Flesh+Blood (1985)

In medieval Europe, a young girl from a noble family is obsessed with her captors-commoners.

Director:

Paul Verhoeven

Writers:

Gerard Soeteman (screenplay), Gerard Soeteman (story)

Stars:

Rutger Hauer, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tom Burlinson

2 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Rutger Hauer	...	Martin
Jennifer Jason Leigh	...	Agnes
Tom Burlinson	...	Steven
Jack Thompson	...	Hawkwood
Fernando Hilbeck	...	Arnolfini (as Fernando Hillbeck)
Susan Tyrrell	...	Celine
Ronald Lacey	...	Cardinal
Brion James	...	Karsthans
John Dennis Johnston	...	Summer
Simón Andreu	...	Miel
Bruno Kirby	...	Orbec
Kitty Courbois	...	Anna
Marina Saura	...	Polly
Hans Veerman	...	Father George
Jake Wood	...	Little John

Storyline

A band of medieval mercenaries take revenge on a noble lord who decides not to pay them by kidnapping the betrothed of the noble's son. As the plague and warfare cut a swathe of destruction throughout the land, the mercenaries hole up in a castle and await their fate.

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Plot Keywords:

nudity | pregnant prostitute | prostitute | female removes her clothes | rape victim | 

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Taglines:

A timeless adventure, a passion for wealth and power. Only the strongest will survive

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama

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Certificate:

R

Details

Official Sites:

MGM

Country:

Netherlands Spain USA

Language:

English Latin

Release Date:

30 August 1985 (USA)

Also Known As:

Flesh & Blood

Filming Locations:

Spain

Box Office

Budget:

$6,500,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$100,000, 1 September 1985

Company Credits

Production Co:

Riverside Pictures, Impala

Technical Specs

Runtime:

126 min 128 min (uncut)

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Nancy Cartwright, better known as the voice of Bart Simpson" stars in this movie with Jennifer Jason Leigh. She was also in the Twilight Zone: The Movie, the film in reality where tragically Jennifer Jason Leigh's father Vic Morrow was killed.

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Goofs

In the opening sequence, the Cardinal is serving communion in 1501. The "Flesh of Christ" he's handing out are modern communion wafers.

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Quotes

Agnes: Will you show me how it's done? Then I'll know how to go about it.
Kathleen: Right here?
Agnes: No. Behind the bushes.
Kathleen: I don't feel like doing it right now.
Agnes: I insist you feel like it right now. You're my maid. You'll do as I say.

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Alternate Versions

UK cinema and video versions were cut by 38 secs by the BBFC with edits to the rape of Agnes. The cuts were waived for the 2005 MGM DVD.

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Connections

Referenced in Rewind This! (2013)

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Soundtracks

Throughout the Years
Composed by Charles Williams

User Reviews

Machiavellian, Violent, Amoral and Hypnotic Adventure in the Middle Ages

In 1501, in the Western Europe, in a period when the black plague is jeopardizing the populations, an army of mercenary peasants leaded by Martin (Rutger Hauer) fights side-by-side with the noble Arnolfini (Fernando Hilbeck) to retrieve his castle, with the promise of a huge reward. However, the band is betrayed by Arnolfini, and decides to pay him back, assaulting and stealing a caravan under the command of Arnolfini and his son and student, Steven (Tom Burlinson). In one of the wagon is traveling the fiancée of Steven, Agnes (Jennifer Jason Leigh), who is accidentally kidnapped and later raped by the group. Agnes becomes Martin's mate, and the mercenaries decide to invade a castle, without knowing that the army of Arnolfini is chasing them.

"Flesh & Blood" is one of the best movies in the Middle Ages I have ever seen: it is a Machiavellian, violent, amoral and hypnotic adventure, indeed very brutal, with the peasants being poor and ignorant people, with dirty clothes, spoiled teeth, living in dirty and muddy villages. Therefore, a vision totally different from Hollywood movies, with fancy castles and villages with beautiful people. The direction of Paul Verhoven is efficient and perfect as usual, and the entire cast has magnificent and very natural performances, highlighting the amazing Rutger Hauer in the role of Martin, and Jennifer Jason Leigh who has one of her best performances, in the stunning role of a young woman that uses her body to fight for survival in a hostile environment. I have this movie on VHS, but I bought the DVD recently released in Brazil by the distributor Continental, and it was a worthwhile investment, since the widescreen image and the sound are excellent. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): "Conquista Sangrenta" ("Bloody Conquest")