The Black Shield Of Falworth (1954)

A brother (Tony Curtis) and his sister (Barbara Rush) brought up as peasants find themselves the wards of an Earl (Herbert Marshall) who holds the secret of the father they never knew. The brother is trained in the ways of knighthood and falls in love with the Earl's daughter (Janet Leigh). Based on the 1891 novel MEN OF IRON by Howard Pyle and directed by Rudolph Mate (WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE). This lightweight tale of knights in armor and ladies fair is enjoyable in its unassuming way. Of course, Curtis is as out of place as an English knight as he was as a Roman in Kubrick's SPARTACUS but his Bronx accent aside, he's physically right for the role and wields a sword and does tumbles that would do Flynn proud but oh, when he opens his mouth. The climatic joust between Curtis and David Farrar is very nicely done although since we can't see their faces, it's most likely their stunt doubles. Universal's first film in the CinemaScope format looks quite colorful thanks to cinematographer Irving Glassberg (THE TARNISHED ANGELS). With Dan O'Herlihy, Patrick O'Neal, Craig Hill, Torin Thatcher, Doris Lloyd, Rhys Williams and Brett Halsey.