The War Lord (1965)

In 11th century Normandy, a Norman duke sends one of his knights to build a defensive fortress in order to guard the borders against Frisian raiders.

Director:

Franklin J. Schaffner (as Franklin Schaffner)

Writers:

John Collier (screenplay), Millard Kaufman (screenplay)

Stars:

Charlton Heston, Richard Boone, Rosemary Forsyth

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Charlton Heston	...	Chrysagon
Richard Boone	...	Bors
Rosemary Forsyth	...	Bronwyn
Maurice Evans	...	Priest
Guy Stockwell	...	Draco
Niall MacGinnis	...	Odins
James Farentino	...	Marc
Henry Wilcoxon	...	Frisian Prince
Sammy Ross	...	Volc
Woodrow Parfrey	...	Piet
John Alderson	...	Holbracht
Allen Jaffe	...	Tybald
Michael Conrad	...	Rainault
Dal Jenkins	...	Dirck
Johnny Jensen	...	Boy Prince

Storyline

A knight in the service of a duke goes to a coastal villiage where an earlier attempt to build a defensive castle has failed. He begins to rebuild the duke's authority in the face of the barbarians at the border and is making progress until he falls in love with one of the local women.

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Plot Keywords:

warlord | epic | 11th century | sword and shield | norman | 

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Taglines:

He Battled Two Empires For The Love Of One Woman.

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Genres:

Drama | History

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Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

The original theatrical release prints had 'Richard Boone' reciting a poem over the procession before the end credits began. This scene was removed from the prints and replaced with an almost identical scene with no recitation.

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Goofs

The village is constantly raided by Friesian warriors, and yet there is nothing there for them to gain: only meager farming, a meager tower, swamps and marshes. It is not an entry point to large Norman land holdings, nor of any military value.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Narrator: In the eleventh century, Europe was patchwork of feudal states, extending from the Mediterranean to the shores of the North Sea. Powerful dukes exerted life-and-death control over their primitive subjects. One such, Duke William of Ghent, held a coastal area in Normandy. To protect the fens and marshes of a troubled corner of his domain, the duke sent a troop of warriors led by his most trusted knight, Chrysagon de la Crux. This Norman war lord was charged to impose the duke's will...

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Connections

Referenced in La bande du drugstore (2002)

User Reviews

The realism of the movie.

Everything in this movie is so real. The attitudes of each other the costumes the setting and on and on. Notice the actors never changed clothes. The tower was spartan just as it would have been. There has not been a movie that packs this level of realism.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 November 1965 (USA)

Also Known As:

The War Lord

Filming Locations:

Universal City, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$3,500,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Court Productions, Fraser Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

123 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1