The Vikings (1958)

71% of critics liked it
(14 reviews)
72% of users liked it
(5,266 ratings)

Inspired by the novel The Viking by Edison Marshall, The Vikings was lensed on location in Norway under extremely adverse weather conditions. Adding to the difficulty was the fact that star Kirk Douglas and director Richard Fleischer never quite found a common ground, and for years thereafter would… More Inspired by the novel The Viking by Edison Marshall, The Vikings was lensed on location in Norway under extremely adverse weather conditions. Adding to the difficulty was the fact that star Kirk Douglas and director Richard Fleischer never quite found a common ground, and for years thereafter would hold each other responsible for the film's falling short of its potential. Still, the finished product is quite a feast for the eyes and ears. Douglas, the son of Viking leader Ernest Borgnine, carries on a film-length feud with slave Tony Curtis, who, though he does not realize it, is actually his illegitimate son. This personal battle comes to a head when Douglas and Curtis both lay claim on captured English princess Janet Leigh. The scene everyone remembers in The Vikings finds Borgnine, at the mercy of wicked monarch Frank Thring, defiantly throwing himself into a pit of ravenous wolves. Launched into distribution with one of the splashiest ad campaigns in United Artists' history, The Vikings proved an enormous success; it inspired the 1959 TV series Tales of the Vikings, which utilized the film's props, costumes and scale-model ships. In 1964, The Vikings served as the inagural presentation of ABC's Sunday Night Movie series. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Play Trailer

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 56 min.
Directed By: Richard Fleischer
Written By: Edison Marshall, Dale Wasserman
Genres: Drama, Action & Adventure, Classics

In Theaters: Jun 28, 1958 Wide
On DVD: May 7, 2002
Studio: MGM Home Entertainment

Critic Reviews

Variety Staff, Variety
The Vikings is spectacular, rousing and colorful.
Bosley Crowther, New York Times
It is the best advertisement for beer-drinking since the breweries put wrestling on TV.
John A. Nesbit, Old School Reviews
The real stars are the production people
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Directed with brawn over brain by Richard Fleischer.
Nigel Floyd, Time Out
Plenty of pillaging, axe-throwing, hearty quaffing of ale, storming of castles, heroic jumping into wolf pits, and manly talk about the glories of entering Valhalla with sword in hand.
Steve Crum, Kansas City Kansan
Fighting he-men and their war ships
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
Pretty good actioner with star power.
, Film4
Highly entertaining and slightly camp historical adventure full of great stunts, larger-than-life characters and splendidly OTT dialogue.
Scott Weinberg, Apollo Guide
As the massive battle scenes and convoluted political machinations paraded across the screen, I thought, "This was the Braveheart of the 1950s!" and I was right.

Read all 9 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

Michael E

Not bad
AJ V

This is a cool movie about Vikings as played by Douglas and Curtis. The movie is really exciting and the story is great, it's pretty accurate, and very dramatic as well. I enjoyed this movie.
Conner R

Just a great epic that never lost it's sense of fun and imagination. A lot of that goes to Kirk Douglas who is the epitome of the legendary Viking, he's a brutal drunken savage. However, he's also a great character and full of emotion rather than being just a… More
Just a great epic that never lost it's sense of fun and imagination. A lot of that goes to Kirk Douglas who is the epitome of the legendary Viking, he's a brutal drunken savage. However, he's also a great character and full of emotion rather than being just a stereotype. What also makes it great is the amazing set design, costumes and score. On top of that, the story is so well done and not typical of just another love & war story. The castle invasion is probably one of the greatest battle scenes, you don't get better action than that.
Stella D

i'm not a fan of 50s historical epics at all but this has to be one of the best out there. i'm sure it's utter nonsense but it IS fun. ernest borgnine as a viking king sounded ridiculous to me before i saw it but i have to say his performance is one of the highlights.… More
i'm not a fan of 50s historical epics at all but this has to be one of the best out there. i'm sure it's utter nonsense but it IS fun. ernest borgnine as a viking king sounded ridiculous to me before i saw it but i have to say his performance is one of the highlights. why aren't there more films about vikings?
Stephen M

A recipe for two hours of marvellous entertainment:- 1) Take two feuding half-brothers (Kirk Douglas and Tony Curtis) plus one falcon. Remove one eye. Add two ripe melons (Janet Leigh) and simmer for about one hour. 2) Then, combine one 'Fatso' Judson (Ernest Borgnine) with… More
A recipe for two hours of marvellous entertainment:- 1) Take two feuding half-brothers (Kirk Douglas and Tony Curtis) plus one falcon. Remove one eye. Add two ripe melons (Janet Leigh) and simmer for about one hour. 2) Then, combine one 'Fatso' Judson (Ernest Borgnine) with a pit of ravenous wolves and stir vigorously with a sword. Leave to enter Valhalla. 3) Bellow "Odin!!!" and serve. Joking aside, "The Vikings" is just about the best of its kind and, as a Douglas/Curtis historical epic, nine times out of ten I would rather watch this than "Spartacus"! Curtis is a bit too surly and taciturn to elicit much audience sympathy, but Douglas makes the most of one of his best villainous roles and Janet Leigh rarely looked lovelier. Photographed on location in Norway by Powell and Pressburger's ace cameraman, Jack Cardiff, the movie is often breathtakingly beautiful to look at. If you like this, try Chuck Heston and Franklin Schaffner's "The War Lord" ("The Warlord" on Flixster).
moon r

the "spartacus" pairing of douglas and curtis together for some sword and sandal, sackcloth costume wearing, teeth gritting action all the way...solid entertainment any way you look at it!
Cindy I

MUCH better than I expected it to be. This story of a Viking warrior (Kirk Douglas) who loves a captive Welsh princess (Janet Leigh) who loves another warrior (Tony Curtis) is much grittier and dirtier than most period films made in Hollywood in the 1950's, which were all clean… More
MUCH better than I expected it to be. This story of a Viking warrior (Kirk Douglas) who loves a captive Welsh princess (Janet Leigh) who loves another warrior (Tony Curtis) is much grittier and dirtier than most period films made in Hollywood in the 1950's, which were all clean clothes, beautful sets and shiny teeth. More 13th Warrior than Three Musketeers. Ernest Borgnine was born to play the Viking king. Definitely worth a look.
Dimitris S

The craft of Fleischer's adventures is the exploitation he slams in each and every film of his.Historical allusions often make ingenious appearances,aha!The difference however of the current production of "swords and sandals" is the cheesiness of it.Gladiator in front… More
The craft of Fleischer's adventures is the exploitation he slams in each and every film of his.Historical allusions often make ingenious appearances,aha!The difference however of the current production of "swords and sandals" is the cheesiness of it.Gladiator in front of Vikings is like a child sucking from its mother's breast!!!!
Constanza B

Spectacular epic. Ernest Borgnine, at the mercy of wicked monarch Frank Thring, defiantly throws himself into a pit of ravenous wolves.
Barry L

OMG What a brillaint film........