THE FLAME AND THE ARROW
US, 1950, 88 minutes, Colour.
Burt Lancaster, Virginia Mayo, Robert Douglas. Aline McMahon?, Frank Allenby, Nick Cravat
Directed by Jacques Tourneur.
The Flame and the Arrow is a brief Warner Brothers mediaeval adventure of the late '40s. It echoes the flamboyant style of the Errol Flynn adventures of the '30s and '40s. Burt Lancaster, with his associate Nick Cravat is at his most acrobatic and has plenty of opportunities to show his skill here (as he did later with Cravat in such adventures as The Crimson Pirate).
Virginia Mayo is an attractive heroine. Mediaeval Lombardy is the Hollywood back lot - but done colourfully and with characters like Robert Douglas and Aline McMahon?. There is plenty of action adventure in the fast paced screenplay by Waldo Salt (writer of such dramas as Midnight Cowboy). There is a Max Steiner score. Direction is by Jacques Tourneur, who made a number of the Val Lewton horror films of the '40s including Cat People.He directed the horror classic of the '50s, The Night of the Demon.
1. Entertaining mediaeval adventure? The popularity of this kind of film? The dashing hero in the tradition of Douglas Fairbanks and Errol Flynn? A Burt Lancaster vehicle? The issues of the mediaeval world - oppression and the Robin Hood-type leaders?
2. Colour photography, mediaeval Europe on the back lot of Warner Bros.? The Max Steiner score? Special effects and stunts? Editing and pace?
3. The conventions of the genre: the establishment of the situation, the oppression of the ordinary people, the tyranny of the overlords, the local outlaw hero, the noble heroine, clashes and dangers, kidnappings, fights and deceits, the vindication of the people at the end? How well used in this film? Relying on audience acceptance of this?
4. The Lombardy setting, the period of Frederick Barbarossa? How realistic? For the plot purposes? The picture of the people and the oppression, foreign overlords? Taxes, battles? The hero and his saving the day ? the various devices and cunning? The plausibility of the romance?
5. Dardo and his legendary status, Burt Lancaster's energetic presence? Love for his son, the estrangement from his wife Francesca and her being with Ulrich? The people of the village? His presence in the castle, rescuing his son, the kidnapping of Anne, the devices to save Papa Pietro, the support of the villagers, the troubadour, the Count and his later betrayal? The acrobatics of the final confrontation? The happy ending with Anne?
6. Anne as the decorative heroine? Presence at the palace, fascination with Dardo, her being kidnapped, trying to escape, learning of the ways of the outlaws, the arranged marriage and her rejection, her warning Dardo, the happy ending?
7. The range of minor characters: Rudi and his love for his father, his being taken to the court and trained in dancing, Francesca and her abandoning Dardo, her taking up with Ulrich, her death? Papa Pietro and Nonna Bartoli and the dangers in the town, the support of the people, the hanging and the rescue?
8. Ulrich as villain? Cruelty, taking Francesca, taking Rudi, the taxes, his attacking the Count, the confrontation with Dardo, Dardo's deceiving him as being hanged, the final fight? The Count and his wanting to marry Anne, being imprisoned, rescued, joining Dardo, changing sides to save himself?
9. The minor characters: Piccolo and his expertise, mute, communication, friendship with Anne, message, imprisonment, rescue, acrobatics? The troubadour and his joining the group? Their disguise as clowns and joining in the performance and turning it into a siege? The apothecary and his help?
10. Audience involvement in the action sequences - predictable but nevertheless enjoyable?
11. The use of mediaeval stories with their action adventure, heroism and romance as a critique of social injustice situations? Enshrining traditional values?
