Terror of the Red Mask (1960)
"Terrore della maschera rossa" (original title)

Marco, a traveling soldier in Renaissance Italy, enters the employ of an ambitious lord named Astolfo whose cruel reign is being challenged by a rebel known as "the Red Mask." Marco soon ... See full summary »

Director:

Luigi Capuano

Writers:

Marcello Ciorciolini (story), Vittorio Metz (screenplay),

Stars:

Lex Barker, Chelo Alonso, Livio Lorenzon

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Lex Barker	...	Marco
Chelo Alonso	...	Karima
Livio Lorenzon	...	Astolfo
Liana Orfei	...	Jolanda
Franco Fantasia	...	Egidio
Elio Crovetto	...	Uguccione
Enrico Glori
Ugo Sasso	...	Capo Ribelle
Bruno Scipioni	...	Ribelle
Luigi Tosi	...	Martino
Oscar Andriani
Arturo Bragaglia
Mario Meniconi
Benito Stefanelli
Marco Guglielmi	...	Ivano

Storyline

Marco, a traveling soldier in Renaissance Italy, enters the employ of an ambitious lord named Astolfo whose cruel reign is being challenged by a rebel known as "the Red Mask." Marco soon becomes romantically involved with both Karima, a Gypsy woman, and Iolanda, Astolfo's niece who blames her uncle for her father's death. Intrigues at the court soon result in Marco's fall from favor. He's about to be executed when a rebellion erupts in which the Red Mask's true identity is dramatically revealed.

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Plot Keywords:

gypsy | branding iron | sword fight | torture | murder | 

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Genres:

Adventure | History | Romance

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Details

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Release Date:

23 January 1960 (Italy)

Also Known As:

Terror of the Red Mask

Company Credits

Production Co:

In.Ci. R. di Angelo de Paolis, Jonia Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Astolfo: Marco will die horribly at daybreak in the courtyard of the castle. He will be tortured long after he begs for a merciful death.

User Reviews

A costume-adventure with too much plot

The basic plot here involves the overthrow of a tyrannical ruler. However, the story-line soon expands to include a romantic triangle which, along with various comic diversions and a few court intrigues, results in a "busy" movie that works better in parts than as a whole.

Though Lex Barker seems a bit out of place in these surroundings, he makes a stalwart presence and still, at about age 40, has the physique to carry off a scene in which he's whipped across his bare back while chained in a dungeon. (Strange -- the floggers really carry out their task with enthusiasm, but no matter how often they lash their victim's back, the number of bloody gashes on his skin appears to remain the same!) This flogging ranks 22nd in the book, "Lash! The Hundred Great Scenes of Men Being Whipped in the Movies."

Chelo Alonso as the fiery Gypsy and Liana Orfei as the lord's demure niece make attractively contrasting rivals for Barker's affections with Alonso leaving the stronger impression.

Livio Lorenzon plays the villainous lord in high style, delivering such delicious lines as, "Put him in the dungeon and whip him till there's no skin left on him," and "If he won't speak, he can scream."