Clevercell Very disappointing...

Nessieldwi Very interesting film. Was caught on the premise when seeing the trailer but unsure as to what the outcome would be for the showing. As it turns out, it was a very good film.

Dirtylogy It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

Zlatica One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

LobotomousMonk Like other films in this era of Katzman-Castle production, The Saracen Blade puts an emphasis on tableau (symmetrical composition of mise-en-scene within the framing of a static camera positioned with frontality as the dominant). Castle outdoes himself this time as he adds a new element to his beleaguered stylistic system - suture! The shot-reverse-shot editing system is not only naively constructed and overt, but poorly employed with relation to the plot progression. As a result, there is a stagnant pace. I pity that a talented director such as William Castle found himself compulsively alternating between two stylistic systems for different films. The Saracen Blade is a 1954 release - and one of eight Castle films released that year! If the authorial voice seems mute perhaps it was a result of the man being overworked. The script doesn't help as the narrative is relayed with tweenish 'dear-diary' precision and crossing-guard intuition. If only this film wore a bright reflective 'X' it might become self-aware and develop a set of compensatory unique qualities. As it stands, the film hunches and then limps. Despite each sequence taken individually having the flavor of a bad porno, there is no passion infused into character relationships. All the characters seem sickeningly smug about the conflicts that befall them. But fear not, for Castle would soon break free from a bunk system of mechanical and mass reproduction in the guise of historical action-drama storytelling in order to forge the better parts of a stylistic system that he had been struggling to express for most of his career (When Stranger Marry had established most of the elements).

MARIO GAUCI Despite Leonard Maltin's bafflingly unflattering *1/2 review, this is perhaps the best – certainly the most enjoyable – of director Castle's epics; still, given the title, I expected it to have a lot more to do with the Saracens and, by extension, the Crusades than it actually did (the mentioned weapon, then, has no real bearing on the plot)! Besides, the production's low-budget is evident in an early battle sequence which is made up of sepia footage (thus instantly contrasting with the otherwise handsome-looking film) lifted from JOAN OF ARC (1948) and playing out as if witnessed from afar by star Ricardo Montalban! The latter, then, contributes an enthusiastic performance which demonstrates that he was more than a fair swashbuckling hero (incidentally, two more of his efforts in this vein would follow in my Epics marathon); indeed, the principal cast is nicely-assembled: Betta St. John is ideally cast as the sweet-natured leading lady, a grizzled-looking Michael Ansara (playing much older than his years) is one of the members of a family which are the sworn enemies of that of Montalban's, another is a blonde and rather sexy Carolyn Jones (whose relationship with the protagonist follows an amour fou-type pattern a' la that between Heathcliff and Isabella in "Wuthering Heights" but it is not taken quite so far).Complicating matters even further is Montalban's personal history: born on the same day as the heir to the Italian King (later to become known as Frederick II!), he is then brought up by a family friend after his mother dies in childbirth and his dad is thrown into prison by the villainous Ansara. Years later, the father leads a revolt in which he is even joined by his son, but dies soon after; taken into custody for his scholarliness by St. John, he clashes with his enemies once again when her father proclaims her to be intended (against her will, since she harbors feelings for our hero) to Ansara's own son. They elope together but are captured; ostensibly allowing her to free him, St. John's now-husband chases Montalban like a wild animal – having promised the visiting new King (the boy who shares his birthday with the hero!) a special type of prey. Meeting the latter and surprisingly befriending him, he not only elevates his rank but the two conspire to have Montalban marry Jones (the King proves quite the superstitious fellow, believing his luck to hold only so long as the hero is alive, thus he is ready to accede to his every whim!).As one can see, the film is pretty plot-packed (in fact, I would say there is enough here for a film at least twice its trim 76-minute length, but effectively streamlining things with, for instance, the two marriage ceremonies gotten over with via an identical 10-second shot!): anyway, the King then becomes involved in a Holy Crusade against the Muslims and orders all his loyal subjects to take part. This, of course, includes both Montalban and his nemeses – who are still thinking of how to eliminate him; they see an opportunity when asking that the newly-knighted hero (for having saved the King's life) to lead the resistance while the rest take flight in the hope of rallying more manpower. As expected, Montalban ends up a prisoner in the Saracen camp but he finds an ally – and eventual companion – in the leader's mistress (whom, however, he disfigures before relinquishing to the Christian).Back home, amidst the enmity he now feels for St. John (he is not aware she was likewise tricked during his faux escape, while she takes his having brought the Muslim girlfriend along in order to spite her!) and the burgeoning genuine attentions of Jones (even if she leads a clandestine affair with uncle Ansara!), the situation is happily resolved with the death of all three members of the family who had harassed Montalban for so long: Jones' at the hand of her own lover, Ansara's son via an arrow that leads directly into the decisive battle between the two factions and his dad's in the inevitable swordfight with the hero that ends it.

moshn2002 I loved this movie very much mainly thanks to RICARDO MONTALBAN who plays the role of Pietro the hero. Young RICARDO MONTALBAN is just fascinating: Handsome , charming ,viril , strong brave every talent we expect from a real Man and real Gentelman. He is just the type for this role. He is a tender lover and a brave fighter he seeks justice and is ready to pay the consequences( He offers himself to get the Punishment instead of a woman slave and is lashed on his muscled bare sweating back courageously . no surprise that women fall in love with him , but remains devoted to his true love. I highly recommend this movie to everyone who loves adventure and romance

Marta Ricardo Montalban was the perfect choice for the role of Pietro. Passionate and handsome, he can show anger and righteous zeal one minute and his tender feelings for Iolanthe, his true love, the next, despite the formidable odds against them. He needed all the anger he could muster, since his own father was beheaded by his true love's father, the cruel overlord of the region where Pietro was born, in medieval Italy. He spends most of the film trying to wreak vengeance on Iolanthe's family while trying to rescue her from their evil clutches.Frank Yerby's novel of the same name is one of my favorites, and if you find it it's worth the read. Much more detailed than the film.William Castle seems an odd choice for directing this kind of film, but this was one of the last normal films he did before he embarked on his famous horror film streak. Don't miss Combat!'s Rick Jason in the role of one of Iolanthe's evil brothers.