The Viking Queen (1967)

User Rating:

4.8/10   

Director:

Don Chaffey

Writers:

Clarke Reynolds (writer)
John Temple-Smith (story)

Release Date:

16 August 1967 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure

Tagline:

SEE! Bladed chariots of death! Occult terrors of the druids! Men roasted alive in the cage of hell! Mighty legions of Rome! Barbarism of the mad emperor! Savage rites of the Icena!

Plot:

To honour her father's dying wish, Queen Salina shares the rule of Icena with Justinian, a fair and just Roman...

Plot Keywords:

Ancient Rome | Whipping | Beautiful Woman | Historical

Cast

Don Murray	...	Justinian
Carita	...	Salina
Donald Houston	...	Maelgan (as Don Houston)
Andrew Keir	...	Octavian
Adrienne Corri	...	Beatrice
Niall MacGinnis	...	Tiberian
Wilfrid Lawson	...	King Priam
Nicola Pagett	...	Talia
Percy Herbert	...	Catus
Patrick Troughton	...	Tristram
Sean Caffrey	...	Fergus
Denis Shaw	...	Osiris
Philip O'Flynn	...	Merchant
Brendan Matthews	...	Nigel
Gerry Alexander	...	Fabian

Runtime:

91 min | Portugal:80 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Portugal:M/12 | Sweden:15

Company:

Hammer Film Productions

Trivia:

Carita's only film appearance.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: Set in the 1st Century, a wristwatch is visible.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Killing Zoe (1994)

THE VIKING QUEEN (Don Chaffey, 1967) **1/2

This was Hammer Films' sole foray into peplum territory: that it's not typical material for this outfit is also borne by the fact that the writing and producing credits aren't the usual Hammer stalwarts! Don Chaffey, who handles the proceedings efficiently enough, was something of an expert in the field - having directed Hammer's ONE MILLION YEARS, B.C. (1966) as well as the Ray Harryhausen extravaganza JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS (1963).

Actually, the plot isn't all that different from that of THE LAST ROMAN (1968-9) which I watched recently: while the latter was low-brow and solemn but rather interesting, this is low-brow and silly but undeniably fun. Thankfully, there's intrigue (resulting in plenty of snarling), action and sadism - not forgetting the beautiful Irish locations - to keep one watching. Still, the lazy scripting is so obviously a mishmash of elements without any rhyme or reason that it somehow seems to think of Druids, Vikings and Greeks (all distinct in culture, geography and timeline) as one and the same people!!

With respect to the cast: Carita (whose only film this was) is actually not too bad in the title role - though necessities of plot and an inevitable romance with the enemy leader prevents her from donning armor and turn warrior before the last 20 minutes of the film proper!; Don Murray, saddled throughout with an unbecoming hair-do, tries to keep his dignity as best he can; Andrew Keir (as Murray's jealous aide and the true villain of the piece), Niall MacGinnis and Patrick Troughton actually give good performances; however, Donald Houston's hammy turn as the High Priest of the Druid community is wildly entertaining - and Wilfred Lawson is equally embarrassing as the doddering and moribund Viking King.