Review of Taras Bulba (1962) by Sean W — 15 Mar 2008

Taras Bulba has all the ear marks of an epic. A people fighting for their freedom, colorful costumes, hordes of extras, massive battle scenes, a forbidden romance, flowing camera moves, etc., etc., etc. But unlike most sweeping Hollywood epics of yesterday falls flat. This is one of those rare films where I was kind of on the side of the antagonists. The protagonists, the Cossacks, are loud, uneducated barbarians whose main ambition is to fight, drink and party. In many ways, right down to their make up, they resemble the Klingons from the original Star Trek series, before the movies and TNG added the bumpy heads (I kept expecting Yul Brynner to yell out PERHAPS TODAY IS A GOOD DAY TO DIE). These protagonists are kind of annoying, and their ways so backward you really don't care about their plight.

Then there is a slight issue in the way of casting. You have Yul Brynner who looks and acts perfect in his role, but somehow pretty boy Tony Curtis finds himself among these barbarian hordes, and amongst all these tough guys he looks extremely out of place. Of course, we learn that he is a thoughtful Cossack, and even impresses his Polish teacher and wins the heart of a fair Polish maiden, but Tony in that part is tough to swallow and adds to the flaws that are rampant in this movie.

By the end, you just don't care and keep hoping that somehow the Poles will come through and wipe out the Cossacks -- it is after all their wish to die in battle (as one phrases it during one of the many drinking scenes).

One note...if you scan through the reviews of this movie has from other members, one has the opening statement of "though its a 1962 flick, the acting is fine..." which given the fact that LAWRENCE OF ARABIA and TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD came out is quite an "interesting" statement. Further proof that many members of the modern audience have the idea that anything old is bad simply because it's old. There have been great, good and bad movies throughout time no matter what the year, or the film stock or presentation(whether it be digital, color, B&W, etc.).