The exploits of Robin Hood have been well mined on screen over the years, but less popular for most would be the adventures of Ivanhoe who is cut from the same cloth. The famous chivalrous Anglo-Saxon knight is perceived to be the embodiment of bravery, honesty and honor as detailed in the 1819 historical novel Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott. The general public has always had something of a fascination with medieval epics, and the 1952 feature adaptation of Ivanhoe from Richard Thorpe (The Thin Man Goes Home) was no exception. MGM spared no expense in the production of this film as the studio allowed the ensemble to go to England for some on-location photography that added some authenticity and grandeur to the proceedings. The gamble paid off as the film became the largest earner for MGM in 1952 and in the top four of the box office overall. Not only this, but the film notched a Best Picture nomination for its sweeping portrayal of love and betrayal.
The basic mechanics of the tale can be a bit difficult to wade through given the amount of characters with shifting allegiance and similar names. It is the 12th century and Saxon knight Sir Wilfred of Ivanhoe (Robert Taylor, Party Girl) is returning from the third crusade in Jerusalem. Along his journey he is searching for his missing king, Richard The Lionheart, whose absence has caused instability amongst the people of England who are already in a precarious state as tensions between Saxons and the Normans rise. Upon the discovery that Richard is being held for ransom in Austria by King Leopold also comes the revelation that the corrupt Prince John (Guy Rolfe), Richard’s brother, has been sitting on this information so as to remain in power. What follows from here is a complex tale of Ivanhoe seeking to fund the ransom to free Richard while crossing paths with his estranged father (Finlay Currie) and various Norman knights who seek to stop such an occurrence.
Ivanhoe is a swashbuckling tale of twisted politics that is livened up by ample romance and action sequences. For the more gentle-hearted amongst us, the love story proves to be one of many enticing developments. We initially see the fair maiden Princess Rowena (Joan Fontaine, The Emperor Waltz) as the love of Ivanhoe, but there is a young passion that cannot be matched with Elizabeth Taylor (National Velvet) as Rebecca, the daughter of a Jewish ally in the plan to get Richard back on the throne. In the midst of the political machinations the film also tackles the religious intolerance of the Jewish people. There are so many scenes of ransom demands, negotiations, and standoffs that you grow to appreciate when the action does kick into gear. A mid-film jousting sequence shakes some of the dust off of the proceedings and gives the film a pulse as it marches towards the momentous battle sequence that takes up a sizable amount of the third act. The film delivers spectacle in terms of production design and costumes up until this point, but seeing the flying arrows and burning buildings helps build more excitement for less patient audience members.
The film does a capable job of juggling the sprawling narrative with the need for big-budget spectacle in a picture that keeps the story to less than two hours. There are some stretches that can be a bit dull or confusing, but for the most part Richard Thorpe and company do a nice job of delivering the medieval tale that audiences want to see. The production is a visual feast with great performances from all of the key talent in the ensemble. The story has moments where you feel the influence of the Hollywood system making a few plot elements feel slightly contrived, but the grand scale of the action and romance makes you forgive its worst moments. This may not win over anyone who is not already a fan of medieval dramas, but those who appreciate these features will have a lot of fun.
Video Quality
Warner Archive presents Ivanhoe with a drop dead gorgeous new 1080p master transfer sourced from a 4K scan of the Technicolor camera negative. Warner Archive nearly always knocks it out of the park with their transfers, but this one ranks as a revelation from the studio. The level of detail and clarity is stunning with the appropriate amount of natural film grain intact. The film appears to be almost entirely free of dirt and damage, which almost makes the feature feel like it could have been made yesterday. The film features some vibrant colors within the costumes and set design that pop off the screen with a wondrous intensity. The black levels are also very deep with a nice stability throughout. There does not appear to be any pesky digital anomalies such as compression artifacts, banding or any other such nuisances. This presentation is a five-star effort from Warner Archive on all fronts.
Audio Quality
Warner Archive has delivered a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio presentation that is simply wonderful. When it comes to the music in this feature, the track is in rare form with its handling of the different core elements. The gorgeous score from Miklós Rózsa feels almost like another character in the film and it comes through flawlessly with remarkable fidelity. Dialogue is the driving force of this film, and it comes through clearly from beginning to end. The track balances vocals with the environmental sounds with magnificent clarity. Even in the most active moments such as the intense siege near the end, there are no moments where the track ever appears as if it will fail to maintain its stability. Warner Archive has provided a flawless audio presentation that does not exhibit any glaring signs of age-related wear-and-tear. The disc also comes with optional English (SDH) subtitles.
Special Features
- The Two Mouseketeers: A seven-minute Tom & Jerry cartoon from 1952 which fits the theme quite nicely as Tom tries to guard a banquet table from Jerry and Nibbles.
- Theatrical Trailer: The four-minute trailer is provided here.
Final Thoughts
Ivanhoe is an ambitious medieval epic that can be a bit convoluted in its plotting but delivers ample spectacle. The large-scale set piece near the end of the film provides one of the most thrilling conclusions I have seen from this era of the genre. The performances from the sprawling ensemble do not show signs of weakness amongst anyone. Warner Archive has released a Blu-Ray featuring a tremendous A/V presentation but little in the way of special features. If you enjoy this genre, you will have a good time with this release.
Ivanhoe can be purchased directly through the Warner Archive Amazon Store or various other online retailers. The film will be available on December 14, 2021.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Warner Archive has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
