The Black Arrow

Director: Gordon Douglas Gordon Douglas

Overview

This commendably short adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's The Black Arrow stars Louis Hayward in the title role. Returning from duty in the 15th-century War of the Roses, young Richard Shelton (Hayward) learns that his estate has been claimed by his usurping uncle Sir Daniel Brackley (George Macready), who for good measure has also murdered Richard's father. Forced to elude Brackley's minions, Shelton and his followers eventually manage to thwart the villain with all manner of weaponry, from crossbow to fist. Janet Blair co-stars as Joanna Sedley, whom Richard must rescue from a forced marriage to the brackish Brackley. Black Arrow was remade for television in 1985, with Benedict Taylor and Stephan Chase sharing the hero chores (in the Stevenson original, Richard Shelton and the Black Arrow were two different characters), and top-billed Oliver Reed as Brackley.

Product Details

Release Date:	08/16/2010
UPC:	0043396359710
Original Release:	1948
Rating:	NR
Source:	ALLIED VAUGHN
Language:	English
Sales rank:	45,954

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Louis Hayward	Richard Shelton
Janet Blair	Joanna Sedley
George Macready	Sir Daniel Brackley
Edgar Buchanan	Lawless
Lowell Gilmore	Duke of Gloucester
Russell Hicks	Sir Harry Shelton
Paul Cavanagh	Sir John Sedley
Rhys Williams	Bennet Hatch
Walter Kingsford	Sir Oliver Oates
Halliwell Hobbes	Bishop of Tisbury
Ray Teal	Nick Appleyard
Leslie Denison	Sir William Catesby
Betty Fairfax	Dame Carter
Billy Bevan	Dungeon Keeper
Paul Baxley	Bowman
Harry Cording	Guard
Roy Darmour	Forrester
Tom Dillon	Guard
Art Foster	Guard
Chuck Hamilton	Forrester
Alec Harford	Stablehand
Leyland Hodgson	Guard
Pete Kellett	Fencer
Nelson Leigh	Guard
Paul Sawtell	Composer

Technical Credits

Richard Schayer

David P. Sheppard

Gordon Douglas	Director
Grant Whytock	Producer
Richard Schayer	Screenwriter
David P. Sheppard	Screenwriter
Edward Small	Producer

Editorial Reviews

Although it takes considerable liberties with the Robert Louis Stevenson story that is its source, The Black Arrow is a moderately entertaining "swinging sword" movie. The young boys that are most apt to enjoy it may find it a bit dated and stagey, but they very likely will fall captive to its "ripping yarn" story. Older audiences, however, are likely to find that it's territory that has been well traveled many times before, and often in much better vehicles. The three credited screenwriters have not expended much imagination between them, and the situations they have developed are overly familiar, if not downright trite. Things would be helped by more muscular direction, which Gordon M. Douglas does not supply; he gets everything essentially right, but doesn't do anything especially exciting. Under the circumstances, the cast acquits itself, but you can't help feeling you're watching a "second choice" cast -- Errol Flynn wasn't available, so Louis Hayward fills in; Olivia de Havilland couldn't be had, so we have Janet Blair, etc. They're all fine and more than serviceable, but they don't supply the extra dash and magnetism that would make Arrow more than average.

All Movie Guide - Craig Butler