The Black Shield of Falworth (1954)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Rudolph Maté

Writers:

Oscar Brodney (screenplay)
Howard Pyle (novel)

Release Date:

2 September 1954 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Romance

Plot:

Technicolor & tights. In the days of King Henry IV, stalwart young Myles and his sister Meg have been raised as peasants...

Plot Keywords:

Medieval Times | Wife And Husband Lead Actors | Sword Fight | Based On Novel | Character Name In Title

Cast

Tony Curtis	...	Myles Falworth
Janet Leigh	...	Lady Anne of Mackworth
David Farrar	...	Gilbert Blunt, Earl of Alban
Barbara Rush	...	Meg Falworth
Herbert Marshall	...	William, Earl of Mackworth
Torin Thatcher	...	Sir James
Dan O'Herlihy	...	Prince Hal of Wales (as Daniel O'Herlihy)
Patrick O'Neal	...	Walter Blunt
Craig Hill	...	Francis Gascoyne
Ian Keith	...	King Henry IV
Doris Lloyd	...	Dame Ellen, Lady-in-Waiting
Rhys Williams	...	Diccon Bowman
Leonard Mudie	...	Friar Edward
Maurice Marsac	...	Count de Vermois
Leo Britt	...	Sir Robert
Charles B. Fitzsimons	...	Squire Giles (as Charles Fitz Simons)
Gary Montgomery	...	Squire Peter
Claud Allister	...	Sir George
Hamilton Camp	...	Roger Ingoldsby (as Robin Camp)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Harry Cording	...	Captain of King's Guards (uncredited)
Nicolas Coster	...	Humphrey, Young Squire (uncredited)
Charles Evans	...	Lord Archbishop (uncredited)
Richard B. Fitzgerald	...	Sentry (uncredited)
Lance Fuller	...	Guard (uncredited)
Brett Halsey	...	Young Squire / Apprentice Knight (uncredited)
Chuck Hamilton	...	Court Observer (uncredited)
Ramsay Hill	...	Sir Charles (uncredited)
Robert F. Hoy	...	First Guard (uncredited)
Nelson Leigh	...	Archbishop at Myles' Knighting (uncredited)
James Logan	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Damian O'Flynn	...	Sir Alexander (uncredited)
Reginald Sheffield	...	Lord Constable (uncredited)

Directed by
Rudolph Maté

Writing credits
Oscar Brodney		(screenplay)
Howard Pyle		(novel "Men of Iron")

Produced by
Robert Arthur	....	producer
Melville Tucker	....	producer

Original Music by
Hans J. Salter		(uncredited)
Frank Skinner		(uncredited)
Herman Stein		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Irving Glassberg		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Ted J. Kent

Art Direction by
Alexander Golitzen
Richard H. Riedel

Set Decoration by
Oliver Emert
Russell A. Gausman

Costume Design by
Rosemary Odell

Makeup Department
Joan St. Oegger	....	hair stylist
Bud Westmore	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
James Curtis Havens	....	second unit director (as James C. Havens)
Tom Shaw	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Leslie I. Carey	....	sound
Joe Lapis	....	sound

Stunts
Robert F. Hoy	....	stunts (uncredited)
David Sharpe	....	stunt double: Tony Curtis (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Monroe W. Burbank	....	color consultant: Technicolor

Music Department
Joseph Gershenson	....	music supervisor

Production Companies

• Universal International Pictures (UI) (presents) (as Universal-International)

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1954) (USA) (theatrical)
• Atlantic Film (1965) (Austria) (theatrical) (re-issue)
• Universal Pictures (1954) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (magnetic prints) (Western Electric Recording) | Mono (Perspecta Sound encoding) (optical prints)

Certification:

West Germany:6 (f) | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:15 | UK:U | USA:Approved (PCA #16907, General Audience)

Filming Locations:

Castle, Backlot, Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company:

Universal International Pictures (UI)

Trivia:

This was Universal-International's first feature in CinemaScope.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the final battle, Myles gets a number of scuff marks on his shield from deflecting his enemy's mace blows. These damage marks appear and disappear between shots.

Quotes:

Myles Falworth: [Sir James instructs Myles to ride a horse among a series of pells - upright supports - with his hands over his head. When he fails, he complains to Sir James that he cannot control the horse] How is the horse supposed to know, unless he has more sense than I?
Sir James: A possibility not so remote as you might imagine.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Blackadder Exclusive: The Whole Rotten Saga (2008) (TV)

GO, TONY, GO.

This romp plays like a medieval martial arts movie.It is very similar to the early Jackie Chan films with its story of a young man who goes to a fighting school to hone his brawling skills into those of a true warrior. Tony Curtis,like Chan,is energy personified in this movie.He doesn't walk when he can run, he doesn't run when he can jump and most of all he doesn't talk when he can fight. This bears comparison with "THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD" and "THE PRISONER OF ZENDA" and that over-used word 'camp' is only used by people who do not like or appreciate action fests like this and seek to denigrate them. Ignore those types and enjoy this zesty and bright adventure as an aperitif before watching Curtis in the truly great historical adventures like "THE VIKINGS" and "SPARTACUS."