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Spoilers (1)
The tune that Isabeau and Phillipe dance to in the stable is a genuine Italian 14th Century dance named "Trotto". The film also features a Renaissance piece by John Dowland
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Richard Donner originally wanted to cast Rutger Hauer as the evil captain of the guard while casting a younger actor, Kurt Russell, as Navarre. Hauer wasn't interested in that role, but expressed interest in playing Navarre. When Russell dropped out a few days before principal photography began, the part was handed to Hauer.
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Warner Brothers falsely marketed the movie as being based on a true medieval legend. Edward Khmara took the issue to the Writers Guild Association and was awarded a cash settlement from Warners, but the medieval legend claim wasn't dropped.
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In one scene, Navarre tells Philippe to ride his horse to Imperius' castle and slaps the horse's rear to make it ride. However, the first time the scene was filmed, Rutger Hauer (Navarre) slapped the horse too hard and it took off over the hill and off into the horizon. The horse was too powerful for Matthew Broderick to stop, so all everyone could do was sit and wait for him to come back.
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The breed of horse that Navarre rides is a Friesian stallion that originated in the Netherlands, Rutger Hauer's native country. The breed was popular among medieval knights. The most prominently used horse was a 19 year old stallion called Othello.
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The hawk featured in the movie went under the name Spike II and worked in the Universal Bird Show until 2000 when she was transfered to the National Audubon society and became an Audubon Ambassador until she died in May 2007. Several different hawks were used. One to sit on Rutger Hauer's arm and another for the flying scenes. A third proved to be mostly unusable, as it enjoyed Hauers company so much that it would ruffle it feathers when seated on his arm, making it look more like a chicken than a stately hawk.
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In the Bishop's garden, he is seen hand-feeding a dancing woman (played by Constume Designer Nanà Cecchi). The pattern on the sleeves of her gown is drawn from the plumage of a hawk, and she employs bird-like motions in her dancing.
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Spoilers
The movie is set in the south of France and, based on certain astronomical events that occur, can be dated to 1239.
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