Although most associated with the horror genre and such films as
BLACK SUNDAY and
LISA AND THE DEVIL, Mario Bava did a handful of sword and sandal movies (often uncredited) but this is probably his best venture into the genre. Two brothers, heirs to the Viking throne, are separated as children after their father is killed in battle. One, Eron (Cameron Mitchell) is raised a Viking while the other, Erik (George Ardisson) is found and raised by the British Queen (Francoise Christophe) as her heir. Though on opposite sides, it's inevitable that they eventually find each other. Bava is one of a handful of film directors that act as their own cinematographer and his wide screen Dyaliscope images are often very striking, such as the Queen walking through a scarlet sunset. The final siege of a castle is rather a blah, however. With Alice and Ellen Kessler (real life identical twins) playing identical twin sisters, one for each of the brothers.
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