Ivanhoe (1952 film)
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| Ivanhoe | |
|---|---|
 original film poster |
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| Directed by | Richard Thorpe |
| Produced by | Pandro S. Berman |
| Written by | Sir Walter Scott (novel) Æneas MacKenzie Noel Langley Marguerite Roberts |
| Starring | Robert Taylor Elizabeth Taylor Joan Fontaine George Sanders Emlyn Williams Felix Aylmer Finlay Currie |
| Music by | Miklós Rózsa |
| Cinematography | Freddie Young |
| Editing by | Frank Clarke |
| Distributed by | MGM |
| Release date(s) | 1952 |
| Running time | 106 min. |
| Language | English |
| IMDb profile | |
Ivanhoe is a 1952 historical film made by MGM. It was directed by Richard Thorpe and produced by Pandro S. Berman. The screenplay was by Æneas MacKenzie, Marguerite Roberts, and Noel Langley from the novel Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott. The music score was by Miklós Rózsa and the cinematography by Freddie Young.
The film was the first in what turned out to be an unofficial trilogy made by the same director and producer and starring Robert Taylor. The others were Knights of the Round Table (1953) and The Adventures of Quentin Durward (1955). All three were made at MGM's British Studios at Elstree, near London
The cast featured Robert Taylor, Elizabeth Taylor, Joan Fontaine, George Sanders, Emlyn Williams, Finlay Currie and Felix Aylmer.
The film was nominated for 3 Academy Awards: Freddie Young for Best Cinematography, Color, Miklós Rózsa for Best Music, Scoring and Pandro S. Berman for Best Picture. In addition, Richard Thorpe was nominated by the Directors Guild of America, USA for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures. There were also two Golden Globe Award nominations: Best Film Promoting International Understanding and Best Motion Picture Score, for Miklós Rózsa.
[edit] Plot
Richard the Lionheart, King of England, vanishes while returning from the Crusades. One of his knights, the Saxon Wilfred of Ivanhoe (Robert Taylor), searches tirelessly for him, finally finding him being held for ransom by Leopold of Austria for the enormous sum of 150,000 marks of silver. Richard's treacherous brother, Prince John (Guy Rolfe), knows about it, but enjoys his regency too much to want to do anything.
Ivanhoe returns to England, to the house of his estranged father, Cedric (Finlay Currie), to be reunited with his love and Cedric's ward, the Lady Rowena (Joan Fontaine), and to beg his father's help in raising the ransom. Cedric refuses to lift a finger for a Norman king and orders his son to leave. Wamba (Emlyn Williams), Cedric's court jester, begs to go with Ivanhoe and is made his squire.
Two separate parties of travelers arrive and are granted Cedric's hospitality: the Jew, Isaac of York (Felix Aylmer), and Norman knights Sir Brian de Bois-Guilbert (George Sanders) and Sir Hugh de Bracy (Robert Douglas), and their entourage. That night, two of the Normans try to rob Isaac, but are foiled by Ivanhoe. Not feeling safe, Isaac decides to return to his home in Sheffield; Ivanhoe offers to escort him there.
When they reach Isaac's home, Ivanhoe secures his help raising the ransom in return for better treatment for the Jews once Richard returns. Rebecca (Elizabeth Taylor), Isaac's daughter, visits Ivanhoe secretly in the night to reward him for rescuing her father; she gives him jewels to purchase arms and a horse for an important upcoming joust. She falls in love with him, despite the great social gulf between them.
Nearly all of the principal characters are at the joust, including Prince John. The Norman knights defeat all comers. Just when it seems that they are victorious, a new Saxon knight appears, arrayed all in black. He does not give his name, but challenges all five Norman champions. He defeats four of them, one after the other, but is seriously wounded in the fourth encounter. In between rounds, the black knight (Ivanhoe) salutes Rebecca. Bois-Guilbert sees her and instantly falls under her spell. In the last bout, Ivanhoe and Bois-Guilbert clash. Weakened, Ivanhoe falls out of the saddle and is carried off the field.
In fear of Prince John's wrath, the Saxons depart, Ivanhoe to the woods under the protection of Robin Hood (Harold Warrender). The rest make for the city of York, but are captured and taken to the castle of Front de Boeuf (Francis De Wolff). When Ivanhoe hears the news, he gives himself up, in exchange for his father's freedom. However, the Normans go back on their word and keep them both. Robin Hood's men then storm the castle, freeing most of the captives. In the fighting, Front de Boeuf drives Wamba to his death in the burning part of the castle and is slain in turn by Ivanhoe. Bois-Guilbert alone escapes, by using Rebecca as a shield.
Meanwhile, the ransom is finally collected, but the Jews face a cruel choice: free either Richard or Rebecca, for that is the price Prince John has set on her life. John has her condemned as a witch, to be burned at the stake, but Ivanhoe challenges the verdict, invoking the right to "wager of battle", which cannot be denied. Prince John chooses a conflicted Bois-Guilbert as his champion. The Norman makes a last desperate plea to Rebecca: in return for her love, he is willing to forfeit the duel, though he would be forever disgraced as a knight. She refuses, saying "We are all in God's hands, sir knight."
In the battle to the death, Ivanhoe's axe prevails over Bois-Guilbert's mace and chain. As he lays dying, Bois-Guilbert reaffirms to Rebecca that he is the one who loves her, not Ivanhoe. And indeed, he speaks the truth. Richard and his knights return to reclaim his throne from his usurping brother.
[edit] Trivia
The English footballer, Emile Heskey, has the middle name of Ivanhoe as his father was a large fan of the film.
