Ivanhoe (1952)

A knight seeks to free the captive King Richard and put him back on the throne.

Director:

Richard Thorpe

Writers:

Noel Langley (screenplay), Æneas MacKenzie (adaptation)

Stars:

Robert Taylor, Elizabeth Taylor, Joan Fontaine

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robert Taylor	...	Ivanhoe
Elizabeth Taylor	...	Rebecca
Joan Fontaine	...	Rowena
George Sanders	...	De Bois-Guilbert
Emlyn Williams	...	Wamba
Robert Douglas	...	Sir Hugh De Bracy
Finlay Currie	...	Cedric
Felix Aylmer	...	Isaac
Francis De Wolff	...	Front De Boeuf (as Francis DeWolff)
Norman Wooland	...	King Richard
Basil Sydney	...	Waldemar Fitzurse
Harold Warrender	...	Locksley
Patrick Holt	...	Philip DeMalvoisin
Roderick Lovell	...	Ralph DeVipont
Sebastian Cabot	...	Clerk of Copmanhurst

Storyline

In the centre of this Walter Scott classic fiction inspired film the chivalrousness and the daring stand. Ivanhoe, the disowned knight join to the bravehearted and high-minded Robin Hood, the valiant of Forest Sherwood. They want King Richard to rule the kingdom instead of evil Prince John.

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Plot Keywords:

title same as book | character name as title | ivanhoe character | king | knight | 

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Taglines:

At last on the screen ! Biggest spectacle since Quo Vadis.

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | History | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 February 1953 (USA)

Also Known As:

Sir Walter Scott's Ivanhoe

Filming Locations:

MGM British Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$3,842,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

106 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Stuntman Paddy Ryan's fall from the battlements of a castle into the moat below became the stuff of legend among his stuntmen peers because it was so spectacular.

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Goofs

During the fire at the castle where Ivanhoe and his father and Squire are held captive, one of the soldiers runs to the fight and you can see his sword wobble and shake because it is made of rubber.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Narrator: In the 12th century, at the close of the third crusade to free the Holy Land, the Saxon knight called Wilfred of Ivanhoe undertook a private crusade of his own. England's warrior king Richard the Lionhearted had disappeared during his homeward march, vanishing without trace. His disappearance dealt a cruel blow to his unhappy country, already in turmoil from the bitter conflict between Saxons and Normans. And in time, most of his subjects came to mourn him as dead. But Ivanhoe's ...

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Connections

Referenced in De familie Knots: Enge dingen (1981)

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Soundtracks

The Song of Ivanhoe
(1952) (uncredited)
Music by Miklós Rózsa
Lyrics by Marguerite Roberts
Sung by Robert Taylor and Norman Wooland

User Reviews

Good family fare with romance and great action scenes

This splendid version of Sir Walter Scott's classic epic tale starts in 12th century, when Saxon Knight Wilfred of Ivanhoe(Robert Taylor), a suitable noble, having fought for Richard the Lionhearted(Norman Wooland) during the Crusades, goes back to England. He aware king Richard has been taken prisoner and gets a letter written, telling the following : 'To the people of England . I am here held captive by Leopold of Austria. My brother, prince John has knowledge of it, yet he has denied my ransom. One hundred and fifty thousand marks of silver. I fear he does conspire with certain Norman knights to seize my throne. People of England, speed my deliverance. Your kingdom is at stake'. In order to regain his freedom, Ivanhoe attended by a likable squire(Emilyn Williams) confronts Prince John(Guy Rolfe) and his lieutenants(in this case George Sanders and Robert Douglas)and he's also drawn to Jewish healer Rebecca(Elizabeth Taylor), Isaac(Felix Aylmer)of York's daughter. Meanwhile, Ivanhoe woo maidens, as his childhood sweetheart, Saxon heiress Rowena(Joan Fontaine).Prince John, now John Lackland will stop at nothing to assume the throne. Ivanhoe join forces with Robin Hood and his Merry man who attack the stronghold.

This enjoyable film displays romance, chivalry, knighthood, daring jousting and lots of action with spectacular castle attack. This one proved notable hit as well as the others two Robert Taylor's forays into English history, 'Quentin Durward and Knights of the Round table', produced and directed by similar crew, Pandro S Berman and Richard Thorpe. The film packs a glamorous and luminous cinematography by Freddie Young and evocative musical score by Miklos Rozsa. The picture is excellently handled by Richard Thorpe.

The film is partially based on true events. Although Ivanhoe didn't exist, John Lackland was king of England from 1199 to 1216. Few monarchs have been subject to such appalling publicity as John, Although by no means lovable, he was an able administrator and spent more time in England than his predecessor and elder brother Richard I but he was jailed by Leopold of Austria, returning from Crusades. Besides appears Robin Hood, also known Robin O'Locksley and the Earl of Huntingdom, is probably and sadly a creation of romantic imaginations. If Robin Hood did exist, it's almost certain that he was not a Saxon , though his enemies may well have been the Norman sheriff of Nottinghan and Prince and later king John Lackland.