The Golden Horde (1951)

In 13th century Persia, the ruthless Genghis Khan (Marvin Miller) threatens to destroy the city of Samarkand. But as its ruling Princess (Ann Blyth) plots to outwit the mighty Khan, a Crusader from England (David Farrar) and his men insist on joining the fight. Directed by the veteran George Sherman (AGAINST ALL FLAGS), this is the kind of exotic fodder that Universal was churning out on a regular basis in the early 1950s. Here, Blyth takes on the kind of role that was usually assigned to Maureen O'Hara or Piper Laurie. It's mindless hokum and it's harmless and brief (it has a 76 minute running time) and there's a certain corny charm to it. Unfortunately, Farrar's knight hero is too arrogant and pompous to root for. When Blyth refuses to leave her own palace, Farrar barks to an underling, "Don't stand on ceremony! Pull her out by her hair!" What a sweetheart! But one can't take this kind of corn seriously and part of the minor pleasure of such kitsch is in its banality. With Richard Egan, Peggie Castle, George Macready and Henry Brandon.