LobotomousMonk Like other films in this era of Katzman-Castle production, The Saracen Blade puts an emphasis on tableau (symmetrical composition of mise-en-scene within the framing of a static camera positioned with frontality as the dominant). Castle outdoes himself this time as he adds a new element to his beleaguered stylistic system - suture! The shot-reverse-shot editing system is not only naively constructed and overt, but poorly employed with relation to the plot progression. As a result, there is a stagnant pace. I pity that a talented director such as William Castle found himself compulsively alternating between two stylistic systems for different films. The Saracen Blade is a 1954 release - and one of eight Castle films released that year! If the authorial voice seems mute perhaps it was a result of the man being overworked. The script doesn't help as the narrative is relayed with tweenish 'dear-diary' precision and crossing-guard intuition. If only this film wore a bright reflective 'X' it might become self-aware and develop a set of compensatory unique qualities. As it stands, the film hunches and then limps. Despite each sequence taken individually having the flavor of a bad porno, there is no passion infused into character relationships. All the characters seem sickeningly smug about the conflicts that befall them. But fear not, for Castle would soon break free from a bunk system of mechanical and mass reproduction in the guise of historical action-drama storytelling in order to forge the better parts of a stylistic system that he had been struggling to express for most of his career (When Stranger Marry had established most of the elements).

J. Theakston The plot: During the era of the Crusades, Ricardo Montalban plays an Italian peasant who gains favor of the king and works his way up to knight in order to avenge the death of his father.THE SARACEN BLADE should work, but it doesn't. It's hampered at all ends-- the script isn't incompetent, but is uninspired and predictable. The dialog and performances jog between "old English" to modern-day soap opera. The cast is uneven, and nary a one of them is Italian, where the majority of the film is set-- indeed, England would have been a more convincing location location given the plot. Carolyn Jones and Betta St. John are pleasing to look at, but totally out of place and are better used in many other films of this period.Henry Freulich's wide-screen cinematography is colorful, and the set design and costuming reflect this accordingly, but the lighting and camera-work is flat.The exteriors are unconvincing, often doubling the rocky California countryside for rural Italy as well as the Middle East, and during an attack on a castle, the night-tinted stock footage is painfully unconvincing in black and white, inter-cut with the Technicolor footage shot for the picture.The blame rests on the always cheap producer Sam Katzman and in-over-his-head William Castle, a director that I admire, but who was clearly more comfortable in westerns and cleverly-written contemporary pictures than costume dramas.This was screened for me in a theatrical setting (35mm) in the last month, and doesn't seem to be available in any television package at this point (TCM seems to have struck a deal with Sony, so you may see it on their channel).While I may be over-critical on what is nothing more than what would have been the "B" feature on a double bill in its time, I also doubt it's noteworthy enough to end up on DVD unless it's part of a Montalban set. No loss, as while this would have played in its day as a time-passer on the lower half of a double bill, out of this context today, it's just a mediocre time waster.

moshn2002 I loved this movie very much mainly thanks to RICARDO MONTALBAN who plays the role of Pietro the hero. Young RICARDO MONTALBAN is just fascinating: Handsome , charming ,viril , strong brave every talent we expect from a real Man and real Gentelman. He is just the type for this role. He is a tender lover and a brave fighter he seeks justice and is ready to pay the consequences( He offers himself to get the Punishment instead of a woman slave and is lashed on his muscled bare sweating back courageously . no surprise that women fall in love with him , but remains devoted to his true love. I highly recommend this movie to everyone who loves adventure and romance

Marta Ricardo Montalban was the perfect choice for the role of Pietro. Passionate and handsome, he can show anger and righteous zeal one minute and his tender feelings for Iolanthe, his true love, the next, despite the formidable odds against them. He needed all the anger he could muster, since his own father was beheaded by his true love's father, the cruel overlord of the region where Pietro was born, in medieval Italy. He spends most of the film trying to wreak vengeance on Iolanthe's family while trying to rescue her from their evil clutches.Frank Yerby's novel of the same name is one of my favorites, and if you find it it's worth the read. Much more detailed than the film.William Castle seems an odd choice for directing this kind of film, but this was one of the last normal films he did before he embarked on his famous horror film streak. Don't miss Combat!'s Rick Jason in the role of one of Iolanthe's evil brothers.