Review of Royal Flash (1975) by Keith T — 10 May 2008
This is a great fun movie, which for some reason is only available on DVD in NTSC Region 1, despite practically everyone involved in it being a Brit (except Dick Lester, the director).
George McDonald Fraser's book of Royal Flash owes a lot to Anthony Hope's The Prisoner of Zenda, and it is entertaining to compare this film with the various PoZ films and remakes. GMcDF also wrote the film's screenplay.
Malcolm McDowell makes a fine Harry Flashman, Oliver Reed is deliciously evil as Otto von Bismark, while Alan Bates gets the showy part of Rudi von Sternberg, a character very definitely based on Hope's Rupert of Hentzau.
The film also has Britt Ekland, Henry Cooper and early bit-part appearances of David Jason and Bob Hoskins.
The film plays up the slapstick element of George McDonald Fraser's Flashman tale perhaps a bit too much, but that's the typical Dick Lester way and his Musketeers (and Beatles!) series are just the same.
It's a shame this film isn't hown on UK TV more or available in PAL Region 2 DVD. Indeed, it seems to be SO obscure that it was even missing from the Flixster data base until I reported its absence!
This review of Royal Flash (1975) was written by Keith T on 10 May 2008.
Royal Flash has generally received positive reviews.
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