For anyone who wondered where a young Harvey Keitel went when not acting in gangster movies, here's part of the answer. A compelling film and one of the most beautifu... more >
For anyone who wondered where a young Harvey Keitel went when not acting in gangster movies, here's part of the answer. A compelling film and one of the most beautiful cinematographic I have seen- even for Ridley Scott. If watched more than once the landscapes and settings are excellent,once one can see past the action in front of the camera- similarly setting characters 'off centre shot' from time to time is a device which works very well.
The story may only appeal to fenecers or others of a 'retro' outlook as the pace and convolutions of European history may not find a large audience in north America.
My only criticism is that there seems to have been over 5 mins cut from the sabre fight in a cellar -which is a shame as 'veritee' aspect brought out the attrition and morphosis of two 'civilised' protagonists over time due to the sheer physicality of sabre was - for me,at least- a highly moving aspect to this film which is weakened now that it has been edited....perhaps a 'directors cut' may at some stage correct this mistake.
Perhaps too much 'blood and thunder' for many but more than just a costume drama if one has an inkling of the nuances of the times portrayed. < less
