Flesh & Blood (Flesh+Blood) (The Rose and the Sword) (1985)

83% of critics liked it
(12 reviews)
63% of users liked it
(4,032 ratings)

When an attempted political coup in 16th century Northern Italy fails, most of the mercenaries hired by the coup leaders disperse. Not so Martin (Rutger Hauer), who intends to rob his duplicitous former employer Arnolfini (Fernando Hillbeck). Martin is able to raise his own army by using a stolen… More When an attempted political coup in 16th century Northern Italy fails, most of the mercenaries hired by the coup leaders disperse. Not so Martin (Rutger Hauer), who intends to rob his duplicitous former employer Arnolfini (Fernando Hillbeck). Martin is able to raise his own army by using a stolen religious artifact as a talisman. He later kidnaps Arnolfini's prospective daughter-in-law Agnes (Jennifer Jason Leigh), who saves herself from gang rape by feigning eternal devotion to her captor. Weeks of plunder and destruction follow, with a deadly plague thrown into the stew. Flesh and Blood has also been released under the title The Rose and the Sword. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: R, 2 hr. 6 min.
Directed By: Paul Verhoeven
Genres: Drama, Action & Adventure

In Theaters: Aug 30, 1985 Wide
On DVD: Feb 3, 2004
Studio: MGM

Critic Reviews

Variety Staff, Variety
A vivid and muscular, if less than fully startling, account of lust, savagery, revenge, betrayal and assorted other dark doings in the Middle Ages.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
A more appalling view of the turmoil and misery of the late Middle Ages may never be seen.
, Time Out
It's hamstrung by leaden dialogue and the motley international cast - Python and the Grail are never that far away - but it's admirably unsentimental and by no means stupid.
, Film4
Delivers exactly what the title promises (and then some), as Dutch director Verhoeven spares no gory or raunchy details in his vigorous recreation of medieval Europe.
Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com
Brutally ugly and irresistably entertaining.
Dragan Antulov, rec.arts.movies.reviews
One of the most underrated gems of 1980s.

Read all 6 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

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Featured Audience Ratings

Conner R

Part soft-core medieval porn and part extreme gorefest, this is an early trip into the dirty mind of Paul Verhoeven and it's actually very good. This felt a lot like The Seventh Seal, which I think is the best compliment you can give this movie. Rutger Hauer stars as the… More
Part soft-core medieval porn and part extreme gorefest, this is an early trip into the dirty mind of Paul Verhoeven and it's actually very good. This felt a lot like The Seventh Seal, which I think is the best compliment you can give this movie. Rutger Hauer stars as the unstoppable mercenary Martin, who is immune to the plague and has zero morals. I absolutely love that he never has to really pay for any of his bad deeds. Jennifer Jason Leigh plays an almost equally entertaining character, a two-faced she devil who can't decide which side she's on (for some reason she also walks around naked all the time). This is a largely unseen classic and should be a happy surprise for fans of Robocop and Total Recall.
Dr Blood

This was the first film I ever bought on VHS and I've lost count of the number of times I've watched it. Everything about this movie is first class and Rutger Hauer gives the most charismatic performance of his career. It's powerful stuff and I'm always surprised… More
This was the first film I ever bought on VHS and I've lost count of the number of times I've watched it. Everything about this movie is first class and Rutger Hauer gives the most charismatic performance of his career. It's powerful stuff and I'm always surprised that so few people have even heard of it.
Steve K

Blood, busoms, and Rutger Hauer. Sword and sandals type medieval epic is somewhat obvious but still fun.
Dean M

Great dark doings in the Middle Ages with full startling, account of lust, savagery, revenge and betrayal.

Cast

            Rutger Hauer as Martin

            Jennifer Jason Leigh as Agnes

            Tom Burlinson as Steven

            Jack Thompson as Hawkwood

            Susan Tyrrell as Celine

            Ronald Lacey as Cardinal

            Brion James as Karthans

            John Dennis Johnston as Summer

            Simón Andreu as Miel

            Bruno Kirby as Orbec

            Kitty Courbois as Anna

            Marina Saura as Polly

            Hans Veerman as Father George

            Jake Wood as Little John

            Héctor Alterio as Niccolo

            Blanca Marsillach as Clara

            Nancy Cartwright as Kathleen

            Susan Beresford as Sturdy Woman

            Fernando Hilbeck as Arnolfini

            Mario De Barros as Herman

            Ida Bons as Roly Poly

            Jorge Bosso as Sterz

            Bettina Brenner as Lady of the Castle

            Siobhan Hayes as Child of the Castle

            Monica Luccetti as Tongueless Girl

            Jaime Segura as Lord of the Castle
See full cast