The Vikings

This "Norse-Opera" as critic Bosley Crowther once derisively called it, is tremendous fun. The plot is essentially a melodrama set in the Dark Ages, but it is filmed beautifully and the cast seem to be having the time of their lives. Kirk Douglas stars as the young Viking lord, and Tony Curtis (who for once doesn't do his normal film killing routine) as his half-brother and enemy. Some over the top, but thoroughly enjoyable work by Ernest Borgnine as a Viking king, and a nice bit of eye candy is provided by Janet Leigh. The cinematography is excellent, as is the scenary. The film was shot largely on location in Norway, and there is a strong sense of versimilitude to the visuals. Well worth a look, and here's a taste.

You can add this movie to your Tony Curtis collection. Kirk Douglas is also great. Mr. Curtis is great as the slave turned brother of Douglas. The sword fight they have at the end of the move is one of the best I've seen. A must see if you are a Tony Curtis or a Kirk Douglas fan.

"The Vikings" was a cinematic remake of a book of the same title and depicts, in Hollywood style, a little known event in English/Viking history. An English king has slain a Viking chief in a foul and duplicitous manner. In the actual history, if I can recall rightly, a Viking envoy to the English kingdom, is seized and murdered. In the movie, the chief is 'rescued' from a shipwreck and fed to a pit of wolves. No matter. The Vikings now have a cause and attack the English fortress, prevail and kill the Saxon king. The true history is probably more grim than this. The King is captured and, reportedly, 'the eagle is cut from his back' i.e. the skin of the back is incised to the spine; ribs are cut centrally and pulled back and laterally. When the operation is over, the victim, who now has 'wings', looks something like a bloody eagle, hence the name. Anyway, this is a thoroughly entertaining film...if...you can get over the fact that Tony Curtis with his Bronx accent is sorely... Read more

It was a time when the Vikings rampaged across Europe, taking what they wanted and letting no one stand in their way. But the slave, Eric (played by Tony Curtis), has a secret, a secret that will cause men to play games of power for very great stakes indeed. But if Eric is one pole that this crisis turns on, the other is Morgan (Janet Leigh), a woman so beautiful that men will do anything to possess her. OK, that's probably a pretty poor introduction. This is a great movie. The makers set out to make the movie as realistic as possible; eschewing any horned-helmets and whatnot, and the result is a breathtaking movie that is a real experience to watch. Also, the story is great, with lots of great adventure and romance. My fifteen-year-old son and I sat down to watch this movie, and he enjoyed it as much as I did. Yeah, this is a great movie, one that should be considered a classic. If you like action/adventure movies, then you will like this one. And, if you like historical fiction... Read more

I saw this film as a jr. high schooler and thought it was great. It still is! Director Richard Fleischer and Kirk Douglas were a great combo (also another of my favorites, Disney's "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea". The picture quality is superb showing off the beautiful Norweigian fjords and the DVD has a very comprehensive 'making of' bonus feature.

This film exhibits a curious blend of meticulous attention to detail in presenting historical accuracy and gross historical inaccuracies and anachronisms. According to the director commentory on my DVD, the Viking ships were constructed as authentically as possible. The horses were genuine fjordland horses, distinctively small to survive in that habitat. The Viking village was built according to our information. The bounding from oar to oar as the ship entered home port was said to be a real Viking tradition. Perhaps the most glaring anachronism to the casual viewer is that Norman-style castles, such as the restored fort La Latte, where the action takes place late in the film, didn't exist in Britain until after the Norman invasion, several centuries after this story takes place. No doubt, this anachronism was ignored because this Norman castle provided a visually much more dramatic structure and setting for the final confrontations than anything actually in Britian in this hist... Read more