The Warlord (1965)
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67% of critics liked it
(9 reviews) -
58% of users liked it
(753 ratings)
The painstakingly accurate historical drama The War Lord is predicated on the old practice of le droit du seigneur. Norman knight Charlton Heston, in charge of an 11th century Druid community, exercises his right to claim bride Rosemary Forsyth on the night of her wedding to James Farentino. Forsyth… More The painstakingly accurate historical drama The War Lord is predicated on the old practice of le droit du seigneur. Norman knight Charlton Heston, in charge of an 11th century Druid community, exercises his right to claim bride Rosemary Forsyth on the night of her wedding to James Farentino. Forsyth becomes enamored of her abductor, refusing to leave his side. Seeking vengeance, Farentino, the son of Druidic leader Niall McGinniss, foments an all-out war between Heston and Heston's covetous brother Guy Stockwell. Despite the impressive scope of the battle scenes, The War Lord, based on a stage play by Leslie Stevens, is essentially an intimate human drama (in contrast, look what "droit du seigneur" sparked in the 1995 epic Braveheart). The surehanded direction of Franklyn Schaffner and the credible performances of Heston et. al. are brilliantly complemented by Jerome Morross' Stravinsky-like musical score. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Directed By
- Franklin J. Schaffner
- Genres
- Drama, Action & Adventure, Classics
Unrated,
- In Theaters
- Nov 17, 1965 Wide
- Studio
- Universal Pictures
Critic Reviews
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, TIME Magazine
Runs on and on and on, but proves nothing whatever about the survival of the fittest.
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, Variety
Heston is more convincing in his battle scenes than in romancing Rosemary Forsyth, but nevertheless delivers a hard-hitting performance.
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, Time Out
The rituals of pagan mythology are well observed - cabalistic idols, sacrifices - as is Heston's disintegration in the face of a mental force that he can't understand.
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Bosley Crowther, New York Times
There is plenty of bow-and-arrow shooting and throwing spears and pouring boiling oil and battering-ramming the great oak doorway and assaulting the fortress with a scaling-tower.
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, TV Guide's Movie Guide
An intelligent historical drama, exciting and atmospheric while never losing sight of the human passions that are its driving force.
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Cast
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Charlton Heston
as Chrysagon
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Richard Boone
as Bors
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Rosemary Forsyth
as Bronwyn
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Maurice Evans
as Prist
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Guy Stockwell
as Draco
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Niall MacGinnis
as Odins
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Henry Wilcoxon
as Frisian Prince
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James Farentino
as Marc
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Sammy Ross
as Volc
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Woodrow Parfrey
as Piet
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John Alderson
as Holbracht
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Allen Jaffe
as Tybald
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Michael Conrad
as Rainault
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Dal Jenkins
as Dirck
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Forrest G. Wood
as Chrysagon Man
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Belle Mitchell
as Old Woman
