Movie: The Long Ships (1964)
Richard Widmark, Sidney Poitier, Russ Tamblyn Star in Viking Film
It's Vikings versus Moors in Columbia Pictures' rousing historical drama, The Long Ships. Norse adventurer Richard Widmark and Moor chieftain Sidney Poitier lock horns as they both pursue the Golden Bell of St. James, also known as "The Mother of Voices." Russ Tamblyn, Rosanna Schiaffino, Oskar Homolka and Edward Judd also appear.
Based on the Novel by Frans G. Bengtsson
The Long Ships is based loosely on the novel of the same name by Swedish author Frans G. Bengtsson (1894-1954). An international bestseller, The Long Ships (also known as Red Orm) was published in 1941 and 1945 in four separate books.
Screenplay, Director, Music
A joint British-Yugoslavian production, The Long Ships was written for the screen by Beverley Cross and Berkely Mather.
Jack Cardiff directed. He had served as cinematographer on another Norse historical drama, The Vikings (1958).
Dusan Radic created the stirring original music score.
The Long Ships Cast
Richard Widmark starred as Rolfe and Sidney Poitier as Aly Mansuh. Other cast members included Russ Tamblyn (Orm), Rosanna Schiaffino (Aminah), Oskar Homolka (Krok), Edward Judd (Sven), Lionel Jeffries (Aziz), Beba Loncar (Gerda), Clifford Evans (King Harald), Gordon Jackson (Vahlin), Colin Blakely (Rhykka) and David Lodge (Olla).
Props, Filming Locations
The principal props used in the film were the magnificent Viking longships. A small band of hearty adventurers later tried to sail one of these prop vessels on a little journey hugging the European coastline. It proved to be a disaster, as the faux-longship proved to be largely unseaworthy.
The Long Ships was filmed on location in Yugoslavia.
Search for the Golden Bell
Rolfe is a Viking adventurer who has been shipwrecked in Moorish territory. When he boasts in the marketplace of knowing the whereabouts of a magnificent golden bell, the Norseman is brought before Moorish prince Aly Mansuh. After denying knowledge of any golden bell, Rolfe makes his escape by diving from a tower window into the ocean below.
Rolfe later washes up on shore in Scandinavia (quite a swim from Morocco), where he tries to convince his shipbuilder father to underwrite an expedition to retrieve the golden bell of legend. When his father pleads poverty, Rolfe, his brother Orm and a crew of volunteers hijack King Harald's funeral ship and set sail for Africa with the king's daughter along as a hostage.
Rolfe and crew are shipwrecked once again, where they are taken prisoner by Aly Mansuh. With a little persuasion from an execution device known as the Mare of Steel, Rolfe and his fellow Vikings agree to bring back the golden bell for the Moorish ruler.
The solid gold bell is located in a chapel dome near the Pillars of Hercules and hauled back to the Moorish capital. But waiting in the city is King Harald and his Viking legions, who had arrived the night before.
Release, Reviews
The Long Ships made its New York City premiere on June 24, 1964.
"This bizarrely miscast, awkwardly produced and unintentionally hilarious Viking adventure is leagues removed from Richard Fleischer's classic The Vikings, which has maintained its championship over this odd little subgenre to this very day," reported Dan Hassler-Forest at DVD Breakdown (8/17/03).
The Long Ships DVD
The Long Ships is available on DVD from Sony Pictures (2003).
"Allahu akbar!" (God is great!) declares Aly Mansuh. "Odin!" counters King Harald as Moors and Vikings clash in a climactic battle at the end of the film.
Inside betting tip: Take King Harald and the visiting Vikings...
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