The Long Ships

Saga of Vikings, Moors and a giant golden bell. Filmed in Yugoslavia. Richard Widmark, Sidney Poitier, Rosanna Schiaffino, Russ Tamblyn. Krok: Oscar Homolka. Directed by Jack Cardiff., Saga of Vikings, Moors and a giant golden bell. Filmed in Yugoslavia., Richard Widmark and Sidney Poitier star, respectively, as a Viking con artist and a Moorish leader. Both are rivals intent upon finding an enormous, legendary bell wrought with gold. Each encounters danger and adventure as he sets out to be the first to find it. Jack Cardiff was already well known for his superb photography on such films as Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger’s Black Narcissus (for which he won an Oscar) and John Huston’s African Queen, before he tried his hand at directing. In this, his seventh directorial effort, based on a novel by Franz Bengtsson, Cardiff paid attention to the scenery — especially obvious in his seafaring takes — and, as many critics noted, not to the storytelling., Epic adventure romp. Norseman Rolfe encounters a Moorish rival in search of a legendary golden bell, so back home Rolfe must obtain a Viking ship and crew by any means necessary to carry on his quest., Viking adventure in which Richard Widmark plays a Scandinavian hero, struggling against the evil Moors to gain possession of a prized golden bell., After the success of The Vikings, Jack Cardiff’s film jumped on the bandwagon with this all-action adventure. Richard Widmark plays Rolfe, a pirate Viking who beguiles his men with the story of ‘The Mother of Voices’, a huge bell made of solid gold. But his stories reach Aly Mansuh (Sidney Poitier), the leader of an army of Moors, who capture Rolfe and his crew. Mansuh and Rolfe form an uneasy alliance as they set off in search of the treasure, with only Rolfe knowing its true location. Escaping from Mansuh, Rolfe returns home and, with a fresh ship, sets off to be first to capture the bell; but Mansuh is hot on his trail and the prize will go to the swiftest and bravest. The film isn’t the pinnacle of either actor’s career but the action deflects from the plot, and Oscar Homolka as a slobby Viking and ex-circus tumbler Russ Tambyn as an energetic swordsman steal their respective scenes., A Viking adventure in which two brothers search for the legendary Golden Bells of St James. Taking a beautiful princess hostage, they head for the Barbary Coast, but a violent storm leaves them in the clutches of an evil king., After the success of The Vikings, Jack Cardiff’s film jumped on the bandwagon with this all-action adventure. Richard Widmark plays Rolfe, a pirate Viking who beguiles his men with the story of “The Mother of Voices”, a huge bell made of solid gold. But his stories reach Aly Mansuh, the leader of an army of Moors, who capture Rolfe and his crew. Mansuh and Rolfe form an uneasy alliance as they set off in search of the treasure, with only Rolfe knowing its true location. Escaping from Mansuh, Rolfe returns home and, with a fresh ship, sets off to be first to capture the bell; but Mansuh is hot on his trail and the prize will go to the swiftest and bravest. The film isn’t the pinnacle of either actor’s career but the action deflects from the plot, and Oscar Homolka as a slobby Viking and ex-circus tumbler Russ Tambyn as an energetic swordsman steal their respective scenes.