No one was ever going to confuse The Long Ships with Tarkovsky's Andrei Rublev, but this is a very entertaining adventure film. The film stars Richard Widmark as the Norseman Rolfe. Along with his brother Orm, they kidnap a Viking Princess and steal a Viking boat in search of a giant Golden Bell. While in search of the Bell they run up against a Moorish King played by Sidney Poitier of all people. Poitier's queen is the Italian actress Rosanna Schiaffino and the screenplay is written in such a way that Poitier has taken a vow of chastity. In fact he doesn't even touch the gorgeous Schiaffino at all throughout the entire film.
This film has it all, shipwrecks, battle scenes a treasure hunt and excellent location photography. The film was shot on some scenic Yugoslavian locations for the most part. One doesn't think of the actor Richard Widmark as having a light touch as a swashbuckler in this adventure epic, but he's not bad. Poitier is all dead seriousness as the Muslim King Aly Mansuh and Rosanna Schiaffino basically stands around and looks beautiful. Dancer/actor Russ Tamblyn is Widmark's brother and in his fight scenes he hops around like he's back in Seven Brides For Seven Brothers.
Apparently no one wanted to make this film, the thought of being on location in Yugoslavia was less than appealing to the cast, particularly the American actors. The director Jack Cardiff supposedly spent much of his time trying to get out of his contract to make the picture. It's amazing this picture turned out as well as it did.
The Long Ships is the type of lightweight adventure epic the film industry doesn't seem to be able to provide these days. The film was written by Beverley Cross and Berkely Mather. Beverly Cross had written Ray Harryhausen's Jason and the Argonauts which was clearly an influence on this film's plot. The running time is 126 minutes.
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