglas), but this is Lancaster's picture, so you know which way this one is going to go. There's a fair share of swashbuckling adventure in the film for a movie that's not about pirates on the high seas, but for that you can catch Lancaster in 1952's "The Crimson Pirate". That's one I'll have to catch in due course.
Unfortunately, there's nothing out of the ordinary in this story, and it arrives at it's rousing conclusion with a flourish as Dardo Bartoli (Lancaster) makes an impossible bow and arrow shot that takes out Count Ulrich as he holds Dardo's son hostage, thereby winning the heart and hand of Anne de Hesse in the process. I should also mention Lancaster's former circus partner Nick Cravat in his role as the silent mute Piccolo. Together they invented a myriad of uses for an all purpose pole that they used to make the save for the Lombardy citizens, even if it looked like they were just clowning around.
Story wise, the formula is derivative of "The Adventures of Robin Hood", down to the many sidekicks and romantic interest provided by Virginia Mayo's character, Anne de Hesse, niece to the story's arch-villain, Count Ulrich going by the nickname of 'The Hawk'. The German Count demands his share of taxes from the peasants of Lombardy, though an arranged marriage would smooth things over if his niece married the Marchese Alessandro de Granazia (Robert Douglas), but this is Lancaster's picture, so you know which way this one is going to go. There's a fair share of swashbuckling adventure in the film for a movie that's not about pirates on the high seas, but for that you can catch Lancaster in 1952's "The Crimson Pirate". That's one I'll have to catch in due course.
Unfortunately, there's nothing out of the ordinary in this story, and it arrives at it's rousing conclusion with a flourish as Dardo Bartoli (Lancaster) makes an impossible bow and arrow shot that takes out Count Ulrich as he holds Dardo's son hostage, thereby winning the heart and hand of Anne de Hesse in the process. I should also mention Lancaster's former circus partner Nick Cravat in his role as the silent mute Piccolo. Together they invented a myriad of uses for an all purpose pole that they used to make the save for the Lombardy citizens, even if it looked like they were just clowning around.