The Long Ships (1964)

A vagabond Viking adventurer and a Moor both compete to find "The Mother of All Voices", a legendary golden bell near the Pillars of Hercules.

Director:

Jack Cardiff

Writers:

Berkely Mather (screenplay), Beverley Cross (screenplay)

Stars:

Richard Widmark, Sidney Poitier, Russ Tamblyn

Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award.

Cast

Cast overview:
Richard Widmark	...	Rolfe
Sidney Poitier	...	Aly Mansuh
Russ Tamblyn	...	Orm
Rosanna Schiaffino	...	Aminah
Oskar Homolka	...	Krok
Edward Judd	...	Sven
Lionel Jeffries	...	Aziz
Beba Loncar	...	Gerda
Clifford Evans	...	King Harald
Gordon Jackson	...	Vahlin
Colin Blakely	...	Rhykka
David Lodge	...	Olla
Henry Oscar	...	Auctioneer
Paul Stassino	...	Raschid
Jeanne Moody	...	Ylva

Storyline

There is a legend about a great bell, called "The Mother of Voices," made of pure gold, three times the size of a man, made by monks many years ago... This is the story told in the marketplace by a Viking called Rolfe. This information finds its way to the Islamic ruler Aly Manush, who is obsessed with finding the bell. But Rolfe claims not to know where the bell is, and escapes, back to his homeland, to convince his father and brother to give him a ship and crew to replace the one he lost - or to help him steal the Death Ship which belongs to the king - because he does know where the bell is...

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Plot Keywords:

three word title | prologue | scene during opening credits | robe | storytelling | 

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Taglines:

Share the lusty adventures of the VIKING warriors who challenged the seas and conquered the world!

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | History

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

UK Yugoslavia

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 June 1964 (USA)

Also Known As:

Les drakkars

Filming Locations:

Yugoslavia

Box Office

Budget:

$3,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation, Warwick Film Productions, Avala Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

126 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The actual "Golden Bell" prop from the film is located in the Montenegrin town of Budva (Montenegro was formerly part of Yugoslavia where the film was shot) just outside the gates to the old town.

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Goofs

When the bell falls from its supports the small chains holding it snap. It is no longer attached to the men who are, regardless, pulled down after it.

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Quotes

Arab at bazaar: [to Rolfe] How can one believe a man with eyes as pale as yours?

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Alternate Versions

The UK cinema version was cut for violence and the 1988 video release lost a further 13 secs to edit shots of horse-falls.

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Connections

Featured in Cinema Komunisto (2010)

User Reviews

The OTHER great Viking movie.

After Kirk Douglas' THE VIKINGS, this was a close second in fun, Saturday matinée-style spectacle. Richard Widmark inhabits the role of the Viking, Rolfe, with a breezy, unstilted style that suits his character's sense of derring-do perfectly. In contrast, Sidney Poitier plays it straight, and his majestic voice and bearing make him a commanding yet sympathetic villain. The plot is lightweight, it's true, but there's much fun to be had for those of us fond of old-fashioned adventure in distant eras and exotic climes. Sit back, drink in the magnificent cinematography and Dusan Radic's powerful, melodic score and enjoy the heck out of this epic clash of Vikings and Moors. And be warned: the Mare of Steel is not for the faint-hearted!