Actors: Robert Wagner, Janet Leigh, James Mason, Debra Paget, Sterling Hayden, Victor McLaglen, Brian Aherne, Primo Carnera, Howard Wendell, Donald Crisp, Per
Review Summary and Plot Commentary about Prince Valiant (1954)
A bright, colorful Saturdy-matinee type movie adapted from Hal Foster's comic strip. Loosely based on characters and concepts from the strip, a young Viking prince is sent to King Arthur's court to become a knight and regain the throne and sword that was stolen from his father. He winds up getting squired to Sir Gawain and tangled up in a plot to userp the throne from King Arthur by one of his knights. There is also a romance involving a Princess or two. There are lengthy passages without dialogue that are actually handled quite well. Young Robert Wagner is sincere and energetic as the hero, despite his silly page-boy wig. The action is thrilling and fun to watch. There are jousts, castle seiges, chase scenes, escapes, arrows, and sword-fights galore!
--Zorikh Lequidre, Resident Scholar
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Analysis of Prince Valiant (1954)
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Movie Actual chase scenes or violence - 30% Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 60% Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 10%
Time/Era of Movie:
- middle ages
Legal/Political Thriller?
Yes
Political Plotlets:
- power struggle between good/bad govt factions
- deposing an evil leader
Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- Prince/Nobleman/King
Age:
- 20's-30's
Hair color?
- brunette (Black)
Hair style
- short/standard straight (man)
Body type
- muscular (man)
Unclothed?
- Chest
Events of movie makes character more...
- sensitive
- caring
- tougher
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Secondary Main Character
Identity:
- Female
Hair color
- blonde
Hair style
- (woman) medium/shoulderlgn wavy
Body type
- ample bosom & buttocks (woman)
How much in movie?
- 80%
Ethnicity/Nationality
- British
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 40's-50's
Profession/status:
- Prince/Nobleman/King
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- 80%
Specific kind of enemies?
- tyrants
- captors
Hair color
- brunette (Black)
Hair type
- (man) short/standard wavey
Body type
- muscular (man)
Ethnicity/Nationality
- British
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Sense of humor
- Cynical sense of humor
How sensitive is this character?
- mean, arrogant
Setting
Europe
Yes
European country:
- Scandinavia
- England/UK
Mountains/Cliffs
Yes
Mountains:
- climbing with ropes
Forest?
Yes
Water?
Yes
Water:
- warship
- swimming on
- drowning
Misc setting
- prison
- fort/military installation
- castle
- church/synagogue
Style
Accounts of torture and death?
- moderately messy visuals of dead
Movie makes you feel...
- excited
How many deaths in film?
- dozens
How much use of techno gadgets?
- 3 (some)
Kind of violence:
- land battles
- mission to rescue
- hand to hand
- swords
Unusual forms of death
- dropped from large heights
- crushed
- flamed
- perforation--swords/knives
Lot of special effects?
Yes
Kinds of F/X
- exploding bombs
If this is a kid's movie...
- Ages 10-15
If Soundtrack VERY NOTICEABLE...
- Orchestra/classical
Is this movie based on a
- comics
