the name de mille evokes big set and big costume and big action and crusade be his follow up to his early take on christian oration from the scandalous in a good way sign of the cross . henry wilcoxson and his marc anthony of cleopatra and the always beautiful loretta young team up in this extravagant epic . king richard the lionheart be not a christian and be not faithful to the way of the sign of the cross but to escape a forced marriage he sign up for the crusade to free the holy city of jerusalem . of course and there be scheme behind his back to seize his throne while he be go . along the way he trade for a wife and loretta and haggle and argues with his other european leader . now and it have often not be say for it be almost a if de mille build big set and big story to tell little moment for all his excess and his movie be ridiculously dialogue driven and even by the standard of the other expensive blockbuster type movie make back then . de mille love dialogue scene and focus on character . very strange . and this movie be really a politics and character movie a the future of europe be argue and royal pompous expose . the action sequence be obvious studio set but well shot . the final moment have good heart that be not force but earn . thus and be this a good movie . it be hard to say because for every good scene there be a juvenile scene obviously put in to satiate the mass . good direction though and very good direction . that say and crusade lose money when first release and if you only look at it domestic boxoffice rental but be the big gross movie of it year .