Movie Reviews
Book reviews

Prince Valiant (1954) Movie Review

Read a book review online (click here to search reviews)
Books  Movies  
Sci-Fi/Fantasy Comedy & Personal Dramas Action Dramas
Actors: Robert Wagner, Janet Leigh, James Mason, Debra Paget, Sterling Hayden, Victor McLaglen, Brian Aherne, Primo Carnera, Howard Wendell, Donald Crisp, Per
Review Summary and Plot Commentary about Prince Valiant (1954)
A bright, colorful Saturdy-matinee type movie adapted from Hal Foster's comic strip. Loosely based on characters and concepts from the strip, a young Viking prince is sent to King Arthur's court to become a knight and regain the throne and sword that was stolen from his father. He winds up getting squired to Sir Gawain and tangled up in a plot to userp the throne from King Arthur by one of his knights. There is also a romance involving a Princess or two. There are lengthy passages without dialogue that are actually handled quite well. Young Robert Wagner is sincere and energetic as the hero, despite his silly page-boy wig. The action is thrilling and fun to watch. There are jousts, castle seiges, chase scenes, escapes, arrows, and sword-fights galore!
--Zorikh Lequidre, Resident Scholar


Analysis of Prince Valiant (1954)
Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about
books by breaking them down into many different literary
elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Movie
Actual chase scenes or violence - 30%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 60%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 10%



Time/Era of Movie: - middle ages
Legal/Political Thriller? Yes
Political Plotlets: - power struggle between good/bad govt factions - deposing an evil leader

Main Character
Identity: - Male
Profession/status: - Prince/Nobleman/King
Age: - 20's-30's
Hair color? - brunette (Black)
Hair style - short/standard straight (man)
Body type - muscular (man)
Unclothed? - Chest
Events of movie makes character more... - sensitive - caring - tougher
Ethnicity/Nationality - White (American)
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - very athletic

Secondary Main Character
Identity: - Female
Hair color - blonde
Hair style - (woman) medium/shoulderlgn wavy
Body type - ample bosom & buttocks (woman)
How much in movie? - 80%
Ethnicity/Nationality - British

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - 40's-50's
Profession/status: - Prince/Nobleman/King
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - 80%
Specific kind of enemies? - tyrants - captors
Hair color - brunette (Black)
Hair type - (man) short/standard wavey
Body type - muscular (man)
Ethnicity/Nationality - British
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - very athletic
Sense of humor - Cynical sense of humor
How sensitive is this character? - mean, arrogant

Setting
Europe Yes
European country: - Scandinavia - England/UK
Mountains/Cliffs Yes
Mountains: - climbing with ropes
Forest? Yes
Water? Yes
Water: - warship - swimming on - drowning
Misc setting - prison - fort/military installation - castle - church/synagogue

Style
Accounts of torture and death? - moderately messy visuals of dead
Movie makes you feel... - excited
How many deaths in film? - dozens
How much use of techno gadgets? - 3 (some)
Kind of violence: - land battles - mission to rescue - hand to hand - swords
Unusual forms of death - dropped from large heights - crushed - flamed - perforation--swords/knives
Lot of special effects? Yes
Kinds of F/X - exploding bombs
If this is a kid's movie... - Ages 10-15
If Soundtrack VERY NOTICEABLE... - Orchestra/classical
Is this movie based on a - comics
Most similar reviews by Gordonator ranking
The Thief of Bagdad (1940) starring Sabu, Conrad Veidt, Rex Ingram, June Duprez, John Justin, Miles Malleson
Tower of London starring Boris Karloff, Basil Rathbone, Vincent Price, Barbara O'Neil, Ian Hunter, Nan Grey, Ralph Forbes
The Black Shield of Falworth starring Tony Curtis, Janet Leigh, Torin Thatcher, Barbara Rush, Herbert Marshall, David Farrar, Patrick O'Neal, Craig Hill, Dan O'Herlihy,
The Lion in Winter starring Peter O'Toole, Katherine Hepburn, Anthony Hopkins
Caligula starring Malcolm McDowell, Teresa Ann Savoy, Helen Mirren




Prince Valiant (1954) Message Board (click here)
Movie talk: favorite scenes, what to buy, favorite online
posters, movies for sale on dvd v. rentals.

Search for another movie



Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).

Click here to bribe
your congressman


Three ways to search for Action Dramas films!

1) One-click plot searches! Simply click on a plot or subplot below!

Combat acrobatics/martial arts?

Crime & Police Story?

Disaster, big vehicle

Disaster, Natural/Nuclear

Fantasy/Magic in story?

Horror film?

Legal/Political Thriller?

Medical Thriller?

Murder Mystery?

Sports story?

Spying & Terrorists

Superhero movie?

Taboo Sex Story?

Technology/treasure/info search

Training/Promotion story?

War Thriller

Water adventure?

Western

Wilderness adventure


or
2) Simple title lookup


or
3) Even more search options available with a Detailed Film search (click here)

Use our site!
Feedback
About us

Most recent discussions:

General Movie Talk
Dating Advice
A Boy and His Dog
The Blob (1958)
Octopussy
The Borrowers
48 Hours
Blade Runner
The Space Explorers
Exactly why was 2010 a lame movie?
Was Harrison Ford on Tranquilizers or an Actor's Strike When Filming Blade Runner?
2010