That was an excellent one.

Most undeservingly overhyped movie of all time??

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

There is definitely an excellent idea hidden in the background of the film. Unfortunately, it's difficult to find it.

I am a medieval historian and for my money this is one of the best films about the period, maybe the best. The background research was far superior to that done for the much better known El Cid, and the script is intelligent and carries you along with it. This film really captures the flavour of life in the north-west coastal regions of Flanders in the mid- eleventh century. The tower in particular is thoroughly authentic as is the emphasis on hunting. Terrific stuff. As for the battle scenes, if there are better medieval ones I'd like to hear about them. The Frisians are nothing if not persistent ... Unfortunately the impressive input by design, costumes and cinematography is let down by the wooden acting of Rosemary Forsythe, which rivals that of Sophia Loren in El Cid for sheer blandness. But that's the 60s for you. If only we could take the feisty and charismatic acting of today's actresses and combine it with the realism of the best of post- war Hollywood, before post-modern tongue-in-cheek humour and cgi effects took over. This movie is far from perfect but it is eminently watchable.

***SPOILERS*** Almost laughable 11th century costume epic with Chuck Heston sporting a Prince valiant hairdo as blood & guts Norman Knight Chrysogan who's put in charge by the Duke of the a Druid village on the Normandy coast. Chrysogan's job among other things, like collecting taxes, is to protect the village from the hated Frisian.Besides fighting off the Frisians Chrysogan is also looking for some action in town since in being in combat in the crusades for the last 20 years he needs a woman's touch to relive all the pent up sexual frustration, in not being with a woman, he's since developed. Spotting the beautiful peasant girl Brouwyn, Rosemary Forsyth, feeding the pigs outside town he has his second in command Bors,Richard Boone, check her out for him and see if she's married or not. As it turns out Brouwyn is already taken or to be married to her boyfriend Marc, James Farentino. But because he's now the big man in town Chrysogan uses this archaic law about the right to spend the last night with a virgin before her wedding day he has things turn his way. As for Marc in seeing that his sweetheart and future wife is to be taken for the night by the lustful Chrysogan he loses it and eventually joins with together his pop Odins, Niall MacGinnis, the village elder the hated Frisians.The film really starts to move when Chaysogan's jealous kid brother Darco, Guy Stockwell, starts to make waves in him shaking up with Bronwyn and spending more time with her then in defending the land or village that the grateful Duke has given him. This soon leads to a violent confrontation between the two brothers where Darco who had just come to the rescue with his calvary, in preventing the Frisians from overrunning the castle that his brother is commanding, getting the short end of the stick or dagger in his gut by a very reluctant, in trying to avoid killing him, Chrysogan.Besides all the corny and ridicules sub-plots in the movie it's the action scenes that saves the " The Warlord" from being the bomb of a movie that it at first looked like it was headed for. Chuck, Heston that is, is at his best as the fearless Warlord Chaysogan together with his top kick or #1 man Richard Boone as Bors as they turn the tide against the invading Frisians in the films exciting final battle scenes. ***SPOILERS***The heart-broken Marc who turned traitor when his love Bronwyn willingly dumped him for Chrysogan still seeks revenge against him only to have himself get run through, by a large tree branch, by Bores who by then was about the only on left, besides Chrysogan,of those defending the castle from the invading Frisians. The Frisians by then were so beaten up that they were glad to get back on their ships and sail back home,to Norway, to lick their wounds and forget they ever tangled with Chrysogan. As for Chrysogan with him looking like he's about to kick off, from the wounds he suffered by Marc nailing him, he's now a king or knight without kingdom in that by the time the movie is finally over just about all his subjects are dead & buried or just checked out,together with the Frisians, for good.

The War Lord stars Charlton Heston, Richard Boone, Rosemary Forsyth, Guy Stockwell, Maurice Evans, Niall MacGinnis, Henry Wilcoxon and James Farentino, amongst others. It's directed by future Oscar winning Director Franklin J. Schaffner (Best Director for Patton), and the screenplay is by PJohn Collier with the adaptation coming from the play, The Lovers, written by Leslie Stevens.The War Lord harks back to days of yore as we enter the 11th century and ancient Normandy. The film successfully brings the period down to the nitty gritty and doesn't glamorise either the characters or the way of life of the various social dwellers. Time has been afforded the pagan mythologies that existed back then, whilst the upper class' rights such as "droit de seigneur" (ius primae noctis) forms the back bone for our story as Heston's Duke falls for the Druid peasantry virgin (Rosemary Forsyth) he has claimed his right too, tho his inner conflict with the ways irks him so. Thanks to Schaffner the film manages to blend its dialogue heavy plot with some well crafted battle scenes, with the use of weaponry and tactics particularly impressive. You can see that this hasn't just been thrown together as a cash in historical epic featuring Chuck Heston. The cast are strong, particularly Boone and Stockwell, while Jerome Moross (score) and Russell Metty (cinematography) capture the time frame with skill.Rarely talked about in terms of historical epics, or even Heston epics come to that, The War Lord is however one of the more tightly written and thematically interesting movies from the genre. 7/10

Throughout history there have been segments of the middle ages where an audience would like to be transported into that age to experience what it must have been like. This is one movie where a viewer can almost believe they are in the Medieval period. The film is called " The War Lord " and is taken from the exploits of Crysagon del la Cruz. (Charlton Heston) Although the fictitious events of the film and his true events do not coincide, the movie does try and recreate the times. It is shortly after the feudal wars in the 9th century, that our hero arrives with his loyal body-guard and soldier-at-arms, Bors (Richard Boone), his brother Draco (Guy Stockwell) and a band of war weary soldiers. He has been given a land grant for his loyal service to the Duke. It consists of a Keep, surrounding forests, fields, woodlands and itinerant peoples. Upon arriving, he realizes the Frisian King (Henry Wilcoxon) and his Vikings are raiding his holding and exciting action follows, as he has unknowingly captured the Frisian king's son. Although his vassalage is a poor holding, it's nevertheless his. All goes well until he is invited to accept his rights as manor lord and take a young girl from her husband on her wedding night. After that things erupt into bitter conflicts between the people, the Vikings and with his own brother. Exciting fare for those who care to relive the middle ages. A fine drama and a Classic in its own right. ****