The Black Rose (C or 2/4 stars)
Following the 13th c. death of his nobleman father, disinherited Walter of Gurnie (Tyrone Power) & his confidant, Tristram Griffen (Jack Hawkins), flee England and join a caravan led by the North African Bayan (Orson Welles) en route to the Far East in 'The Black Rose' (directed by Henry Hathaway). Along the journey to China, the lovely Maryam (Cecile Aubry) - known as the titular Black Rose - behests Walter to take her to back to England with him. When the seemingly hospitable warlord Bayan reveals his true intention to invade & conquer China's well-advanced society ... Walter, Tristram & Maryam attempt their great escape back to England.
I tend to love medieval era movies. This one intends to be as sweeping, romantic & rollicking as some of the very best of them. But instead, I found this expensive-looking, elaborate swashbuckling melodrama to be extremely dull -- not escapist fun. Tyrone Power casts a striking figure, as always. But I found him much more impressive in 1947's 1-2 punch of Captain from Castile & Nightmare Alley. Jack Hawkins is fine as ace bowman, Tristram {or Tris}. Cecile Aubry is attractive, but doesn't add much life to the proceedings. And Orson Welles hams it up as the powerful-but-evil Mongold warlord.
Needless to say, Welles playing an Asian person is highly problematic from a socio-cultural standpoint now and, likely looked ridiculous to audiences back then, as well. There are historical inaccuracies abounding throughout the script (based on a novel), as well. Now sure, there are some striking action/adventure sequences. Jack Cardiff's Technicolor cinematography is a highlight. And both the sets & the Academy Award-nominated costumes (by Michael Whittaker) are quite impressive. That usually adds much to a film that I'm not liking. But the whole movie is so lumbering & tedious that I just couldn't care about its laudable particulars. Meh.
I tend to love medieval era movies. This one intends to be as sweeping, romantic & rollicking as some of the very best of them. But instead, I found this expensive-looking, elaborate swashbuckling melodrama to be extremely dull -- not escapist fun. Tyrone Power casts a striking figure, as always. But I found him much more impressive in 1947's 1-2 punch of Captain from Castile & Nightmare Alley. Jack Hawkins is fine as ace bowman, Tristram {or Tris}. Cecile Aubry is attractive, but doesn't add much life to the proceedings. And Orson Welles hams it up as the powerful-but-evil Mongold warlord.
Needless to say, Welles playing an Asian person is highly problematic from a socio-cultural standpoint now and, likely looked ridiculous to audiences back then, as well. There are historical inaccuracies abounding throughout the script (based on a novel), as well. Now sure, there are some striking action/adventure sequences. Jack Cardiff's Technicolor cinematography is a highlight. And both the sets & the Academy Award-nominated costumes (by Michael Whittaker) are quite impressive. That usually adds much to a film that I'm not liking. But the whole movie is so lumbering & tedious that I just couldn't care about its laudable particulars. Meh.