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Boring

This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

Having first read the book, Men of Iron by Howard Pyle, I was very pleasantly surprised that the film was more enjoyable. From the title, through the plot and concluding with the climax, it was and is superlative. Although it has been in excess of six decades since my first viewing, the thrill from this movie has not lessened an iota. My rating is a solid "10." If, though, you are one who relishes nit-picking, you will probably be disappointed, as Falworth is definitely not an Oscar quality presentation.

SYNOPSIS: King Henry IV of England is dominated by the ambitious Earl of Alban. The Earl of Mackworth attempts to thwart his rival. Pawns in his strategy are the disgraced Myles Falworth and his sister, Meg, whose father was executed for treason.NOTES: Universal's first CinemaScope film was also released in a normal widescreen version… This is the second teaming of Tony Curtis and his real-life wife, Janet Leigh. Their first joint outing was in Paramount's Houdini (1953).COMMENT: For those of us who dote on the exploits of ye knightes of olde, "The Black Shield of Falworth" —especially in its richly pictorial CinemaScope version — is an absolute must. Howard Pyle's once-famous novel is vigorously brought to teeming life by as fine a group of players as such derring-do ever assembled. True, the accents of Mr. Curtis and Miss Leigh, don't altogether conjure up the medieval courts and pageants of Merrie England, but really those momentary distractions are of small account. What really matters is that both players not only look their parts but enter into their roles with enthusiasm and panache. This they definitely do. And of course, no such piffling complaints can be leveled against the delightfully villainous David Farrar, or suavely scheming Herbert Marshall and company. Here are 99 minutes packed with action and excitement, a bit of romance and even a jesting touch or two of welcome humor. And all not only briskly paced by director Rudolph Maté, but also most colorfully and vividly photographed by Irving Glassberg (a much under-rated cinematographer, if ever there was one).

The Black Shield of Falworth is the film where Tony Curtis DID NOT quote the line "Yonder lies da castle of my fadda",though he does have a rather unusual accent.There again you only have to read Chaucer aloud to realise that ordinary folk did not speak with cut glass English accents so maybe Curtis had the last laugh after all.Like Cornel Wilde and John Derek Curtis was rather good in these tights and rapier romps.Here he is trying to restore the family honour and in the process stops the evil Earl of Alban,played by David Farrar,from seizing the throne and also wins the hand of the fair lady Anne,played by the lovely Janet Leigh.Amusingly Daniel O'Herelihy plays the future Henry V as a bit of a drunk but its only a cover to find out what the Earl is up to.He manages to do this without resorting to any great Shakespearian speeches.Curtis's best friend,one Francis Gascoigne,fancies Curtis's sister Meg.Don't you love a happy ending where both the hero and his mate get a girl?All this is played out in glorious Technicolor and in an idealised merry England where mud, muck and the usual unpleasantness do not exist.While the romantic stuff is par for the course what raises the film to a higher level is the standard of the action sequences.The sword fighting and jousting have a bone shaking reality about them and Curtis proves to be a dab hand at fighting with furniture,tables,chairs etc.A quick mention in dispatches for Torin Thatcher who plays Sir James.He teaches Curtis all the tricks of the trade in training for knighthood.A tough,gruff man capable of using brutality to make his point but fair minded and with a sense of humour.Medieval England was never quite how Hollywood depicted it,English history lessons might have been a lot more fun if it was.I thoroughly enjoyed this film and the cast all rose to the occasion with the right mixture of seriousness and tongue in cheek.

This is an adaptation of Howard Pyle's "Men of Iron", and an unusually enjoyable film from start to finish. Ignore Tony Curtis's accent; it hardly matters to anyone that young and everyone in the film is bright, lively and suitable to his/her part. The direction by Rudolph Mate gives a light, sunny feel to the entire piece, and he keeps the action moving splendidly in my judgment. The storyline is classic. Myles and his sister Meg have been raised as peasants. One day they journey to Mackworth Castle and enter a new world, the world of noble landowners, quarrelsome young prigs and knights. Myles continues to search for the secret of his origins and finds it in the Library finally, the Black Shield of Falworth, shield of an attainted traitor--his father; of course he was innocent; and when Myles turns out to be a promising young knight of courage and natural skills, he is willing to be knighted in order to fight it out--at Prince Hal (the future Henry V's) plan--with the villain of the piece to claim his rightful heritage and wear the family symbol again. Along the way, he falls in love with the daughter of the household and his sister with his best friend in the dangerous and unruly body of young knights. In the cast along with Curtis and Barbara Rush as Meg are Janet Leigh, then Curtis's wife, as his love, Torin Thatcher in top form as the master of knights, David Farrar, Herbert Marshall as Mackworth, Dan O' Herlihy as Prince Hal, Patrick O'Neal as Walter Blunt (very good), and Craig ill as his friend Frances; others in the stellar cast include Ian Keith as Henry IV, Doris Lloyd, Rhys Williams, Maurice Marsac and others. Music was supplied by Hans J. Salter, and the screenplay adaptation of Pyle's novel is the work of Oscar Brodney. Irving Glasberg's cinematography is delightfully rich,the art direction by Alexander Golitzen and Richard H. Ledel very good indeed. Rosemary Odell's costume are worth the price of admission. But this is an in-depth adventurous look behind the grim tapestries that usually baffle the seeker into the late Medieval Age, There is humor in this film, much hard learning for the young knight-to-be, mystery, skillful dialogue and unusually well-developed characters. This is an enjoyable and memorable work that is bright and lively from start to finish.