Amazon.com: This 1982, 180-minute television remake of the original MGM feature, produced 30 years before, is the rare makeover of a classic that works quite well under its own steam. Anthony Andrews plays the disinherited knight who returns from the Third Crusades and is determined to raise the ransom to free a kidnapped King Richard (Julian Glover). With his bid rebuffed by his estranged father (Michael Hordern), and the affection of the latter's ward, Rowena (Lysette Anthony), compromised, Ivanhoe looks toward the generosity of the beautiful Rebecca (Olivia Hussey)--whose father (James Mason) he rescued from anti-Semitic Normans--for help. But a plot by faithless friends to discredit Ivanhoe, and his subsequent partnership with Robin Hood (David Robb) to save the day, keep this story from slowing down even for a minute. Originally a miniseries, this production has enough breadth to provide lots of breathing room for the script and cast to mine all the drama they can from Sir Walter Scott's novel. This is also a great-looking movie, with wall-to-wall pageantry, superb costumes--the works. --Tom Keogh
surprisingly disappointing... I am so SAD about having to say negative things about this film. I'm a devout disciple of Ivanhoe, and a mesmerized fan of Anthony Andrews, so it feels like treachery to say that I've never been so disappointed in a film...What a CAST. But such meaningless drivel for dialog... True, this version DID include Athelstane, but to what purpose? He added nothing, he was totally incidental---well, blast it, WILFRED was incidental...And, bless her heart, that cute little girl didn't look remotely Saxon...And lovely Olivia looks more as if she's distressed and confused by the quality of the production than by deep love for Wilfred or impending immolation...By the time they tie her to the stake, she looks like she just wants out under any circumstance. I BELIEVED Elizabeth Taylor in the old version---I WANTED to believe Olivia Hussey, but I couldn't. If he'd had the lines to work with, Sam Neill could have had us rolling on the floor in tears of sympathy at his death... but I didn't even CARE...And WHAT was the deal with Robin Hood? He looked like Cary Elwes in "Men in Tights." So sad. Such a waste. But I'm ANGRY about their little implication at the end of the film that Ivanhoe really had a hard time choosing between Rebecca and his own beloved Rowena! Shame on these writers.I'm going back to poor ol' wooden but handsome Robert Taylor. And weeping as I go. I gave it a star for decent subject matter and I admit I graded extra hard because there was so much there to work with and the result was tasteless mush.
14-year-old's impression I'm 40 now, but saw this as a fourteen-year old girl. What I remember: -Sam Neill was a thrilling villain--handsome, diabolical,and exciting. One of Britain's underestimated talents (see him in My Brilliant Career also--another favorite at 14). -Olivia Hussey, one of the world's most beautiful women, was poignant and admirable in her defence against above villain. If the Olivia name craze hadn't taken place, I would have named my daughter Olivia because of her. (I also didn't because I only had sons. Oh, yeah.) Catch her as Juliet in Romeo & Juliet or as Mary in Jesus of Nazareth. -My friends thought the actor who played Ivanhoe was "a babe" ("hot" in today's terminology) but he didn't make much of an impression on me at the time. (Fortunately, I do prefer nice men now.)
I'm hoping to show my sons this movie as soon as they're old enough. I remember it as a great film.
Ivanhoe - 1984 mini series Perhaps the greatest adaptation of the Sir Walter Scott classic, brimming with adventure,pageantry,costumes and lush cinematography.One of my all time favourites.But the true winners being the exquisite acting of the likes of James Mason and the elegant Olivia Hussey.Please release this movie on DVD soon, I can think of scores of others who will snap up a copy.
Best Version of Ivanhoe This is the best version of "Ivanhoe" to be dramatized, and its not because it is completely true to the novel (although its close enough). This version is great because it contains the slight adaptations to the story of "Ivanhoe" that everyone has wanted to see: Ivanhoe himself not so anti-Semitic as to deny his tenderness towards Rebecca, a generous Isaac of York, Brian de Bois Guilbert truly carried away by his love for the beautiful healer, and other subtle changes. In addition it has all of the colorful pageantry, fast-paced action, sword-fights, jousts, and battles that will get your adrenaline pumping. Sam Neill is superb as Guilbert, selfish, creepy, handsome and yet redeemed in the end. (Note: there are some DVD versions of this movie floating around, but you'll have to look hard for them.)
A TV Movie adaption of the " Disinherited Knight" that goes above and beyond the classic story. This is a wonderful movie. It is better than the 1952 classic starring Robert Taylor, Joan Fontaine, and George Sanders, even though that was a very good movie also. All the cast, fights, sets, horses, costumes and everything else to do with this production is first-rate. There is not one thing, throughout the whole film, that is done wrong. Enough about my thoughts on this movie. On to the plot of the film. Sir Wilfred of Ivanhoe (Anthony Andrews) has been in the Crusades fighting with Richard the Lion-Hearted and comes back to his native homeland to find that everything is very different. He saves the life of, and becomes friends with a Jew, Isaac of York, (James Mason) and Isaac offers in return a set of armor, weapons, and a horse so Ivanhoe can compete in the tournament at Ashby. Compete he does, and a what a good competitor he is. He competes against the likes of Front-de-Boeuf (John Rhys-Davies), Maurice De Bracy (Stuart Wilson), and Brian De-Bois Guilbert (Sam Neill). At the tournament, we meet Ivanhoe's father Cedric (Michael Hordern), who supposedly does not love him, but the audience may be inclined to believe otherwise further along in the movie. Cedric is accompanied by the very funny Athelstone (Michael Gothard) and Wamba The Fool (George Innes). But nobody at the tournament knows or recognizes Ivanhoe, because he appears in a suit of armor that completely conceals his face, and he never speaks. The odds start turning against Ivanhoe, the Black Knight shows up and defeats all of Ivanhoe's battle opponents. When Ivanhoe is wounded, his helmet is removed, and his one true love, the beautiful Rowena (Lysette Anthony) seems to be the only one who cares whether he lives or dies, other than Isaac and his beautiful daughter Rebecca (Olivia Hussey). This is why Isaac and Rebecca take him into their care. Also of importance are the notable attractions of Brian and De Bracy to Rebecca and Rowena. As Isaac and Rebecca are transporting Ivanhoe to their home in York, they are attacked and captured by Brian. Cedric and Rowena are also attacked and captured by De Bracy. All the hostages are taken to Front-De-Bouef's castle, called Torquilstone. But there is one who manages to get away, Wamba The Fool. He is found by the Black Knight, who in turn is captured and taken to the hideout of another classic literary figure, Robin Hood (David Robb) whose outlaw band consists of an always drunk Friar Tuck (Tony Haygarth). Soon after, the Black Knight reveals himself as the one and only Sir Richard the Lion-Hearted (Julian Glover). They all join together to take Torquilstone and free the hostages trapped inside. Wamba disguises himself as a priest, and manages to get in and see Cedric and Athelstone. Cedric changes his noble and colorful robes for Wamba's very humble priestly garments. The attack on Torquilstone soon occurs, with Front-De-Bouef being killed, De Bracy surrendering to Richard himself, Brian running off with the unwilling Rebecca, and Athelstone supposedly being killed. Ivanhoe and Rowena reunite once more, much to Cedric's dislike, but they cannot stay together very long because Ivanhoe must be taken to Robin Hood's camp and cared for until he is well again. Richard forces De Bracy to leave England and never come back. Rebecca is threatened to be burned at the stake if she does not admit to a totally untrue accusation that she has practiced witchcraft. Brian loves her, but she does not reciprocate, and he is not permitted to be her champion and fight for her life and honor. The Grand Master of the proceedings, played by Philip Locke, and his associates, which Brian is part of are all members of the somewhat sacrilegous Knight's Templar. This is when Ivanhoe steps back into the picture. He and Brian are condemned to wage a fight to the death, with swords only, by the Knight's Templar, in a large clearing, with the other members of the Knight's Templar watching over all the goings-on. Ivanhoe is eventually able to overcome Brian, with a blow straight to the heart. This is when Robin Hood, who is standing with Friar Tuck at a far edge of the clearing, very appropriately asks "Why?". But nobody answers. The question does not need to be answered. The audience knows why. Ivanhoe killed him because he had to defend Rebecca's honor. But the movie ends on a somewhat sour note, even though Athelstone "came back from the dead" before Ivanhoe's fight with Brian, Rowena and Ivanhoe are married, and Cedric and Ivanhoe finally reconcile. But what makes the ending sad is that Rebecca and Isaac leave, but Ivanhoe does not get a chance to say goodbye to Rebecca or tell her how he feels about her. He will always hold a special spot in his heart for Rebecca, but he loves Rowena. The audience wonders what would have happened if Rebecca and Ivanhoe would have gotten married.
Also Recommended: "THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD" (1938), "IVANHOE" (1952), "THE STORY OF ROBIN HOOD" (1952), "ROBIN HOOD" (1973), "YOUNG IVANHOE" (1995)
THIS REVIEW IS DEDICATED TO ANYONE, LIVING OR DEAD, INVOLVED IN THE MAKING OF "IVANHOE".
Anything Goes Trivia
Last Kiss
Megaton Man
Trevor
