The Crimson Blade (1963)

In 1648, during the English Civil War, Captain Sylvester switches sides between the Parliamentary and Royalist camps as his interests dictate, while King Charles I is on the run from Oliver Cromwell's troops.

Director:

John Gilling

Writer:

John Gilling (screenplay)

Stars:

Lionel Jeffries, Oliver Reed, Jack Hedley

Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award.

Cast

Cast overview:
Lionel Jeffries	...	Col. Judd
Oliver Reed	...	Capt. Tom Sylvester
Jack Hedley	...	Edward Beverley, The Scarlet Blade
June Thorburn	...	Claire Judd
Michael Ripper	...	Pablo
Harold Goldblatt	...	Jacob
Duncan Lamont	...	Maj. Bell
Clifford Elkin	...	Philip Beverley
Suzan Farmer	...	Constance Beverley
John Harvey	...	Sgt. Grey
Charles Houston	...	Drury

Storyline

This historical adventure is set during the English Civil War. When King Charles I is captured by Roundhead forces led by the tyrant Colonel Judd and his right-hand man Captain Sylvester, it is up to a band of locals loyal to the King to try and rescue him. They are helped by Judd's daughter Claire who secretly helps them in defiance of her father

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Plot Keywords:

water thrown in face | rock thrown through a window | pulled off a horse | arms tied overhead | prison escape | 

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Taglines:

The Bold Avenger...Whose Blade Slashed a Kingdom in Half!

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | History | Romance | War

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

March 1964 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Crimson Blade

Filming Locations:

Bray Studios, Down Place, Oakley Green, Berkshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Associated British Picture Corporation (ABPC),Hammer Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

83 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Color (Eastman Color by Pathé) Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Released as a double bill with The Son of Captain Blood (1962) in the United Kingdom.

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Goofs

The woods are full of Rhododendrons, a bush not introduced to Great Britain from the Himalayas until the late 18th century - 150 years after the Civil War.

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Quotes

Col. Judd: [speaking of Edward Beverley] He's to be subjected to the most extreme forms of persuasion necessary to loosen his tongue.

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Crazy Credits

Opening credits prologue: 1648 This is the story of a band of freemen who defied a tyrant.

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Connections

Version of Children of the New Forest (1998)

User Reviews

Cavaliers and Roundheads

The English Civil War much like our own in America has been fodder for numerous historical adventure stories. And the stories have been told from both the Cavalier and Roundhead sides with each taking turn at being the hero and villain of same. It was that kind of period in the United Kingdom history, subject to many different interpretations on all sides.

In this one the Royalist cavaliers are the heroes, they've been driven underground pretty much in 1648 and are now concerned with rescuing King Charles I and spiriting him away to safe exile. Charles is now in the custody of Colonel Lionel Jeffries and Captain Oliver Reed of Oliver Cromwell's Ironsides army and is on the way to London for trial and execution.

Jeffries has set up headquarters in the manor of the Beverleys who were Royalists now dispossessed of their property. Jeffries is one real pig as I recall and not living the spartan puritan life that his kind were wont to preach about. He's even got a marriage arranged for his daughter June Thorburn to Oliver Reed. But June's a secret Royalist whose heart is set on Jack Hedley the elder of the two Beverley brothers who is leader of an underground group of Royalists.

The intrigue in trying to rescue the King is tangled up with the romantic intrigue of this triangle and it leads to a lot of tragedy all around. History tells us what happened to Charles I, if he ruled rather badly, he certainly died nobly for his cause. As for the personal intrigues, you have to see the film for that.

The Scarlet Blade was playing as the second half of a double bill as I recall, probably with some Hammer horror feature. I remember at the time thinking how much more interesting Oliver Reed was as the shrewd, but villainous Roundhead than Jack Hedley was as the dashing, but rather wooden cavalier. Maybe Thorburn ought to rethink what she's doing. Of course this was before Oliver Reed became an international star, but his appeal was dead-on.

If you get a chance to see The Scarlet Blade, you'll see an average, but entertaining swashbuckler that might have been better with Reed as the hero.