The Flame and the Arrow (1950)

Dardo, a Robin Hood-like figure, and his loyal followers use a Roman ruin in Medieval Lombardy as their headquarters as they conduct an insurgency against their Hessian conquerors.

Director:

Jacques Tourneur

Writer:

Waldo Salt

Stars:

Burt Lancaster, Virginia Mayo, Robert Douglas

Nominated for 2 Oscars.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Burt Lancaster	...	Dardo Bartoli
Virginia Mayo	...	Anne de Hesse
Robert Douglas	...	Marchese Alessandro de Granazia
Aline MacMahon	...	Nonna Bartoli
Frank Allenby	...	Count 'The Hawk' Ulrich
Nick Cravat	...	Piccolo
Lynn Baggett	...	Francesca (as Lynne Baggett)
Gordon Gebert	...	Rudi Bartoli - Dardo's Son
Norman Lloyd	...	Apollo - The Troubador
Victor Kilian	...	Mazzoni - Apothecary
Francis Pierlot	...	Papa Pietro
Robin Hughes	...	Skinner

Storyline

Twelfth-century Lombardy lies under the iron heel of German overlord Count Ulrich 'The Hawk', but in the mountains, guerillas yet resist. Five years before our story, Ulrich stole away the pretty wife of young archer Dardo who, cynical rather than embittered, still has little interest in joining the rebels. But this changes when his son, too, is taken from him. The rest is lighthearted swashbuckling, plus romantic interludes with lovely hostage Anne.

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Plot Keywords:

lombardy | insurgency | 12th century | castle | acrobatics | 

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Taglines:

The Challenge is Hurled From the Ramparts ! He'll Fight to the Death For the Love of His Life !

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | History | Romance

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 July 1950 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Hawk and the Arrow

Filming Locations:

Bronson Caves, Bronson Canyon, Griffith Park - 4730 Crystal Springs Drive, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,600,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Norma-F.R. Productions,Warner Bros.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Veteran stuntman Duke Green was seriously injured doing a stunt in this film. He was supposed to catch his foot in a snare on a forest pathway and be whipped upright off his feet. The rigging from the platform above him broke, and he plunged to the ground, breaking his neck. He eventually recovered to a degree and did some minor stuntwork in the years following, but the injury effectively ended his 25-year career as a stuntman.

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Goofs

When Piccolo is fighting the guardsman in the balcony he flips his sword around and holds the blade with his hand (showing it cannot be sharp) and then whacks the guardsman with the broad side of the blade near the hilt, bending it at least 20-25 degrees.

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Quotes

Dardo Bartoli: Now, Marchese, we're in the dark where a sword is just a long knife.

User Reviews

Very entertaining....and a lot like ROBIN HOOD, PART II

While this isn't the best adventure film I have ever seen, it might just be the highest energy film and featured stunts you just won't see in films by Errol Flynn or Ronald Coleman. That's because the star, Burt Lancaster, does most of his own stunts--having been a circus performer in a previous career along with his partner, Nick Cravat! It's obvious that he is one of the most athletic leading men in history and apart from his film, TRAPEZE, it's the most incredible stunt-work you'll see him do on film. A couple years after making this film, Lancaster returned for THE CRIMSON PIRATE--a better film, but one that features less of the athleticism of THE FLAME AND THE ARROW. It is interesting that Lancaster's circus partner, Nick Cravat, also plays his best friend in this film and several others (such as THE CRIMSON PIRATE). Some of their stunt-work together is truly amazing.

As far as the plot goes, it's a reworking of the Robin Hood story, but this time it's set in Lombardy (a region in North-central Italy that includes Milan) and the invaders are Hessians (from the region around Frankfurt, Germany). Apart from that, the story elements are very, very similar. Even the part played by Virginia mayo is a copy of Maid Marian from Robin Hood. However, despite being a bit recycled, the film is exciting and fun--if also a bit like "fluff". Good old fashioned, but not especially deep fun, it's a must for Burt Lancaster films--he's dynamite.