More swashbucklers came out of Hollywood in the late '40's-early '50's that any movie fan could be excused for not being able to tell them apart. "The Flame and the Arrow" must've looked like old news even when first released, though it does have Burt Lancaster and Virginia Mayo, and enough breathless matinée-idol pizazz to make it a middling time-filler. The original script (by Waldo Salt, of all people) chronicles the war between Italy and Germany in the 12th Century, with lots of action giving Lancaster the opportunity to utilize the acrobatic skills he learned before becoming an actor. Most of the acting is very broad (and loud), but the picture does look terrific in gorgeous Technicolor. Mildly diverting fare. ** from ****
Review of The Flame and the Arrow
