The Vikings

Richard Fleischer (1958)

110min

PG Certificate

Review

Our Score

by Tony Sloman

This tremendously exciting, if gory, adventure epic was a huge hit for independent producer/star Kirk Douglas, who generously changed the title of Edison Marshall's novel The Viking in order to include his friends Tony Curtis as Eric the Viking, Janet Leigh (Mrs Curtis) as the lovely Princess Morgana and Ernest Borgnine as King Ragnar. Jack Cardiff's Technirama location photography is superb (real fjords!) and Harper Goff's splendid art direction gives a remarkably authentic sense of period. There's a fine feel of lusty enjoyment pervading the movie as Douglas and Curtis sustain their bloody Viking feud and it's hard to see how it could have been made any better. By the way, that uncredited title narration is from Orson Welles.

Summary

A Norse warrior becomes embroiled in a feud with a former slave over the succession to the Northumbrian throne, unaware his arch-enemy is really his half-brother. Matters come to a head when they both set their sights on a Welsh princess, leading to a confrontation - but the situation is further complicated by the interference of England's sadistic king. Adventure, with Kirk Douglas, Tony Curtis, Janet Leigh, Ernest Borgnine and James Donald.

Cast & Crew

Eric Tony Curtis

Einar Kirk Douglas

Ragnar Ernest Borgnine

Morgana Janet Leigh

Egbert James Donald

Father Godwin Alexander Knox

Aella Frank Thring

Enid Maxine Audley

Kitala Eileen Way

Sandpiper Edric Connor

Bridget Dandy Nichols

Narrator Orson Welles

Director Richard Fleischer

Other Information

Language: EnglishColourGuidance: Violence. Available on: video, DVD and Blu-ray

Drama

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Richard Fleischer (1958)

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