The Black Shield of Falworth (1954)

All The Pageantry And Excitement Of Knighthood’s Epic Age!

The Black Shield of Falworth is directed by Rudolph Mate and adapted to screenplay by Oscar Brodney from the noel Men of Iron written by Howard Pyle. It stars Tony Curtis, Janet Leigh, Barbara Rush, Torin Thatcher, Herbert Marshall, Craig Hill, David Farrar and Dan O’Herlihy. Music is by Hans J. Salter and cinematography by Irving Glassberg.

1954 proved to be quite a year for fans of swords and shields movies, spoilt for choice really. Demetrius and the Gladiators, The Black Knight, King Richard and the Crusaders, Prince Valiant and The Black Shield of Falworth, all got trundled out with colourful ebullience and a willingness to entertain the genre faithful. Naturally budgets and quality of picture varied, while for more serious fare there was the option of seeking out The Egyptian or The Silver Chalice instead…Leonard Matlin famously called The Black Shield of Falworth a juvenile picture, well yes, that’s pretty much what it is, it wasn’t trying to be Ben-Hur etc, it knows its niche in the genre scheme of things and lets rip in a whirl of tights, colour, smirks, bravado and romance.

It’s ultimately a rompathon, it’s predictable in story arc and awash with iffy accents that adorn a very simple historical plot. In short order it’s an excuse for Curtis to be athletic and butch, fighting the good fight for his birthright, the fair maiden’s affections and Henry IV’s honour. The men are either splendidly handsome or crotchety villains, the ladies radiant and dressed to the nines. The fights are aplenty and decently choreographed, the colours sharp and the music a montage of medieval flavourings. If not taken seriously, and why would you? Then it’s a fine rainy day movie to be enjoyed with drinks and snacks. Hooray for Olde England shenanigans. 7/10

Torin Thatcher steals this for me as the eye-patch wearing "Sir James" the curmudgeonly Knight who is tasked by the Earl of Mackwith (Herbert Marshall) to turn country bumpkin Tony Curtis ("Myles") into a chivalric squire. Soon, though, it transpires that they are all at the heart of a plot to kill King Henry IV - a scheme led by the evil "Earl of Alban" (David Farrar). Janet Leigh is the feisty daughter of "Mackwith" and when they discover that Curtis is really a dispossessed Knight - his late father having been denounced by the evil Farrar - the battle lines are drawn. Dan O'Herlihy turns in a decent performance as the wine-soaked Prince Hal and there is plenty of swash and buckle to keep us going for an hour and a half, or so, in this colourful historical adventure.