User reviews

The Sunday comic strip character gets the CinemaScope treatment in a fine film with marquee names to attract more than passing interest. Robert Wagner is just right as the young Viking prince who seeks to restore his father's throne. Circumstances bring Valiant to King Arthur's court where an English knight becomes his mentor and trains him in the art of combat. James Mason is great as a shadowy figure who figures prominently in the picture. Janet Leigh is a lovely maiden who is smitten immediately with Valiant, and Debra Paget is on hand to be romanced by an English knight. The film has action, suspense and romance, tournaments and thrilling battles before the final confrontation between Valiant and the Black Knight. Great cinematography, beautiful scenery and Franz Waxman's brooding score round out a quality film production.

First and the best adaptation upon ¨Hal Foster's Prince Valiant¨ famous comic strip ; this decent movie (1954) by Henry Hathaway boasts itself a great cast , such as Robert Wagner , Janet Leigh , Victor McLagen , Donald Crisp , Sterling Hayden and Debra Paget . Spectacular adventure with a lot of colorful pageantry and old-fashioned action , concerning about Prince Valiant , Black Knight , and King Arthur , though the movie falls short . It packs a non-sense blending of romance and Dark Ages action , as the screenwriters don't get the appropriate touch . Prince Valiant (Robert Wagner), son of the exiled King of Scandia , journeys to England . There Arthur (Brian Aherne) governs in the legendary citadel that is Camelot . Valiant attempts to become himself a knight at King Arthur's Round Table . His Knights of the Round Table commit acts of derring-do and spend their spare time jousting and enjoying feasts . There young Valiant who wields his sword with vigour is given the task to be the squire to Sir Gawain (Sterling Hayden who easily steals the acting honors) , one of King Arthur's knights along with Sir Tristram (John Dierkes) , Sir Lancelot (Don Megowan) , Sir Kay , Perceval , among others . Later on , Prince Valiant sets out to chase the Black Knight . But our real hero is wounded and he is then cared by the gorgeous princess Aleta (Janet Leigh) , as the young twosome fall in love . Meantime , an evil tyrant , and villainous leader Viking overthrows his father King Aguar (Donald Crisp) , the Christian King of Scandia .

This is a Medieval tale with adventures , full-bloodied action , unspeakable dialog , villainy , terrific jousting , love stories and heroism in the grandeur of Scope although in television set loses splendor . The movie displays breathtaking battles , being ambitious in scope with heroic confrontation and a striking final climax for a mortal duel . Handsome story , being decently written by Dudley Nichols , John Ford's regular , though contains some awkward narrative elements . Excellent settings , monumental castles , outdoors and tournaments or jousts are well staged . However this spectacular film never takes off as it should despite pomp and circumstance showed , being excessively sentimental , so you'll be excited and embarrassed alternately . In any case , filmmaker does some breathtaking set pieces and the attack of a Viking castle turns out to be colorful and vividly thrilling . This is the classic story of romantic adventure come to life enriched by glamorous color and overwhelming fights . Excellent performance by James Mason , displaying efficiently his interpreting skills , proving what a good player he really is . And Janet Leigh and Debra Paget look chastely desirable , as always . Supporting cast is frankly good though wasted , employing such notorious players and not building them roles with which to make a considerable impact , as the screenplay never give them a chance , there appear fine secondary stars as Donald Crisp , Brian Aherne , Barry Jones , Tom Conway and Neville Brand . Brilliant cinematography in CinemaScope by Lucien Ballard who photographs splendidly the jousting scenes and the burning of an impressive stronghold . Rousing and moving musical score by Frank Skinner . The motion picture was compellingly directed by Henry Hathaway .

Other rendition was ¨Prince Valiant¨ (1997) by Anthony Hickock , it is another attempt to literally transfer a comic-strip about the Arthurian saga to the screen , including a modern dialog and the whole cast is far too distinguished to be appearing in this sort of caricature of Medieval legends and non-sense , it stars Katherine Heigl who is inappropriate here , holding an excessive ironic tone prankster , Stephen Moyer , Thomas Kretschmann , Ron Perlman , Joanna Lumley , Edward Fox and Udo Kier . And an animation retelling titled ¨Legend of Prince Valiant¨(1991) with voice by Robby Benson as Valiant and Efren Zimbalist Jr as Arthur . Other movies on the matter of legends of Arthur resulted to be : (1953) the classic ¨Knights of the Round Table¨ (by Richard Thorpe) , the musical ¨Camelot¨ (Joshua Logan), the fantastic ¨Excalibur¨ (John Boorman) , ¨First Knight¨ (Jerry Zucker) and recently ¨King Arthur¨ (Antoine Fuqua) . The picture will appeal to aficionados with chivalric ideals and epic movies fans , it is a passable production that will lose much on small television screen . Rating : 6.5/10 , acceptable , well worth seeing

Ah, for the days of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, when men were knights and boys wanted to be one. "Prince Valiant" is a fantasy swashbuckler film based on the long-time syndicated comic strip of the same name by Hal Foster. Robert Wagner isn't at the level of Douglas Fairbanks Jr. or Errol Flynn, nor is this film quite the actioner of those made by those actors. But, this is a fun and entertaining film from the mid-20th century when the tales of knights, pirates and adventurers were highly popular with Hollywood and audiences.

Foster's comic strip brought to life much of the lore of the legendary early British period. And, this is one of the first films about the main characters of the legend. The film has a fine cast. It's a picturesque story with great sets and costumes as imagined for the period.

The castles, coastal scenes, sword fights and tournaments of knights should still delight young audiences of the 21st century. And, the story isn't without romance with a couple of maiden beauties for whose hands in marriage most red-blooded knights would gladly vie.

This is a particularly good film for young boys well into the 21st century. The hero, Prince Valiant, is not an invincible knight who conquers all. Instead, he's a human being with faults who makes mistakes. Robert Wagner plays the part well as a young lad with dreams who stumbles and falls a couple of times in his pursuit of valor and honor. That makes a better lesson for today than the standard fantasies of super heroes that Hollywood cranks out.

I Know: Robert Wagner's hairdo is sort of unbearable; Janet Leigh's white wig is too much; Valiant's sword looks over-sized; Sterling Hayden behaves like a contemporary New Yorker; it's very easy to imagine who the black knight is; vikings didn't have horns in their helmets; and so on.

But somehow I found this medieval story based on Harold Foster's characters entertaining and I even enjoyed it. In fact I think that for 1954 "Prince Valiant" takes the most of Foster's novels about knights and vikings in the times of legendary King Arthur.

Good colorful locations, fine settings, good action scenes and a sort of "sticky" musical score that even sounds appropriate help the picture along with an acceptable script and Henry Hathaway's prolix direction.

Highlights o the movie are James Mason's convincing villain, Brian Aherne's fine portrayal of King Arthur and a violent and smashing final duel between Valiant and the unmasked Black Knight.

If you like medieval costume adventures you'll enjoy this one too.

Quite frankly if you are looking for magic and fantasy and fantastic costumes and beautiful women AND beautiful men, "Prince Valiant" is great! Yes, it's the gorgeous Robert Wagner at 24 in a black page boy wig. And.....Janet Leigh with those torpedo breasts that were so typical of that time when whatever women were supposed to be girded up in. But look at some of the other performances. James Mason is as always consummate and thorough. Brian Aherne as King Arthur - well he always looked like royalty - might as well act it. If you want escape from the stark "horrors" that THIS RED STATE millennium has "wrought" - watch this movie. It is Hollywood entertainment at its costly costumed legendary finest! PS - Robert Wagner is gorgeous - he is more beautiful than the women if that is possible.

Ahhhhh, Hollywood...............

PPS - Debra Paget is under-rated - what a sensitive lovely girl she is.

"A Michigan Yankee in King Arthur's Court"! Well, it's a fun film to watch if you can pretend that you're about ten years old and it's the fifties. Then the sight of Janet Leigh and Deborah Paget with their cantilevered figures doesn't spoil the period feel quite so much. Then you wouldn't cringe at the jarring American accents of so many principal characters contrasted with the beautiful stage-honed British speech of others...

Detroit-born Robert Wagner's Val is a pretty classic example of a 50s studio choice for a young hero; it's all about the bankability of a cute rising actor who's being groomed for teen-heartthrob stardom. I suppose he did his best, but just think how much better this would have been with say, Richard Greene in the title role. Sterling Hayden was a New Englander, but his Gawain somehow reads more like an ol' cowhand than an 'old warhorse' of the Round Table. Of course this was just the sort of Hollywood fluff for which he had nothing but contempt; still, he needed the work so there he is, putting most of his effort into concealing his embarrassment over the whole thing.

Powerhouse pros Donald Crisp, Brian Aherne, James Mason and Victor McLaglen, on the other hand, do their best to elevate the quality of this production (whatever THEIR embarrassment)-- though one is often left wondering what favors might have been owing to involve them in it. Hollywood rides again!

Too bad so many aren't good, and this is no exception. Stiff and routine in the extreme. Henry Hathaway was never anything more than a substandard director of action films, but you still thought he'd breathe more life into this production just for the simple reason he had such a decent cast and such scenic locations to work with. It just seemed like no one involved gave much of a damn, least of all Dudley Nichols who adapted the screenplay. Errol Flynn's Robin Hood proved a great film could be made in this genre, and it's a sin this, based on solid comic strip material, is such a clunky, structureless, and mostly badly performed misfire.

Being one of those films that never, or rarely, turns up on TV, and because it boasts a cast with the likes of James mason, Victor McLaglen, Donald Crisp, and Sterling Hayden, I've always had it on my list of classics to see. Sterling Hayden is the only reason I'm not disappointed I did. Don't get me wrong; it's a TERRIBLE performance. So terrible it's good. It could have been a great terrible performance if Hathaway didn't direct the proceedings with such dour seriousness. Hayden's Sir Gawain is so brash, so outrageously miscast, so full of hammy bluster and blunder you keep looking for signs his tongue is welded firmly to the inside of his cheek. Sadly, it doesn't seem to be the case.

Hayden was unintentionally hilarious in other films as well. But What a great character he'd have made in a comic swashbuckler like The Court Jester or A Connecticut Yankee. Every opportunity in this picture for comic asides is killed dead by flat direction. Where's Richard Lester when you need him? The other performances range from career worst (Wagner) to professionally competent (Mason). McLaglen, one of my favorite all-time character actors is given little screen time, and, being his character is under a heavy beard and horned helmet, is therefore easy to miss. Donald Crisp comes and goes in the blink of an eye, and Janet Leigh...well...she's no better or worse than she ever was in this type of film.

The action is actually not bad in the last act. Some nifty tricks from Valiant evading the vikings in the castle while it burns, and the final swordfight between Valiant and Sir Brack is actually quite involved save for the ridiculously over-sized broadswords and tin shields.

Worth seeing only if you must see every Hollywood sword movie. This one can be found on the same scrap heap with Richard Thorpe's Ivanhoe and Knights of the Round Table.

Henry Hathaway's 'Prince Valiant' is an epic adventure story set in the Golden Age of Chivalry... It is the story of a Viking Prince who pledges to go to Camelot and there strive with honor and diligence to become a Knight at King Arthur's Round Table...

'Prince Valiant' is about a ghost who plots treason, a black-armored knight who appears and vanishes at will... It is about a deadly Black Knight, who uses his disguise to make a pact with a Viking traitor to overthrow a great king...

'Prince Valiant' is about a desperate squire who dares to wear the armor and identity of a chivalrous Knight of the Round Table... And about a loyal squire who crowns a mighty knight with a rock, and tries to win a beautiful princess for himself...

'Prince Valiant' is about the son of an exiled king who seeks King Arthur's help against the usurper, and becomes involved in a court plot... It is about a courageous lad who faces the treachery of a mysterious black knight, who is scheming betrayal and murder...

James Mason portrays the shining knight Sir Brack who suffers the indignity of being challenged on the field of honor by a squire in the guise of a knight...

Janet Leigh plays the lovely damsel with one purpose, to answer love fully...

Robert Wagner plays the young hothead with one vow to fulfill before he can think of anything else...

Debra Paget plays the shy and charming dark-haired princess with a secret wish...

Sterling Hayden plays Sir Gawain, the perfect knight who knows that his duty is to find the Black Knight and destroy him before his treason ripens...

Victor McLaglen plays the Christian Viking hiding behind a red curtain with a long knife in his hand...

Donald Crisp plays the exiled King of Scandia who was overthrown by a Viking traitor and escapes with his wife and son across the North Sea to Britain...

Brian Aherne plays Arthur, King of the Britons, who assures Valiant that 'knighthood cannot be had for the asking...' It must be won! Barry Jones plays the father of two lovely princesses who suffers to get the best knight for one of his daughters...

Well... I just love this movie! Its good old magic moves me to some of the most cherished memories stored in my mind... It is an agreeable historical piece that has prowess, romance, and grace, and a breathtaking duel, one of the best you will ever see...

I watched this movie on the big screen when just 9 years old, a perfect age for the experience. Having avidly read Prince Valiant every Sunday in the newspaper comic section, just the thought of castles, kings, knights, and battles appealed to me very much at that age.

Although this movie only follows the newspaper version in name and premise, it was still a nice treatise of the genre. The sets, costumes, hairstyles, props, and pageantry all bespeak the relative glamour of that era in history. The musical score is appropriate for the subject.

The acting is a little corny, especially viewed 60 years following its original debut, but it is still a fun and action filled romp through the Medieval age, and is good, clean fun for the entire family.

Exiled King of Sandia, whose throne was usurped by force, is given refuge by King Arthur at a secret location; now, the troubled King's green son is anxious to make matters right, leaving the family's hideout and eventually tangling with the elusive Black Knight of the forest. Simpleton epic based upon the King Features comic strip by Harold Foster is beautifully photographed by the esteemed Lucien Ballard, who manages to get a sheen from just about every location chosen. The costumes and castles are terrifically splendid, yet the film's miscasting quickly negates interest in the action. Robert Wagner isn't quite right for the energetic leading role; his perpetually blank look, callow manner, and wooden line readings are often embarrassing...and certainly the black wig does him no favors. Prince Valiant is chosen as squire to Sir Gawain (Sterling Hayden, in an even worse performance than Wagner's) and the two have romantic complications with a pair of sisters (Janet Leigh and Debra Paget, both lovely). James Mason is the mysterious Sir Brack, who may be after King Arthur's throne, but Mason doesn't exude much mystery--with his arch delivery and decadent manner, we know right away he's up to no good, which kills any suspense the plot might have had. The ladies are fun, and the presentation is certainly colorful; otherwise, this "Prince" is a pallid player in the Medieval adventure genre. ** from ****

Fifty years ago moviegoers found that Fox's PRINCE VALIENT was much better than expected, thanks to Henry Hathaway's fine direction and a wealth of good sense from 20th Century-Fox. Fox was still well-taken with their new CinemaScope process that just begged for action and beautiful, colorful settings. This movie excels at all, but it's mostly the rock-solid story of King Arthur and the Vikings that makes it.

Screen beauties Janet Leigh and Debra Paget almost never showed any leg in any movie, and herein (sorry) are fully covered as usual. Anyway, it's the men who dominate this story. Robert Wagner is perfect as Valient, and Sterling Hayden is at the top of his form, as is James Mason.

Truth is that in the age of comic book movies (2000-2008) Hollywood's cocaine sniffers have no clue how to craft this genre with any classic quality. The secret is to focus on (1) story, (2) character development, (3) spectacular sets and scenery, (4) challenge, redemption, faith, patriotism. The religion and honor in Prince Valient would make today's godless movie industry cringe.

These days the focus (if any) would be on animation, choppy editing, almost no dialog, and the usual/identical musical score: vim, vim, vim, vim on a violin while a chorus belts out wordless chants. Boring! Thus films like Jerry Bruckheimer's "King Arthur" -- to name just one, is no longer even a memory, let alone a classic.

Treat yourself! Rent "Prince Valient" on DVD.

The biggest problem that Prince Valiant has is that it takes itself too seriously. It is still entertaining on many levels, but I wish it had been done in a lighter vein. A good example to follow would have been Warren Beatty's Dick Tracy had the studio been able to see into the future.

The Arthurian legends place Camelot to be a generation or three after the fall of the Roman Empire. At that point Christianity was unheard of in Scandinavia where the Vikings were from. In fact Christianity was in heavy competition with the Druid religions of the ancient Britons. So the whole film has no basis in fact.

I do have to say that the film made oodles of money for 20th Century Fox and gave Robert Wagner a career role that he would be identified with for the period of his bobby sox popularity.

Wagner certainly had a good a group of supporting players as you could get to help this film. James Mason is a fabulous villain and his duel with Wagner is a classic. Brian Aherne would get to do King Arthur again in Cornel Wilde's Lancelot and Guinevere and he fits my conception of what the mature Arthur was like.

One thing though. I have to believe that with Arthur's Excalibur and Valiant's singing sword sooner or later these guys would have tangled. Two magic swords in one kingdom, unheard of.

There are only few - VERY few - classic sword & sorcery adventures out there which deserve more than a glance. Yes, this one's pretty ignorant of Hal Foster's original, and I pity that. But as far as 40's/50's first class adventure romps go, this one ranks right beneath the all-time classic 'The Adventures Of Robin Hood', bravely levels with 'Ivanhoe', and easily settles above 'Knights Of The Round Table'.

This is a classic Sunday afternoon couch with a bag of chips movie.

As long as you don't expect something else, this is the movie for you.

9 out of 10 for what it is and always will be.

* Schogger13

I like some stupid movies for various reasons;a favorite actor or actress,a setting or plot involving something I find interesting,or I need a laugh after a hard day or night. Prince Valiant ye benighted swine is not one. Sterling Hayden is sooo out of place while James Mason decides he'll earn his money in spite of what's given him to perform. (His distinctive voice would've been perfect speaking as either Gandalf or Saruman) And that herd of "studio" Vikings stampeding over each other with the horned helmets, Kirk Douglas and Ernest Borgnine's characters from the movie The Vikings,must be cringing in Valhalla. Never did like Robert Wagner. He belongs in that class called stars or celebrities pretty can recite their lines on cue,but ever call them actors. It's like watching Alan Ladd in his fading days attempt to become a swashbuckler in the Black Knight,or horrors James Stewart as Spartacus! If you want to see Barbarians storm a castle watch Kirk Douglas's The Vikings or Charlton Heston defend one in The Warlord, only if the infotainment commercial gets truly boring watch this.

In my childhood Prince Valiant was one of my favorites. There was this film and also an album to fill in with cards related to the film. Henry Hathaway did a real good work with this film, very good for all ages, but more for children. One of the things I liked was the way Valiant (Robert Wagner or his stunt) jumped and ran. He was very active and with pride. The film had a good acting of James Mason as the villain Sir Brack, Sterling Hayden as strong Sir Gawain; two beauties of those days, Janet Leigh and Debra Paget, and the ex-boxing champion, the Italian Primo Carnera as the villain Sligon, who badly talked in the scenes he participated. Although the film was made in studios, the photography and the environment shown were good.

Years ago, when vinyl still ruled, I brought the record of Charles Gerhardt's "The Classic Scores of Franz Waxman". The opening track was music from "Prince Valiant". I hadn't seen the movie, but was surprised that the music seemed so light for an historical epic - almost a send-up of epic scores.

When I finally saw the film, I realised that Waxman had caught the tone of the film perfectly. It is an adventure film that doesn't take itself too seriously although it is based on Hal Foster's beautifully drawn comic strip, which took itself very seriously indeed - "Peanuts" it was not.

Robert Wagner's character, Prince Valiant (Val to his friends), belongs to a royal family of Christian Vikings. When Val's father is dethroned by Sligon, leader of pagan worshiping Vikings, the lad is sent with his pageboy haircut to Camelot to join King Arthur's Round Table as a way of helping his father regain the throne. However he discovers a plot against Arthur, which also involves Sligon. Along the way he gains friends, makes enemies, and finds romance with the tightly bodiced Princess Aleta.

That's roughly the plot; the romantic elements probably wouldn't have been sophisticated enough for an episode of Andy Hardy, however the whole thing is handled with such flair that clichés, overly obvious plotting and the mishmash of American and British accents are brushed away by engaging stars, great locations and brilliant special effects.

Prince Valiant was made shortly after the introduction of Cinemascope and if ever a movie was a showcase for the process it's this one; pan and scan on TV just doesn't do it justice.

Whenever the great cinematic sword fights are listed, the one between Robert Wagner and James Mason in "Prince Valiant", is hardly ever mentioned, but it is one of the best blade-on-blade encounters ever.

The film seems influenced as much by Robert Taylor's "Ivanhoe" as by Hal Foster, especially with all the jousting, and a beautiful blonde heroine contrasted with a beautiful raven-haired one: Joan Fontaine and Elizabeth Taylor in the former, Janet Leigh and Debra Paget in the latter.

The production is lavish even if the Vikings in the film look more like a herd than a horde with ridiculous out-sized horns on their helmets - you would think the biggest danger they faced when raping and pillaging would have been poking each other's eyes out.

Nevertheless "Prince Valiant" is simply good old-fashioned movie making; it's a full-blooded adventure, but given a light touch - it still delivers value for money.

While not nearly as good as Hal Foster's comic strip, this film is not nearly as bad as some reviewers would have you believe. James Mason makes a fine villain, and the action scenes are well directed by Hathaway. The biggest problem is that it is, after all, a fifties film, with all the good and bad points of the fifties. I am a big fan of the fifties, because it is the decade in which I started watching movies, but I am also aware that relatively low budgets and heavy handed censorship made even the best fifties films somewhat dubious -- e.g. A Streetcar Named Desire without any hint of homosexuality. Comparing Prince Valiant to most modern knights in armor films, I find it more fun than, say, Black Knight or Timeline.

Just remembering my childhood days when l had a couple of Prince Valiant comics at my huge collection, when I saw this movie on TV in 1995 it brought good memories, now revisiting it on second time on DVD sounds great, a mix of fictional story over the Camelot and the real Vikings on Brittany land, Wagner plays the Valiant young Viking, his father is an exiled Nordic King, due he became Christian, now hidden somewhere on Brittany he waits to return to the Scandinavia to recover his kingdom, meanwhile his son goes to Camelot, there he meets the great warrior Sir Gawain (Sterling Hayden) and falling in love for the Princess Aleta (Janet Leigh) also he has to struggles against the evil Black Knight who make a deal with pagan Vikings to break down King Arthur, his identity is unknown, however the gloomy Sir Brack (James Mason) is easily discerned, somehow some gaps are blatant, the heavy swords, improper actors accents and finally on Nordic land has a castle, well here we have a real problem, the Vikings never built a castle to live, even in modern times when they already mixed with their neighbors, aside this is an fine entertainment!!

Resume:

First watch: 1995 / How many: 3 / Source: TV-DVD / Rating: 7

Prince Valiant is son of the exiled King of Scandia. Travelling to Camelot, he hopes to join the round table knights and reclaim his fathers throne. But in his way is the mysterious Black Knight, and love of course will create its own set of problems.

The first thing one needs to know is if certain members of the Valiant cast are playing it for laughs? Or, as I suspect, they are badly hamming for all they are worth. Robert Wagner, resplendent in Cromwellian wig and Sterling Hayden are particularly bad, with poor Janet Leigh looking shocked to be in the film at repeated intervals. It's hard to divert attention from such glaring overacting, which is a shame as there is decent adventure movie at its heart. It looks real nice courtesy of Lucien Ballard's photography, and director Henry Hathaway knows how to craft action sequences (the final sword fight between Valiant and Sir Brack is very special). But there is a reason why the likes of Errol Flynn and Tyrone Power are revered in the genre, it's because they had the swagger to go with the swash. Neither Hayden (sounding like he's reading from auto-cue) or the hopelessly miscast Wagner come close to making a convincing fist of it. Not even James Mason on villain duties as Sir Brack can stop this from being a candidate for worst medieval picture ever made.

4/10 for its look and costumes.