The Crusades (1935 film)
The Crusades | |
---|---|
Directed by | Cecil B. DeMille |
Written by |
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Produced by | Cecil B. DeMille |
Starring | Alan Hale |
Cinematography | Victor Milner |
Edited by | Anne Bauchens |
Music by | Rudolph G. Kopp |
Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
Release dates |
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Running time | 125 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $1.4 million[2] |
Box office | $1.7 million[3] |
The Crusades is a 1935 American
The film premiered in New York City on August 21, 1935, and went into general release on October 25. It was a critical and commercial success, earning nominations for Best Foreign Film at the
Plot
The film takes many of its elements and main characters from the
During the Crusaders' attempts to get past the walls of Acre, the allies assemble in conference, but in disarray. Richard receives word that his brother John has seized the throne of England. Richard's ally, Philip II of France, is enraged at Richard's rejection of his sister Alice, but Richard defies Philip and the other troubled allies by proclaiming Berengaria Queen of England. The Christian leaders meet in parley with the Muslim Sultan and leader Saladin. Saladin is struck by Berengaria's beauty and bravery in supporting her husband. However, he rejects any truce with the Crusaders, and declares that the arrogant Richard will "never pass the gates of Jerusalem."
Berengaria is fearful that her presence in camp is causing disloyalty among Richard's allies, in particular the powerful French King Philip, and may harm their holy quest. Seeking death, she enters no man's land between the lines, only to be wounded and captured by the forces of Saladin. The hermit, the Christian "holy man" who had preached the Crusade, also is captured. Saladin escapes the siege, and after finding Berengaria wounded, brings her to Jerusalem to care for her, with admiration and growing affection. Not knowing this Richard and the Crusaders storm Acre to save the Queen of England.
The internal plot against Richard's life is hatched by Conrad and disloyal soldiers. Conrad reveals his plot to Saladin, expecting to be rewarded. Appalled by Conrad's treachery, Saladin orders Conrad to be immediately executed. Berengaria offers herself to Saladin if he will intervene and save Richard's life. Saladin sends a few of his soldiers to warn Richard who is searching the battle field at night for the body of a friend. Conrad's men attack Richard but are defeated by Saladin's soldiers who take the English King to Saladin. Richard and Saladin agree to a truce and the gates of Jerusalem are opened to all Christians with the exception of Richard, in keeping with Saladin's earlier promise. After losing his kingship, his wife and the opportunity to see the Holy City, Richard prays for the first time, asking God for him to be reunited with his wife. Richard encounters Berengaria on her way to the Holy City. He admits his mistakes and Berengaria tells him that Saladin has freed her along with the other Christian captives. Berengaria proceeds alone toward Jerusalem to visit the Holy City and promises to return to him.
Cast
- Loretta Young as Berengaria of Navarre
- Henry Wilcoxon as Richard the Lionheart
- Ian Keith as Saladin
- C. Aubrey Smith as The Hermit
- Alice of France
- Joseph Schildkraut as Conrad of Montferrat
- Alan Hale as Blondel de Nesle
- C. Henry Gordon as Philip of France
- George Barbier as Sancho of Navarre
- Montagu Love as The Blacksmith
- Ramsay Hill as John of England
- Lumsden Hare as Robert of Leicester
- Maurice Murphy as Alan, Richard's squire
- William Farnum as Hugo of Burgundy
- Frederick Barbarossa
- Pedro de Cordoba as Karakush
- Mischa Auer as Monk
- Albert Conti as Leopold of Austria
- Sven Hugo Borg as Sverre of Norway
- Paul Sotoff as Michael of Russia
- Fred Malatesta as William of Sicily
- Hans von Twardowski as Nicholas of Hungary
- Anna Demetrio as Duenna
- Perry Askam as Soldier
- Vallejo Gantner as Albéric Clément, Marshal of France
- John Carradine as Wise Man[5]
- Jason Robards Sr. as Amir[5]
- J. Carrol Naish as Slave Seller[5]
- Sam Flint as Knight Hospitaller[5]
Cultural context
Lorraine K. Stock writes in Hollywood in the Holy Land, in her chapter "Now Starring in the Third Crusade" that Crusading films have been used by European and American countries to spread a political or cultural agenda. One way with which this is done is through the main Crusading "heroes" such as
Depiction of Arab and Muslim characters
A main concern for such films is the way Muslims and Crusaders are portrayed. Throughout the film Stock notes that there are a negative portrayals of Saladin and the Muslims. For instance Stock notes that the Crusaders are all dressed in mail armor with the cross upon their chests, while Saladin and the Saracens are dressed mainly in "flowing robes of luxury fabrics" and "silken sashes". The Saracens are shown as oriental but also "exotically feminized" according to Stock. Another scene has the Saracens shoot a Crusader messenger, who demands surrender of the city, with one of them wearing a helmet with devil horns upon it. There are other moments in which the Europeans mention devilry or call Muslims infidels. Stock says DeMille established "the stereotypes of Richard and Saladin that subsequent films would repeat…".[6]
However, Saladin is also depicted as an honorable and respectable man, in comparison to the treacherous European Christian nobles who try to undermine Richard. In "Islam, Muslims and Arabs in the Popular Hollywood Cinema", Anton K. Kozlovic writes "The Crusades was not as enthusiastically received in the West as DeMille would have liked probably because it showed the good and noble side of the Muslims and contrasted it with the darker deeds of Christianity".[7] Saladin in the film refuses to help assassinate Richard I and in fact sends out help to prevent Richard from being killed by the treacherous other Europeans. Kozlovic also notes that when Saladin offers peace to the "foes of Islam", Richard responds by drawing his sword "and saying 'We are going to slaughter you!'", yet the film ends in a truce between Richard and Saladin. Kozlovic sees DeMille's film as a challenge to the stereotypical norm and negative picture painted of Muslims in Crusader films specifically.[8]
While scouting Egyptian locations for The Ten Commandments (1956), Cecil B. DeMille was concerned that President Gamal Abdel Nasser's administration would refuse his production permission due to the script's negative depictions of Egyptian characters. To his surprise, Nasser enthusiastically accepted DeMille's request, because The Crusades had been immensely popular in Egypt, and appreciated the film's nuanced depiction of Saladin and the Muslim characters.[9][10] Katherine Orrison writes in Written in Stone: Making Cecil B. DeMille's Epic The Ten Commandments, that Nasser's minister of war Abdel Hakim Amer stated "The Crusades was immensely popular here in Egypt. It ran for three years in the same theater in Cairo, and Col. Nasser and I saw it no less than twenty times. It was our favourite picture when we were attending military school. And Col. Nasser was called ‘Henry Wilcoxon’ by the other students because he would grow up to be a great military leader someday, just like Coeur-de-Lion."[9]
Music score
The film is noted for its spectacular film score, composed by
Reception
Box office
With a budget of $1,376,260,[2] the film earned a domestic total of $1,491,471,[2] and $208,529 overseas for a worldwide total of $1,700,000.[3]
Critical response
Andre Sennwald of
The film's copyright was renewed in 1962.[17]
Home media
This film, along with The Sign of the Cross, Four Frightened People, Cleopatra and Union Pacific, was released on DVD in 2006 by Universal Studios as part of The Cecil B. DeMille Collection.
References
- ISBN 9780813126364.
- ^ a b c Birchard, p. 283.
- ^ Quigley Publishing Company. p. 942. Retrieved April 8, 2018.
- ^ "8th Academy Award Winners". oscars.org. Retrieved 18 September 2013.
- ^ a b c d "The Crusades (1935)". AFI Catalog. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
- ISBN 978-0-7864-4156-3
- ISSN 1743-1638.
- ISSN 1740-7125
- ^ ISBN 978-1879511248.
- ISBN 978-0743289566.
- ^ The Crusades Soundtracks, IMDb
- ^ Sennwald, Andre (August 22, 1935). "Cecil B. DeMille Presents His Latest Spectacle, "The Crusades", at the Astor Theater". The New York Times. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
- ^ "The Crusades". Variety. New York: 12. August 28, 1935.
- Film Daily. New York: Wid's Films and Film Folk, Inc.: 16 August 5, 1935.
- ^ Mosher, John (August 31, 1935). "The Current Cinema". The New Yorker. p. 51.
- ISBN 0192812866.)
- ^ "Catalog of Copyright Entries 1962 Motion Pictures Jan-Dec 3D Ser Vol 16 PTS 12-13". U.S. Govt. Print. Off. 1962.