Review of The Vikings (1958) by Stephen M — 26 May 2008
A recipe for two hours of marvellous entertainment:-.
1) Take two feuding half-brothers (Kirk Douglas and Tony Curtis) plus one falcon. Remove one eye. Add two ripe melons (Janet Leigh) and simmer for about one hour.
2) Then, combine one 'Fatso' Judson (Ernest Borgnine) with a pit of ravenous wolves and stir vigorously with a sword. Leave to enter Valhalla.
3) Bellow "Odin!!!" and serve.
Joking aside, "The Vikings" is just about the best of its kind and, as a Douglas/Curtis historical epic, nine times out of ten I would rather watch this than "Spartacus"! Curtis is a bit too surly and taciturn to elicit much audience sympathy, but Douglas makes the most of one of his best villainous roles and Janet Leigh rarely looked lovelier. Photographed on location in Norway by Powell and Pressburger's ace cameraman, Jack Cardiff, the movie is often breathtakingly beautiful to look at. If you like this, try Chuck Heston and Franklin Schaffner's "The War Lord" ("The Warlord" on Flixster).
This review of The Vikings (1958) was written by Stephen M on 26 May 2008.
The Vikings has generally received positive reviews.
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