Reviews (10)

"These men are mercenaries"
I'm so glad I picked this film up when it was still at a reasonable
price tag. I'm still waiting to see the "uncut" dvd version of this

The story deals with the mission of two mercenaries
(Rod Talyor & Jim Brown) are sent into the wilds of Africa during
Congo war uprising. Thier main task is to rescue any & all persons
still in the perimeter of the Simba tribes but underneath the task
is that of a hidden agenda of bringing back a wealth in diamonds.

Said to be in part policitly and Racially incorrect I simply saw
it as a supremely done "british action film" with enough intense
moments to keep most planted to their seats.This is an extremely
downbeat film even amongest all the explosions & chainsaw fights
from the title credits on in,this film takes you on a journey of
impending doom where everything that can go wrong does. This vhs
version in fact has a few scenes missing maybe due to violence or
some other factor. This is definetly one of Taylor's more intense
roles,I don't think I've ever seen him more furious in his career
There becomes a strained partnership between him and Jim Brown as
the mission becomes one of personal and financial gain. This mgm
series also has the original trailer following the film is always
a big plus in my book.

Excellent, exciting and violent action film
Cinematographer turned director Jack Cardiff's 1968 "Dark of the Sun" is an excellent, exciting and violent action film, well-made and acted. Both Aussie Rod Taylor and former Cleveland Browns great Jim Brown are excellent as hard-bitten, greedy mercenaries with (eventually) too good a heart in the turmoil of 1960s Congo (Zaire). This is by far the best adaptation yet of South African adventure writer Wilbur Smith's novels (I would love to see a good film version of Smith's "The Leopard Hunts in Darkness"). After a superb 3/4 of a film, the end is somewhat of a let down, so Curry kills the ex-Nazi Heinlein in a really brutal way, so what? The Congo suddenly has standards for mercenaries? I don't get it. A better ending would have had him escape to Europe with the girl and the ill-gotten cache of diamonds. With fine photography and an excellent film score and featuring Peter Carstens as the German mercenary Heinlein and Yvette Mimieux as the love interest.

Wait for the DVD
Closely based on the early novel of the same name by Wilbur Smith (River Gods, The Seventh Scroll), this dark, probing story realistically portrays the rebellious period of the Belgan Congo during the 60's. Bruce Curry (Taylor) is the white mercenary leader of a force of black government troops sent inland by train to rescue Europeans cut off in a mining town by anti-government Simbas-and more importantly to retrieve the diamonds stored in the town. As one might expect, Curry's plans quickly go awry. His troops are not dependable, and he has to fight not only Simbas but also his fellow mercenaries and hostile UN peace-keeping forces. As the author intended, there are no heroic characters, and the ending leaves the viewer totally unsatisfied. Taylor is well-cast, but the rest of the acting is very weak. The most brutal scenes have been cut from VHS versions, making the film choppy. One can only hope that this film will make it to DVD.

Dated, but still...
Dated. Politically Incorrect. Downright Racist at times. The movie runs like a poor man's "Heart of Darkness." Forget politics, history, or economics! The Simbas are simply reverting to old tribal ways. (Whereas Ruffo (Jim Brown) is a "good, civilized" african, whose father was approprately ashamed of his filed teeth.) This is the level of political awareness the film presents. Good Grief. Mobutu is supposed to be the good guy!

Stereotypes prevail. The Simbas wear warpaint and brandish spears. Yvette Mimeux plays the white, virgin; who narrowly escapes "violation." The only camoflage is the Hennerlin (sp?), the Nazi played by Peter Carsten, who exists only to prove that whites can be "primitive" too. Yeah, the story was written by a white South African alright and all in all the characters are two-dimensional.

Having said all that. Why four stars? the story has the ring of truth about it. Unlike most action movies, everything that can go wrong *does* from pure, understandable circumstance--and not from the *stupidity* of the major characters, summoned to move the plot along. The ending *is* tragic. (The only part of the mission that "comes off" is that the diamonds apparently get back to their "rightful owners.")

Finally, there's the speech Curry (Taylor) gives to Ruffo over Reid lifeless body. "The gun's Chinese, Ruffo, paid for by russian rubles. The steel probably came from a West German factory, built with French francs. Then it was flown here on an african airline, *probably* subsidized by the Yew-nited States! I don't think he got very far!"

It's shaped my entire view of foreign policy, ever since.

A Good Film
I first saw this movie when it was originally released and enjoyed it very much. It is an excellent action packed movie. The purpose of this review is I was very disappointed because the movie I received has been edited. That's the reason for my rating of 3 stars versus 5. Certain action scenes have been cut, either partly or altogether, and some dialog has been voiced over or deleted. Even the final scene, which is the culmination of the anger of Taylor losing his friend was altered. If you do order this movie attempt to make sure it is the original cut, which is much better than the version I received. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Please give this movie the DVD treatment!
I know I would give this film an even higher rating if it was ever brought to DVD with a widescreen presentation. There are so many scenes in this film where the actors heads are cut in half(vertically) and so many spectacular shots of Japanese vistas that having this film seen only on VHS(fullscreen) is actually a felony in the history of color filmmaking. That aside, the story is a comedy laced with genuine drama and fantastic character acting from both Shirley MacLaine and Bob Cummings surrounding the filming of "Madame Butterfly" at authentic Japanese locales. Fans of Yves Montand will not be disappointed for he brings a surprising range of emotions from one scene to the next, alternating between witty banter(particularly with Bob Cummings) to gripping heartache near the end of the story. The supporting cast is solid, led by veteran actor Edward G. Robinson in a role that is a far cry from his "Little Caesar" days. One of my few complaints lies in the fact that once in a while a Japanese extra will scowl at Shirley MacLaine when she is portraying her Geisha character with a little too much stereo-type. I certainly don't blame them for cringing once in a while. It would be like a young Japanese man portraying a Redneck Cowboy in front of a crowd of extras from Texas. However, Shirley MacLaine nails this role down pat after a few scenes early in the film where first-time director Jack Cardiff probably should have gone for another take. There are a couple of scenes that look too staged to be believed, while later in the film there are some excellent scenes with fantastic acting from all concerned. Once in a while there is also some voice-over dubbing that doesn't quite match the lip-movement. There are a few other scenes that suggest that Jack Cardiff was once a stage director at one time, such as: instead of having a split-screen effect and editing the actor's voices in later, the whole set is cut in two with a thin partition separating the action on either side as the actors do their scenes on the telephone. It makes for a great live effect that feels kinetic and touching . A while back, say ten years ago, I was in a Shirley MacLaine-fan mode and I rented everything I could find with her in it. I saw "The Apartment" and I thought she was the cutest actress I had ever seen, yet she had more emotional range than I had initially anticipated. I was subsequently thrown for a loop. I rented "My Geisha" in the hopes of seeing more stellar work from her, and in all seriousness I am surprised she was not nominated for the Oscar for this role. She plays two different characters, she is comedic, she cries, she sings, and she is absolutely gorgeous dressed as Geisha Yoko-Mori. As for the comedy in this story, Bob Cummings rules the roost here inducing full-throated chuckling on my part through the use of witty dialogue and his understated, under-rated physical comedy. This film has plenty in it to recommend it whole-heartedly: comedy, romance, wit, glorious photography, oftentimes inspired direction from Jack Cardiff, and four great lead performances mixed with some solid work from the supporting cast. Now if they'd only release this little gem on DVD my collection would reach one step closer to perfection. Take it easy...and don't jump into any volcanoes! Thank you.

It's a great two hours of fun
I never would have noticed this movie if it hadn't been for me catching it on Cinemax. Well the movie was great and i plan on buying the video or dvd of this to watch it over and over again. Shirley McClaine's potrayal of Lucy is so fun to watch and I am slowly getting to rediscover the classic movies. This is certainly among my favourites. She looks so believingly like a Japanese Geisha girl. The movie certainly touches your heart towards the end. Do certainly buy it or rent it. Don't miss it...

An old story, never portrayed better
Paul Robaix (Yves Montand) is a top notch movie maker. The only problem is that every one attributes his success to his actress wife (Shirley MacLaine.) To prove himself, he sets out for Japan to do a remake of 'Madame Butterfly', with out his wife's participation.
Unknown to him, the studio, represented by Edward G Robinson, has condemned him to a black and white film. His wife has cooked up a scheme to extricate her husband from the situation.
Will this plan save face or become the downfall of their career and marriage?

East meets West in a sweet comedy
Shirley MacLaine plays a famous comedy movie star and Yves Montand is her husband and a director. He wants to film Madame Butterfly in Japan with an all-Japanese cast. She plots (with producer Edward G. Robinson) to disguise herself as a Japanese actress and do the film without telling her husband, to prove she can do a serious role, even though Montand wants to prove he can make an important movie without her famous name. She dresses up as a geisha, gets the part, and they start shooting, but then her co-star, Robert Cummings, starts to fall in love with what he thinks is a demure Japanese woman.

The make-up and costumes that transform Shirley are beautiful, but even with contact lenses, she still looks like herself. She is overly-cute and almost annoying, until she redeems herself in the final scene. Yves Montand is very attractive, French accent and all. He is good at playing the sensitive man whose pride is crushed by his tricky wife. Robert Cummings is the comedy relief and keeps things lively as the leading man who chases all his leading ladies. Robinson is properly gruff and cranky, as one supposes rich and powerful produces might be.

The Japanese countryside is beautifully photographed and we hear some of the arias from Madame Butterfly. These poignant scenes combine with the comedy and unexpected effect of Shirley's trick to make a really enjoyable family film.

sweet
I just recently saw this movie and I loved it. It's a sweet romantic comedy, and the cinematography is just beautiful. ... Read more

Reviews (26)

The best Viking movie I have seen!
A yarn of long ships and tall men. The long ship: one especially constructed as King Harald's funeral ship. The hero: Richard Widmark, a ne'er-do-well as crafty as Odysseus. His father: Krok, a tremendous beer-swilling thane, builder of the long ship. King Harald dupes Krok, paying him a mere two gold pieces for his two years of effort. So Rolf (RW) and his brother Orm consider it fair to steal the long ship to search for a legendary golden bell, "as tall as three tall men" to recoup their fortunes. To guard against reprisals against their family while they are absent, Rolf and Orm also kidnap the king's lovely daughter. Thereby is the stage set for the search for the bell, the pursuit by the king, and the exciting clash with the Moors, led by Sidney Poitier. If you like action and adventure, you must see this movie!

Most fun Viking Flick
Now some will tell you "Vikings" is the best or some other film. I myself have a copy of "Vikings" too. But when it comes to the most fun I would have to say "The Long Ships" wins the prize. Take a swarthy group of Vikings on the quest for a giant golden bell, a dangerous sea journey, an army of Moors to battle, a ruthless King, and a fiendishly unusual device, "The Steel Mare", to kill a man and you have a classic.

It has great scenery, sets, costumes, music, and the cast does a great job of hamming it up. Richard Widmark and Sidney Poitier are perfect. You can tell they all had fun doing this movie. Though we don't get to see some carnage such as the results of riding the Mare, who needs to, my imagination works fine thank you. Quite honestly the in your face gratuitous gore of many other movies is overrated. When you think about it there are few movies about Vikings, and of those you definitely want to add this to your collection. The whole family should get a kick out of this one.

You will be humming the theme song after the movie, and may find yourself swinging pillows at one another seeing imaginary Moors. I couldn't wait any longer to see it on TV or until this comes out on DVD so I bought it on VHS. Now that I got the VHS copy it is coming out on DVD. DOH! I ended up buying this DVD and it is incredibly sharp. What a beautiful job of transferring it. Not much in the way of extras but still a wonderful DVD to own.

Viking--Where is the Bell ? !
I had not seen "The Long Ships" since it was released theatrically 40 years ago--yet it left a lasting impression. Of course, I am delighted that Columbia has issued this beautiful DVD--wide-screen, gorgeous colour--it is a treat to look at !

I think some of the negative reviews must come from people who took this movie far too seriously. What we have here is good, old-fashioned "hokum"--the actors knew it--the director knew it--so lighten up, and enjoy this rousing, exciting adventure.

I'm sure that Widmark and Poitier realised that they were not going to win Oscars for this movie--but sometimes even the best actors like to do things that are fun ! I suspect that Widmark was in his 40s, yet like that other famous "viking"--Kirk Douglas--he obviously stayed in shape, and acquits himself well in the action scenes. Mr. Poitier must have had a ball, wearing an outlandish wig, and flowing "Moorish" robes.

Movie buffs will see many familiar faces in this one, although--in a number of cases--they may not be so apparent at first. Terrific character actor, Lionel Jeffries, with heavy make-up and a top-knot, is the eunuch guarding the harem ( not too well ! )--his purpose is clearly comic relief. Stalwart British actors, David Lodge and Edward Judd, are "on board" as thick-bearded vikings. Another viking is played by that quintessential Scotsman, Gordon Jackson--I suppose some Scots might have travelled to Norway ? Clifford Evans ( on leave from Hammer Films ? ) is dignified as the viking king. Russ Tamblyn, always an acrobatic, athletic force, has his moments as the younger viking brother. Rossana Shiaffino and Beba Loncar are beautiful women--but that's all. Finally, the award for unbelievable over-acting goes to Oscar Homolka, as Widmark's ( and Tamblyn's ) father--his "drunken" scene at the mandatory "viking orgy" is quite surreal !

There are a number of memorable scenes, and I agree with other reviewers about the "Mare of Steel"--in 40 years, I never forgot it. You will not forget the poor "guinea pig" selected for a demonstration of this lethal device. Will Mr. Widmark be next ? Start chewing those finger nails !

One small criticism--as I mentioned, Columbia has done a beautiful job of presenting this film in all of it's colourful glory. However, someone in the "proof-reading" department really blew it. On the cover of the DVD case, the two stars' names are at the top--Mr. Poitier's name is spelled incorrectly. He is only one of the biggest stars in the history of film--so this glitch is unfortunate.

Anyway--for history scholars and lovers of authenticity--stay away. For the rest of us who like pure entertainment, "The Long Ships" is an exciting voyage !

Where is that golden bell?!
Finding a good viking film is never an easy task. One must wade through a lot of bad movies before discovering that rare gem. The 1964 lusty epic "The Long Ships" is not a gem. In fact, it is so laughably bad as to be amusing - but that's a good thing.

Certainly not as horrid as "The Norsemen," but far inferior to "The Vikings" and "The 13th Warrior," this film tells the tale of a band of vikings in search of a huge golden bell. Led by Richard Widmark and Russ Tamblyn (that's right, Russ Tamblyn), these colorful warriors steal a ship, oar through a maelstrom and battle Moors, all the while trying to find that darn golden bell.

Sidney Poitier, starring in probably the worst film of his career, is the leader of the Moors. He's got a sexually frustrated wife back home who's irritated with his obsession with finding this golden bell. Everyone's looking for the golden bell. I suppose when found, it can be melted down and provide untold riches for all involved. Which is really kind of a shame, because when it rings, it makes such beautiful music.

Anyway, Poitier and the Vikings reluctantly join forces to find the golden bell - which is about 20 feet tall. Such a golden bell must be awfully heavy, but it's carted around on a Gilligan's Island-like raft and pulled by a few horses once they reach land. At one point the bell falls down a cliff, killing a lot of vikings, and then oddly floating on the ocean. Thank goodness it didn't sink because I don't think viking scuba gear had been invented yet.

Oh well, I first saw this film as a child and thought it was the greatest darn film in history. It plays like a comic book, with Richard Widmark delivering Indiana Jones wisecracks throughout. It's a lot of fun if in the right mood and the battle sequences are exciting. The sets are also appropriately elaborate.

The film clocks in at over two hours and it drags because of it. But to edit "The Long Ships" down would mean to delete the scene where the vikings stumble upon a female harem. Rather than escape with their lives, they decide to sample the wares, which of course leads to chaos. I was half expecting John Cleese to make an appearance any second.

Ala Baba and the 40 Viking Thieves
Love Richard Widmark but this movie would have been better with a lighter weight actor like Tony Curtis. Entertaining but only worth renting. Russ Tamblyn is not the stature of Sydney and Richard.

Beautiful photography and effects but not a must see movie. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

For Real Motorcyclists
Forget the love story. If you're a real biker you'll love the flick for the asthetics of motorcycles and the feeling of riding in the wind. It features a very nice Norton and a Harley. This movie will be appreciated by those who lived in the 60's and rode bikes. I highly reccomend this video to all us older bikers!

The World's Greatest Psychedelic Driver's Ed Film
Rather than suffer her 19th Nervous Breakdown disgruntled housewife Marianne Faithfull (pre-Tom Waits soundalike period) hits the European road gleefully bouncing her robust Brit bottom on her motorbike soon to be coupled with intense Eurohunk Alain Delon.
Our leather-clad goddess wistfully reflects and reminisces about her last year on earth with eye-zapping psychedelic effects. This film would actually play very well in a double-feature with the simirlarly wild film "Performance".
Note to Marianne: while grinding down the Autobahn on a motorbike at 95 miles an hour it's okay to flap your thighs and bounce your butt but by all means KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN!

Rated X? You've got to be kidding...
This film has some good Harley riding by the girl in question, interesting scenery & cinematography and a nice, arty premise, but the psychedelics are annoying and by no means buy the DVD for the nudity. I can't believe this had to be "extensively cut" to get an R-rating. Seems to me that it would need a few seconds of trims at MOST and in fact there's nothing I saw here that I haven't seen in other R-rated movies. There isn't a lot of nudity in it and the vast majority is obscured by the psychedelic effects. The resulting footage is mostly no more explicit than a James Bond title sequence. The PG-rated Logan's Run shows off Jenny Agutter just about as much (without being so annoying). I can't help but wonder if this DVD doesn't really contain the cut version, although it doesn't look cut up... I've seen plenty of R-rated "exploitation flicks" that were way more revealing.

5 Stars????
A few interesting scenes, but the campy psychedelic effects overwhelm this movie.

Art, Classic,Super Sixties, Too Cutting Edge for Its' Time!
Beautiful Hot Babe+Story+ Love+ Emotion+ Action+ Great Cinematography Back in 1968. Oh Baby!Come on It has the Total Package.The First Run I Saw at a theater, X rated It was Great,English-Euro Version is the Bomb! But soon after That Censorship Got Its Maleavolent Head-Up cutting time off the USA Film. It Certainly should have been an award winner if censors hadn't butchered/Edited it mercilessly, crippling continuity. Fortunately I saw it in a first run unsensored un cut format-High Impact. Every bit Rebel Without A Cause/James Dean or Brando Era Stuff. Reviewers of the Day were to weak to buck mainstream uptight conservative Morays, and afraid of the Market/Studios Power on the whole. The movie was Very Reflective of the young people in the sixties and even those today, who are pushed like a peg in a hole in the main. Both influenced and expected to conform to majority ideals and opinions of their Elders as sheep. The Movie Well Exhibits Free Will, Free Expression and There Is Life being Lived. The Story, Portrayal, Acting and Filmwork were superb for a modest budgeted project. The action is good as any, and Ridership very good. Note the riding of onto the grass is far harder and more slippery as any rider can attest. As for wet roads that's a given. Not computer animation. Too Real; For Its Day I Found It Was Just Superb! ... Read more

Reviews (10)

"These men are mercenaries"
I'm so glad I picked this film up when it was still at a reasonable
price tag. I'm still waiting to see the "uncut" dvd version of this

The story deals with the mission of two mercenaries
(Rod Talyor & Jim Brown) are sent into the wilds of Africa during
Congo war uprising. Thier main task is to rescue any & all persons
still in the perimeter of the Simba tribes but underneath the task
is that of a hidden agenda of bringing back a wealth in diamonds.

Said to be in part policitly and Racially incorrect I simply saw
it as a supremely done "british action film" with enough intense
moments to keep most planted to their seats.This is an extremely
downbeat film even amongest all the explosions & chainsaw fights
from the title credits on in,this film takes you on a journey of
impending doom where everything that can go wrong does. This vhs
version in fact has a few scenes missing maybe due to violence or
some other factor. This is definetly one of Taylor's more intense
roles,I don't think I've ever seen him more furious in his career
There becomes a strained partnership between him and Jim Brown as
the mission becomes one of personal and financial gain. This mgm
series also has the original trailer following the film is always
a big plus in my book.

Excellent, exciting and violent action film
Cinematographer turned director Jack Cardiff's 1968 "Dark of the Sun" is an excellent, exciting and violent action film, well-made and acted. Both Aussie Rod Taylor and former Cleveland Browns great Jim Brown are excellent as hard-bitten, greedy mercenaries with (eventually) too good a heart in the turmoil of 1960s Congo (Zaire). This is by far the best adaptation yet of South African adventure writer Wilbur Smith's novels (I would love to see a good film version of Smith's "The Leopard Hunts in Darkness"). After a superb 3/4 of a film, the end is somewhat of a let down, so Curry kills the ex-Nazi Heinlein in a really brutal way, so what? The Congo suddenly has standards for mercenaries? I don't get it. A better ending would have had him escape to Europe with the girl and the ill-gotten cache of diamonds. With fine photography and an excellent film score and featuring Peter Carstens as the German mercenary Heinlein and Yvette Mimieux as the love interest.

Wait for the DVD
Closely based on the early novel of the same name by Wilbur Smith (River Gods, The Seventh Scroll), this dark, probing story realistically portrays the rebellious period of the Belgan Congo during the 60's. Bruce Curry (Taylor) is the white mercenary leader of a force of black government troops sent inland by train to rescue Europeans cut off in a mining town by anti-government Simbas-and more importantly to retrieve the diamonds stored in the town. As one might expect, Curry's plans quickly go awry. His troops are not dependable, and he has to fight not only Simbas but also his fellow mercenaries and hostile UN peace-keeping forces. As the author intended, there are no heroic characters, and the ending leaves the viewer totally unsatisfied. Taylor is well-cast, but the rest of the acting is very weak. The most brutal scenes have been cut from VHS versions, making the film choppy. One can only hope that this film will make it to DVD.

Dated, but still...
Dated. Politically Incorrect. Downright Racist at times. The movie runs like a poor man's "Heart of Darkness." Forget politics, history, or economics! The Simbas are simply reverting to old tribal ways. (Whereas Ruffo (Jim Brown) is a "good, civilized" african, whose father was approprately ashamed of his filed teeth.) This is the level of political awareness the film presents. Good Grief. Mobutu is supposed to be the good guy!

Stereotypes prevail. The Simbas wear warpaint and brandish spears. Yvette Mimeux plays the white, virgin; who narrowly escapes "violation." The only camoflage is the Hennerlin (sp?), the Nazi played by Peter Carsten, who exists only to prove that whites can be "primitive" too. Yeah, the story was written by a white South African alright and all in all the characters are two-dimensional.

Having said all that. Why four stars? the story has the ring of truth about it. Unlike most action movies, everything that can go wrong *does* from pure, understandable circumstance--and not from the *stupidity* of the major characters, summoned to move the plot along. The ending *is* tragic. (The only part of the mission that "comes off" is that the diamonds apparently get back to their "rightful owners.")

Finally, there's the speech Curry (Taylor) gives to Ruffo over Reid lifeless body. "The gun's Chinese, Ruffo, paid for by russian rubles. The steel probably came from a West German factory, built with French francs. Then it was flown here on an african airline, *probably* subsidized by the Yew-nited States! I don't think he got very far!"

It's shaped my entire view of foreign policy, ever since.

A Good Film
I first saw this movie when it was originally released and enjoyed it very much. It is an excellent action packed movie. The purpose of this review is I was very disappointed because the movie I received has been edited. That's the reason for my rating of 3 stars versus 5. Certain action scenes have been cut, either partly or altogether, and some dialog has been voiced over or deleted. Even the final scene, which is the culmination of the anger of Taylor losing his friend was altered. If you do order this movie attempt to make sure it is the original cut, which is much better than the version I received. ... Read more

Reviews (26)

The best Viking movie I have seen!
A yarn of long ships and tall men. The long ship: one especially constructed as King Harald's funeral ship. The hero: Richard Widmark, a ne'er-do-well as crafty as Odysseus. His father: Krok, a tremendous beer-swilling thane, builder of the long ship. King Harald dupes Krok, paying him a mere two gold pieces for his two years of effort. So Rolf (RW) and his brother Orm consider it fair to steal the long ship to search for a legendary golden bell, "as tall as three tall men" to recoup their fortunes. To guard against reprisals against their family while they are absent, Rolf and Orm also kidnap the king's lovely daughter. Thereby is the stage set for the search for the bell, the pursuit by the king, and the exciting clash with the Moors, led by Sidney Poitier. If you like action and adventure, you must see this movie!

Most fun Viking Flick
Now some will tell you "Vikings" is the best or some other film. I myself have a copy of "Vikings" too. But when it comes to the most fun I would have to say "The Long Ships" wins the prize. Take a swarthy group of Vikings on the quest for a giant golden bell, a dangerous sea journey, an army of Moors to battle, a ruthless King, and a fiendishly unusual device, "The Steel Mare", to kill a man and you have a classic.

It has great scenery, sets, costumes, music, and the cast does a great job of hamming it up. Richard Widmark and Sidney Poitier are perfect. You can tell they all had fun doing this movie. Though we don't get to see some carnage such as the results of riding the Mare, who needs to, my imagination works fine thank you. Quite honestly the in your face gratuitous gore of many other movies is overrated. When you think about it there are few movies about Vikings, and of those you definitely want to add this to your collection. The whole family should get a kick out of this one.

You will be humming the theme song after the movie, and may find yourself swinging pillows at one another seeing imaginary Moors. I couldn't wait any longer to see it on TV or until this comes out on DVD so I bought it on VHS. Now that I got the VHS copy it is coming out on DVD. DOH! I ended up buying this DVD and it is incredibly sharp. What a beautiful job of transferring it. Not much in the way of extras but still a wonderful DVD to own.

Viking--Where is the Bell ? !
I had not seen "The Long Ships" since it was released theatrically 40 years ago--yet it left a lasting impression. Of course, I am delighted that Columbia has issued this beautiful DVD--wide-screen, gorgeous colour--it is a treat to look at !

I think some of the negative reviews must come from people who took this movie far too seriously. What we have here is good, old-fashioned "hokum"--the actors knew it--the director knew it--so lighten up, and enjoy this rousing, exciting adventure.

I'm sure that Widmark and Poitier realised that they were not going to win Oscars for this movie--but sometimes even the best actors like to do things that are fun ! I suspect that Widmark was in his 40s, yet like that other famous "viking"--Kirk Douglas--he obviously stayed in shape, and acquits himself well in the action scenes. Mr. Poitier must have had a ball, wearing an outlandish wig, and flowing "Moorish" robes.

Movie buffs will see many familiar faces in this one, although--in a number of cases--they may not be so apparent at first. Terrific character actor, Lionel Jeffries, with heavy make-up and a top-knot, is the eunuch guarding the harem ( not too well ! )--his purpose is clearly comic relief. Stalwart British actors, David Lodge and Edward Judd, are "on board" as thick-bearded vikings. Another viking is played by that quintessential Scotsman, Gordon Jackson--I suppose some Scots might have travelled to Norway ? Clifford Evans ( on leave from Hammer Films ? ) is dignified as the viking king. Russ Tamblyn, always an acrobatic, athletic force, has his moments as the younger viking brother. Rossana Shiaffino and Beba Loncar are beautiful women--but that's all. Finally, the award for unbelievable over-acting goes to Oscar Homolka, as Widmark's ( and Tamblyn's ) father--his "drunken" scene at the mandatory "viking orgy" is quite surreal !

There are a number of memorable scenes, and I agree with other reviewers about the "Mare of Steel"--in 40 years, I never forgot it. You will not forget the poor "guinea pig" selected for a demonstration of this lethal device. Will Mr. Widmark be next ? Start chewing those finger nails !

One small criticism--as I mentioned, Columbia has done a beautiful job of presenting this film in all of it's colourful glory. However, someone in the "proof-reading" department really blew it. On the cover of the DVD case, the two stars' names are at the top--Mr. Poitier's name is spelled incorrectly. He is only one of the biggest stars in the history of film--so this glitch is unfortunate.

Anyway--for history scholars and lovers of authenticity--stay away. For the rest of us who like pure entertainment, "The Long Ships" is an exciting voyage !

Where is that golden bell?!
Finding a good viking film is never an easy task. One must wade through a lot of bad movies before discovering that rare gem. The 1964 lusty epic "The Long Ships" is not a gem. In fact, it is so laughably bad as to be amusing - but that's a good thing.

Certainly not as horrid as "The Norsemen," but far inferior to "The Vikings" and "The 13th Warrior," this film tells the tale of a band of vikings in search of a huge golden bell. Led by Richard Widmark and Russ Tamblyn (that's right, Russ Tamblyn), these colorful warriors steal a ship, oar through a maelstrom and battle Moors, all the while trying to find that darn golden bell.

Sidney Poitier, starring in probably the worst film of his career, is the leader of the Moors. He's got a sexually frustrated wife back home who's irritated with his obsession with finding this golden bell. Everyone's looking for the golden bell. I suppose when found, it can be melted down and provide untold riches for all involved. Which is really kind of a shame, because when it rings, it makes such beautiful music.

Anyway, Poitier and the Vikings reluctantly join forces to find the golden bell - which is about 20 feet tall. Such a golden bell must be awfully heavy, but it's carted around on a Gilligan's Island-like raft and pulled by a few horses once they reach land. At one point the bell falls down a cliff, killing a lot of vikings, and then oddly floating on the ocean. Thank goodness it didn't sink because I don't think viking scuba gear had been invented yet.

Oh well, I first saw this film as a child and thought it was the greatest darn film in history. It plays like a comic book, with Richard Widmark delivering Indiana Jones wisecracks throughout. It's a lot of fun if in the right mood and the battle sequences are exciting. The sets are also appropriately elaborate.

The film clocks in at over two hours and it drags because of it. But to edit "The Long Ships" down would mean to delete the scene where the vikings stumble upon a female harem. Rather than escape with their lives, they decide to sample the wares, which of course leads to chaos. I was half expecting John Cleese to make an appearance any second.

Ala Baba and the 40 Viking Thieves
Love Richard Widmark but this movie would have been better with a lighter weight actor like Tony Curtis. Entertaining but only worth renting. Russ Tamblyn is not the stature of Sydney and Richard.

Beautiful photography and effects but not a must see movie. ... Read more