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The Flame and The Arrow (1950)
Rating: 6
Dir: Jacques Tourneur
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Main Players: Burt Lancaster, Virginia Mayo, Robert Douglas, Aline MacMahon, Nick Cravat.
Story: A rebel leader going against the tyrannical "lords" of the land and falls in love with a lady.
Comment: We don't get fun movies these days. Now, we have angst, romance - or some dysfunctional part of it, pseudo-thrillers, and, well ... the run-of-the-mill BOOM BOOM movies. Luckily, The Mask of Zorro gave today's audience a taste of what movies could be: Flights of fancy, irreverent, and thoroughly ENTERTAINING.
Well, this movie delivers and does so without the aid of our special effects and green/blue screen technique. What you see is pure acrobatic brilliance and sheer daredevillry. Dado, our hero, jumps, somersaults, hangs by chandeliers, climbs ropes (you've got to see it to believe it) and sword-fights with elegance. You actually want to be part of his band of rebels, roaming the forest, and causing trouble in the towns.
Oh sure, the sets stick out like a sore thumb and the music feels repetitive. But its the fun of it all that makes you stay until the end to cheer the hero - was there ever a doubt that he wouldn't get the girl in the end?
Conclusion: A classic romp.