MovieChat Forums > The Black Shield of Falworth (1954) Discussion > Anyone else find this just a bit too far...

Anyone else find this just a bit too far fetched?

posted 12 years ago by jd-276
9 replies | jump to latest

I love swashbucklers and I love adventure movies so I thought this would be right up my alley. I wasn't expecting Robin Hood or Prince Valiant. Nor did I expect The Prince Who Was a Thief. But actually, I was a bit disappointed.

Most of the film is great but I think the characterisation of Myles is just silly.

I don't think it's Tony Curtis's fault - he just played it according to the script. The problem I had with it was that you have this hyper-aggressive young man who just can't keep out of a fight, tells his masters how it's done and works on the basis that a big shot of testosterone and a total lack of prudence will overcome a gross lack of experience and proficiency, thus dispensing with any need for an education which might save his life.

Brute force and ignorance. To me it's just silly. Aggression always beats guile, skill and experience? Never, except by dumb luck.

This is interpreted as genius and he is knighted for it. Borzhe moi!

[–] robin-moss2 9 years ago

No-one in the film thinks that Miles is a genius and he is not knighted for being aggressive.

Miles does not tell his masters "how it's done" and at no time does Miles indicate that he thinks "a big shot of testosterone and a total lack of prudence" will be sufficient.

I think you need to watch the film again, and this time to pay a bit of attention.

[–] jd-276 9 years ago

Well, what's your version of it then? Because that's how it looks to me.

[–] robin-moss2 9 years ago

My version is the film version.

[–] jd-276 9 years ago

Well, I don't presume to know what you mean. You're welcome to disagree as long as you articulate your differences.

I just call it as I see it.

[–] robin-moss2 9 years ago

I'm sorry that you're struggling.

I have articulated some of my differences of opinion. I suggest that you re-read my first reply and then watch the film again. You will notice, for example, that Miles is not knighted for being aggressive. He is knighted in order to make him eligible to fight the French champion, and that this whole thing was set up so that, as a Knight, he could challenge in the King's court the judgement against his father.

[–] jd-276 9 years ago

I'm not "struggling", as you put it. If you have an opinion - a genuine one - I'm interested. If not, you can take a hike.

My comments related particularly to the combat classes etc. where he, though largely untutored, seems to be teaching teaching the masters how to do it. Now, I understand that there are prodigies in the world but anyone who has done any kind of combat sport (judo, Krav Maga and fencing in my case) would probably find it a bit hard to believe.

It is a long time since I have seen the film and I wasn't overly impressed with it but I called it as I saw it.

[–] flyer-50463 8 years ago

You are struggling. This training did not take place overnight. It took several months, and by being corrected continuously Myles learned to control some of his eagerness.

[–] jd-276 8 years ago

If you're looking for an argument, forget it.

Bye, bye.

[–] flyer-50463 8 years ago

No argument. You asked "Anyone else find?" Just like you found it farfetched, others did n ot, and explaining why.