MovieChat Forums > Taras Bulba (1962) Discussion > Taras Bulba did not 'age'

Taras Bulba did not 'age'

posted 14 years ago by rob_sawyer
4 replies | jump to latest

Having seen Taras Bulba in theatre 48 years ago, and having very positive memories of it (and a bit of jealousy for Tony Curtis hooking up in real life with Christine Kaufmann) I was eager to see it again when it finally came out on DVD. I should have left well enough alone.

The acting was generally hokey. Yul Brynner spent most of the movie channeling the King of Siam, and the phony guffaw when he punches his son in the chest.... Yeeesh!

And whose idea was it to cast 35 year old Tony Curtis as the teenage son? Curtis was actually only 5 years younger than Brynner. Would the movie not have been made w/o Tony Curtis?

Overall, a very disappointing experience.

[–] plwblj 13 years ago

Strangely,it works that Yul seems mature enuff & Tony looks young enuff >

[–] jones7418 13 years ago

I believe Tony Curtis was either a producer on this film or he owned the rights, something along those lines. That's why he cast himself in the film and got top billing over a very pi$$ed off Yul Brynner. YB felt that he should have top billing since he played the title role. I saw the movie at age 12 when it first came out and was enchanted. However, you're right; it's now cheese that didn't age well!

[–] pelscc2000 13 years ago

I agree. As a teen I loved this movie. Seeing it now, it is really corny. Yul Brynner's acting is over the top as are some others.

[–] spookyrat1 7 years ago

That's why he cast himself in the film and got top billing over a very pi$$ed off Yul Brynner. YB felt that he should have top billing since he played the title role.

Just laughable that the Taras character, in a movie called Taras Bulba, disappears for half the movie, so the focus can fall on his love struck son.🐭