a historical note represent although ton of picture of viking with horned helmet have be produce over the year and this be actually a myth . they never and to our knowledge and wear such helmet . and and if you think about it and this make sense and a the horn would make such a helmet unwieldy and difficult to wear . plus and you might get stick go through doorway . this traditional view of viking be more the wagnerian view of the people . in fact and the wonderful movie the viking be so wonderful and in part and because it get this point correct . also and while this might disappoint you and most historian do not believe king arthur ever live or if he do and the story about him be all false . the story you read about him be often write as much a 1000 1300 year after he be to have live and vary tremendously and they be essentially myth . sorry to spoil this for you and but i be a history teacher and i love debunk myth . the film begin with valiant ( robert wagner ) be send by his daddy the king ( donald crisp ) to the court of king arthur to become a knight . crisp friend and hide under all that makeup and hair and be victor mclaglen and by the way . it seem that crisp have have his kingdom steal from him and why he would then choose to send his son away be a bit of a mystery . what also be a mystery be why a viking would go to the uk and serve arthur . oh well and it no bad than a film i saw year ago where a saracen ( who be from the middle east ) be also in arthur court . at least scandinavia be kind of near britain . on his way there and he stumble upon a viking make a dirty deal with a brit and accidentally stumble into the midst of the traitor . he manage to escape ( . ) but be now a man pursue by many who wish to bash in his skull . in addition to avoid get kill and much of the film concern valiant new career a a squire . while he hat to have such a lowly job and such be the way to career advancement in the knighthood game . oh and and by the way and knight be not the noble dude you see in the film . mostly and they be use to beat up the peasant for their lord and fight various war . they be an incredibly violent and non chivalrous group and i would love to see a film portray them like they really be often and a bunch of rap and murder scalawag . now that would make for an interesting film . so and a you can tell and i hate this film for it many and many inaccuracy . however and i can enjoy such a film on purely an entertainment level . so be it entertain and worth seeing . well at least on a aesthetic level and it a nice film . it have the wonderful touch that you would expect from an a picture from twentieth century fox . great music and lovely period costume and wonderful location and nifty castle it sure look wonderful ( though the castle use be all build much too late for the time period in the film gosh and that history teacher in me be rear up it ugly head again ) . a for the writing and dialog and acting and it not a film that impress . much of the dialog seem strangely anachronistic and dull . some be even rather dumb ( such a when janet leigh confronts valiant at the 50 minute mark ) . the character all seem a bit flat and dull . the actor and though often accomplish and be not at their best here . sterling hayden and a wonderful actor and just seem out of place a do james mason . the big problem and however and be robert wagner . in this period in the 1950s he be very much an up and come actor have star in quite a few plum role . however and hollywood often do not seem to know how to use this handsome man put him in film that simply do not seem to fit him . here and he play a viking and in broken lance ( also 1954 ) and they cast him a a macho cattle rancher . i mean no disrespect and but he be not the action hero sort of guy . he would have be well in romance or such film a a kiss before die where he very effectively play a guy who romance and then murder woman . you can not blame wagner for these role he be young and the studio pay well . and they be star role . too bad he just wasn not right for them and his accent and manner seem to have nothing to do with viking . i would have much prefer to see some rugged ruffian in the role instead ( such a ernest borgnine or victor mature ) . as far a action go and for an adventure film it be strangely static and fill with dialog . i would have love a good castle siege or sacking here and there throughout the film . and i keep wait and wait and it only come too late after i be pretty bore with the film . sure and there be a few nice attempt murder here and there ( cool ) but not enough to make the film seem actiony instead and it be much too much like a stuffy costume drama much of the time . now if i want to watch a rousing and completely historically inaccurate film and there be a lot of dandy one out there . ivanhoe and the adventure of robin hood be fantastic costume drama and be first class entertainment . and and if you be some sort of weirdo and want to actually see something with more realism and accuracy ( but with ton of really and really cool action ) and try the viking a rousing and wonderful bit of entertainment that actually touch on some of the theme see in prince valiant . it isn not that this film be terrible ( it isn not ) and but there just be a lot good and more entertaining film out there to see first . heck and now that i think of it and monty python and the holy grail would definitely be my choice a the best arthurian film out there .