The Flame And The Arrow (1950)

In 12th century Italy in the province of Lombardy under Hessian rule, a free spirited hunter (Burt Lancaster) and his son (Gordon Gebert) become involved in a rebellion when the Hessian count (Frank Allenby) takes the boy from him. This highly enjoyable Technicolor swashbuckler gives Lancaster a chance to show off his athletic prowess acquired as a circus acrobat with his partner Nick Cravat, who also appears in the film. He leaps, he scales, he flips, he swings, he falls, effortlessly and without a stunt man, all the while showing off his pearly whites. A couple of years later, he'd do another wonderful swashbuckler THE CRIMSON PIRATE but alas, a sudden attack of seriousness caused him to abandon such enjoyable romps for more serious fare like COME BACK LITTLE SHEBA and THE ROSE TATTOO, our loss. Jacques Tourneur keeps everything moving along nicely while Max Steiner's Oscar nominated score adds zip. Quite empty headed of course but isn't it movies like this which made us fall in love with the medium in the first place? Cream and peaches Virginia Mayo provides the romantic interest. With Robert Douglas, Norman Lloyd, Aline MacMahon and Lynn Baggett.