The Vikings

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Ron M Mar 17, 2019 The King of Northumbria is killed during a Viking raid led by the fearsome Ragnar (Ernest Borgnine). Because the king had died childless, his cousin Aella (Frank Thring) takes the throne. The king's widow, however, is pregnant with what she knows is Ragnar's child because he had raped her during that fateful raid, and to protect the infant from her cousin-in-law's ambitions, she sends him off to Italy. By a twist of fate, the ship is intercepted by the Vikings, who are unaware of the child's kinship, and enslave him. The boy grows into a young man named Eric (Tony Curtis). His parentage is finally discovered by Lord Egbert (James Donald), a Northumbrian nobleman opposed to Aella. When Aella accuses him of treason, Egbert finds sanctuary with Ragnar in Norway. Egbert recognises the Northumbrian royal sword's pommel stone of the sword Requiter on an amulet around Eric's neck, placed there by Eric's mother when he was a child, but tells no one. Eric incurs the wrath of his half-brother Einar (Kirk Douglas), Ragnar's legitimate son and heir, after the former orders his falcon to attack Einar, taking out one of his eyes. Eric is saved from immediate execution when the royal Court Vova Kitala (who loves Eric as a son) warns that Odin will curse whoever kills him. He is left in a tidal pool to drown with the rising tide by Ragnar's decree to avoid the curse, but after Erik calls out to Odin, the wind shifts and forces the water away, saving him. Lord Egbert then claims him as his slave property to protect his rights, before Einar keenly aware of the weather shift can return and finish him. Egbert hopes to find an opportunity to take advantage of Eric's unknown claim to the Northumbrian kingdom. The enmity between Eric and Einar is exacerbated when they both fall in love with the Christian Princess Morgana (Janet Leigh), who was to marry King Aella but is captured in a raid suggested by Egbert, to demand ransom and bring shame and political unpopularity pressure upon the Northumbrian monarch... The film was a hit in the US and overseas, earning rentals of $6.2 million in the US and Canada and $7 million overseas, including being the 3rd most popular film at the British box office in 1958. Kirk Douglas took no salary for the film in return for 60% of the profits, and was estimated to have earned $3 million from the film. "The Vikings" is a quite nice 1958 epic historical fiction swashbuckling film directed by Richard Fleischer and produced by and stars Kirk Douglas. It is based on the 1951 novel "The Viking" by Edison Marshall, which in turn is based on material from the sagas of Ragnar Lodbrok and his sons. We get great leads in Michael Douglas, Tony Curtis, Ernest Borgnine and Janet Leigh. The storyline is great and the film feels "authentic" in many ways and not a Hollywoodized viking saga you would think it would be. Plus the stunning Norwegian locations are beautiful and breathtaking which adds so much to the film. Trivia: The tune played when Ragnar sails home through the fjord is a west-Swedish ballad called "Ack Varmland, du skona". Director Richard Fleischer spent two years researching the Norse civilization in preparation for doing this movie. This included the actual designs for the Viking ships they used and the breed of horse that they rode. See more

Hagrid W Jan 29, 2019 A flimsy and cliched plot but still an enjoyable historical epic. While the general movie going public may not love this film, anyone who loves historical epics and old school adventure films should enjoy! See more

Leia S Nov 18, 2018 Thoroughly enjoyable romp with Kirk Douglas as always setting the screen alight and some brilliant scenes of action.

Luke R Apr 11, 2018 There wasn't much I was expecting from Richard Fleischer's The Vikings, as it seemed it would be the typical campy historical drama that was mass produced in the 50s. By Odin it did exceed my expectations. The historical epics of the 50s and early 60s are mixed bag. Some are well made and highly entertaining, while others are just cheesy schlock. The Vikings however sets itself away from this second category. It's brutal (for it's time) and surprisingly fast paced. There are no real 'good guys' in the film, and the inclusion of that 50s era anti-hero mentality elevates it. The climatic sword duel between the two leads is impressively staged, and stands as some of the best swashbuckling I've seen on screen. In fact, I heard George Lucas used it as a template for the duel between Anakin and Obi Wan in Revenge of the Sith. When it comes to historical accuracy it's all nonsense but then again how many good movies follow the truth? The cast is mixed with Ernest Borgnine and Kirk Douglas taking every scene in the movie. Douglas especially owns the picture as the snarling, vicious Viking prince, and despite how repulsive his character seems we still want to root for him. You can tell he really enjoyed being in this movie. Despite the fact that Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh were married in real life, they have little to no chemistry in the film and their romance feels forced. Even Douglas's rapey, barbaric attitude towards Leigh seems more convincing. The rest of the supporting cast is decent and the narration by Orson Welles is always a plus. The Vikings is no masterpiece but in terms of pure entertainment it delivers, and provides a fun historical adventure romp. See more

Hermione P Aug 13, 2007 The "Spartacus" pairing of Kirk Douglas and Tony Curtis together again for some sword and sandal, sackcloth costume wearing, teeth-gritting action all the way ... solid entertainment any way you look at it! Janet Leigh as the sultry woman between them, And once again, Ernest Borgnine anchors the thing whole movie with an understated (but overstated) supporting role as the lusty Viking King Ragnar. See more

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The Vikings

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