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Basil Sydney, Elizabeth Taylor, Emlyn Williams

Among the most exciting of MGM swashbucklers, Richard Thorpe's 1952 Ivanhoe stars Robert Taylor as the medieval hero of Sir Walter Scott's novel. Returning to England from the Third Crusades, I...( read more  read more... )vanhoe is steadfast in his determination to raise the ransom for the captured King Richard (Norman Wooland), but the effort is full of peril. First is Ivanhoe's reunion with his estranged father (Finlay Currie), a Saxon who hates the Norman king and refuses to give his son the money. Then there's Ivanhoe's unpopular rescue of a wealthy Jew, Isaac (Felix Aylmer), from anti-Semites, and the subsequent decision by Isaac's beautiful daughter, Rebecca (Elizabeth Taylor), to pay Ivanhoe's entry fee in a tournament. (The strapped knight seeks the tourney's cash prize.) Wait, it gets worse: two of Ivanhoe's closest associates (played by George Sanders and Robert Douglas) collude with Richard's evil brother, Prince John (Guy Rolfe), to discredit their friend and steal away Rebecca and another woman, Rowena (Joan Fontaine)--who also fancies Ivanhoe--for themselves. Yes, the situation looks grim, but surprise appearances by a couple of legendary hero types toward the end help level the playing field. Nonstop adventure to make one swoon, Ivanhoe is a gorgeous treat and reasonably faithful to the Age of Chivalry. Things worked out so well for this film, Thorpe and Taylor got together the next year to make Knights of the Round Table. --Tom Keogh

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59% liked it

4,237 ratings

Unrated, 107 min.

Directed by: Richard Thorpe

Release Date: July 31, 1952

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DVD Release Date: January 11, 2005

Stats: 131 reviews

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Robert Taylor and Joan Fontaine Robert Taylor and Elizabeth Taylor Ivanhoe Wilfred of Ivanhoe and Lady Rowena
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Flixster Reviews (131)

  • garyX
    December 28, 2007
    garyX
    Robert Taylor stars in this tale of chivalry from the times of yore based on Sir Walter Scott's classic novel. The production design is variable and fight sequences a little unconvincing, but the source material provides an unusually strong story an...(read more)d well-written ch...( read more)aracters featuring a nice message of racial and religious co-operation and tolerance. George Sanders makes a three dimensional and not entirely unsympathetic villain, and Taylor has both Joan Fontaine AND the radiant Elizabeth Taylor vying for his affections. The lucky dog. A superior good old fashioned swashbuckler.
  • codyfranklin2
    December 27, 2008
    codyfranklin2
    I am a big fan of swashbuckling epics, but this one falls short. It looks great and the acting is good( the best is George Sanders), but the story is weak and a bit boring. The action scenes do look fantastic, especially the jousting which is the best Ive ever seen. Elizabeth Tay...( read more)lor and Joan Fontaine do look gorgeous in it. It was nominated for Best Picture in 1952, must have been a slow year.
  • Yelverton
    November 20, 2009
    Yelverton
    It's really not half bad. A lot better than the book.
  • DoctorXQuinzel
    June 27, 2009
    DoctorXQuinzel
    Okay watch but completely forgettable.
  • umanakka2
    May 26, 2009
    umanakka2
    An excellent movie of good olden days







    An excellent movie of good olden days
  • will1047
    November 16, 2008
    will1047
    Pretty sweet old school adventure flick.
  • spooky12
    September 24, 2008
    spooky12
    One of my favorite classic movies.
  • hypathio7
    July 3, 2008
    hypathio7
    want to see this because it was nominated for best picture at the oscars
  • smokedoggydogg11
    May 22, 2008
    smokedoggydogg11
    This is one of those great "Knight in Shining Armor" movies. It's a classic movie, from a classic novel by Sir Walter Scott. If you love Medieval tales, you can't miss this one. It's the story of a man standing up for his ideals (in this case a Saxon fighting against the oppre...( read more)ssion of the Normans). Great performances from Robert Taylor as Ivanhoe and Elizabeth Taylor as the lovely Rebecca (she's in her prime here as the Jewish girl vying for the affection of a man that she ultimately can't have). From the days before special effects and computer generated wizardry, when movies actually had to concentrate on plot and performance, this one is definitely worth a look. Some of the fight sequences are a little cheesy-looking, but it's easy to overlook that with the overall quality of the film. I'd call it a must-see.
  • Sheiob
    May 17, 2008
    Sheiob
    There's a certain enjoyment in watching old movies which are completely unpretentious. Everything focused on the story; there was nothing to distract you from it. By no means a perfect movie in execution, it's certainly a great movie for its time, and at the least a good movie fo...( read more)r even now. I was highly entertained, and especially enjoyed Elizabeth Taylor in this.

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Ivanhoe Trivia

  • He played the villan (or at least an unlikable character) in The Lord of the Rings, Starwars Episode II, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and an Ivanhoe TV miniseries.  Answer »
  • Who starred in all three of the following films; 'The Last Time I Saw Paris', 'Raintree County' and 'Ivanhoe'?  Answer »
  • James Mason who acted in films such as The Verdict, Evil Under The Sun, The Assisi Underground and Ivanhoe (1982) also acted in this movie.....  Answer »
  • I have starred in Ivanhoe The Piano Jurassic Park   Answer »
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