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The Scarlet Blade/ ake 'The Crimson Blade" (1963)

Dir: John Gilling

England 1648, A group of Royalist rebels led by Edward Beverley, known as "The Scarlet Blade" (Jack Hedley), attempt to rescue the imprisoned King Charles.

The local Parliamentarian Colonel, Judd (Lionel Jeffries), who used to be loyal to the King, and his 'Roundheads' are based in the Beverley mansion (after hanging Edwards Father) with orders to track down 'The Scarlet Blade'.

The Colonel's Daughter, Claire (June Thorburn who was tragically killed in a plane crash in 1967), is loyal to the King and tries to help the Royalists against her Father.
'Roundhead' Captain Tom Sylvester (Oliver Reed) is in love with Claire and persuades her that he will help Beverley and his cause.

But in a Country torn by Civil War, loyalties are uncertain and trust could get you killed……

Set around the same time as Michael Reeves masterly "Witchfinder General" and Jess Franco's unusually ambitious but flawed "The Bloody Judge", 'Hammers' English Civil War set movie is a rather different beast.

Whereas Franco's historical exploitation flick and Reeves' bleak and personal tale used the Civil War as a backdrop, John Gilling (as both Writer and Director) concentrates his story, although still a character driven movie, directly on the War and it's effects on those caught up in the turmoil.

There is a bias towards the Royalist cause, and Cromwell's Parliamentarians are depicted as almost a Nazi style organisation that Colonel Judd describes as 'a new order' and tells his wayward Daughter that "She will conform". This is overly simplistic but never damages the film from an entertainment standpoint.

As in most of 'Hammer's' historical films, the costumes are nice and authentic looking, but the budget shows in the numerous indoor for outdoor sets that look like they come from an old 'Shaw Brothers' Martial Arts film, and although the other sets are detailed, some parts, especially the towns gate that looks like it was left over from a Roman epic, are less successful.

The outdoor action scenes and battles are well handled and fast moving, but obviously subject to the budget limitations in their scope. But this is a film whose strengths lie elsewhere, and that's in its characters and the effective twists in the plot.

Jeffries (best known for appearing in "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" and lighter roles in British comedic gems like "The Wrong Arm of the Law" with Peter Sellers) is rather stiff and overly theatrical in the pompous delivery of his lines, but his actual character is at least multi-dimensional with his seemingly uncompromising self promotion and his bleak relationship with his Daughter adding an extra twist to the normal 'bad guy' role.

As his Daughter, Thorburn is no more than adequate and yet again shows that 'Hammer' never really developed its Female roles to their full potential in whatever genre.

Hedley, despite his characters 'boys own adventure' name, is rather non-descript and only occasionally shows any real 'heroic' flare. Errol Flynn he is not!

'Hammer' stalwart Michael Ripper (normally given Inn Keeper and Coachman parts) is given a much higher profile than normal here and a very different role as a Royalist supporting, dusky skinned, wild haired, ear ring wearing, grinning Gypsy knife thrower named Pablo!

But it's Oliver Reed and his extremely well written role that command the attention.
Reed is in superb form here. Young and handsome he effortlessly and effectively steals every scene he is in. He gives Captain Sylvester a wonderfully ruthless and dangerous presence and you are never sure which way his swinging loyalties will go next. Parliamentarians? The Royalists? Himself? You are forever kept guessing and it's the films greatest strength.

Like the young Charles Bronson, Oliver Reed was a very different actor early on in his career. He of course did some wonderful turns later on, but only in his last role in "Gladiator", did he have that same uncompromised 'power' and sheer force of personality as is shown here. He literally commands your respectful attention.

As the films 'bad guy' roles are far more interesting than the 'good guy' roles, it's to be thankful that the movie does the unusual thing of giving them equal screen time and characterisation as the 'hero' Scarlet Blade and his men. It's surely no coincidence either that the two top billed names, Jeffries and Reed, are playing 'Roundheads'. They are by far the most interesting aspect of the movie.

This is also crafted in a darker hue than it's more rousing U.S historical counterparts, and despite History itself obviously dooming the Royalists main cause in trying to free the King to failure, the film offers up plenty of it's own, genuinely unexpected plot turns and realistically complex takes on loyalty to a cause, to give us one of 'Hammers' most stylishly written movies.
It's also played effectively seriously, which is vital to the films ultimate success. Al though a sequence involving Pablo skulking around disguised as a bush is unintentionally comic it has to be said!

The end comes across as rather abrupt, almost like Gilling had run out of things to say, but it adds another satisfying twist that reminds us just how good the script ultimately is.

Overall this is an enjoyable, and very British, take on the 'Swashbuckler', with some satisfyingly well rounded and complex characters in Colonel Judd and Capt. Sylvester, all wrapped in a plot that hardly ever takes the easy way out.