The historic plot concernd King Carlos II de Navarra : Miguel Arribas, sends his brother Don Louis de Beaumont : Xavier Elorriaga, to command a military campaign and to reclaim the Albanian throne he inherited his wife : Klara Badiola, of the dynasty Anjou. As the Compañia Navarra commanded by Xavier Elorriaga, Walter Vidarte , Chema Muñoz and
with tough soldiers as William Layton, Jose Maria Tasso, Patxi Bisquert, Felix Rotaeta, Ramon Barea. All of them proceed a dangerous and hard journey by ship till they arrive in their destination, Albania, where they will find several surprises and a bloody final battle.
Historical film in medium budget with drama, thrills, and spectacular battles. It is a nice production with fine interpretation but slowly paced. The film was shot on impressive locations and deserts from Bardenas Reales, Navarra, Loarre and Mutruku, Basque Country. The movie packs an atmospheric cinematography by Alfredo Mayo, howewer, being really necessary a perfect remastering because of the film copy is washed-out. Evocative musical score by synthesizer composed by prestigious Alberto Iglesias, who would go on an illustrous career as a great composer, Academy Award included. The picture was professionally directed by Alfonso Ungria, though it results to be some boring, overlong and tiring. Alfonso was a good director who made a few but prestigious films. His movie debut was El hombre oculto 1970, following : Tirarse al monte, Gulliver, Cuentos eroticos, Gatos en el tejado, Hasta luego cocodrilo, Cervantes series, and his best films were Soldados and Africa.
The film is based on historical events about Compañia Navarra. It was created by Carlos II de Navarra to battle Carlos V de France. After a peace with France, King Carlos II assigns his brother count of Beaumont and also Duke of Torazzo due to his marriage to Juan de Anjou to conquest a far territory. As King Carlos Ii supported Cout of Beaumont to retrieve Durazzo and Albania Kingdom. In 1372 Compañia Navarra enhanced its battalion thanks to the recruitment of 500 Lancemen and archers from Naples. Circa 1375 or 1376 several warriors were drafted from Navarra and travelled Albania. The troops embarked at Tortosa throughout the Mediterranean sea. Later on, Luis and his Great Compañia Navarra took over Durazzo and Albania kingdom. But Luis died and the battalion was jobless until the little army becomes involved under orders of Pedro de Aragon.
