Kirk Douglas doesn’t act in The Vikings. He entertains. It the type of entertainment that would have been common when Shakespeare wrote his plays. The audience isn’t focused on the main story. It’s weak. Douglas and his antics in the film, as Einar, are somewhat amusing.He performs a stunt jumping off the oars of the ship, finally falling into the water. He did many of his stunts, much like his good friend, Burt Lancaster. Einar’s father, Ragnar, (Ernest Borgnine is more serious. He is the chief, and worries about his son’s ability to lead.
The story itself, concentrates on a weak king, named Aella, (Frank Thring), who is forcing Morgana, (Janet Leigh), to marry him. She is saved from this fate, by a raid, led by Einar. He takes her away, to ransom her back.
Einar is an unusual viking; he shaves regularly. It is one of many things about him, that disturbs Ragnar. Unfortunately, Einar meets a rebellious slave named Eric. When he wants to meet out discipline to him, Eric fights back, in an unusual way. He orders a trained falcon to attack him. It does; ruining Einar’s face, and destroying his left eye. Ragnar orders death for Eric. However his death is interrupted by a storm. It is taken as an omen from the gods. He is given to Einar, who is happy. This gives him a chance to make Eric wish for death.
The focal point of the story is an old but useful plot device. Both Einar and Eric fall for the captive Morgana. She is attracted to Eric and repulsed by Ragnar. Eric decides to take her back to England, and steals one of the Vikings boats. He is pursued and Ragnar boards the boat. He is subdued and Eric eludes his pursuers, because of heavy fog. Einar and the Vikings believe that Ragnar perished at the fjord. Eric goes back to England with Morgana and Ragnar. Aella, the king, is happy to see his enemy his prisoner. He decides to literally throw Ragnar to the wolves. The only wish that Ragnar has, is to die like a Viking. Eric gives him the sword, against Aella’s orders. Eric has his hand severed, as punishment. He is then set free. Aella is happy for the moment. He is unaware that Einar is about to invade his shores looking for Eric and Morgana.
The Vikings is based on the novel The Viking, by Edison Marshall. It was adapted to the screen by Calder Willingham and Dale Wasserman. Calder Willingham is best known for the screenplay of The Graduate. This screenplay for The Vikings, is about as true to Vikings as most westerns are to the real west. Hollywood only aims for realism, when the mood strikes. The Vikings mainly lived on plundering other lands, doing this for many years. The character of Ragnar is based on a real person. The trueViking lifestyle probably wasn’t something Hollywood wanted to show in 1958. It may have been a better movie ten years later, when the Hays code had all but disappeared.
The Vikings is lacking in story. It makes up for this with the shooting of the film on location. The majority of it was filmed in Kvinnherad, Norway. This is a town located by the Hardanger Fjord. This gives it a terrific look, made possible by academy award winning cinematographer, Jack Cardiff. He was familiar with filming on location. He lensed The African Queen. His talent with a camera stands out.This is especially true, when the Viking ships are sailing through the Fjord. The film’s climactic scene at the king’s castle is also well done.
The acting from Tony Curtis is adequate. Janet Leigh does her part as a damsel in distress. People who want to see Janet Leigh’s acting talents, should watch Holiday Affair. The best acting in The Vikings is from Ernest Borgnine as Ragnar. Borgnine himself received Hollywood’s highest honor a few years before. He has a great scene when he asks to die like a Viking, with a sword in his hand.
The Vikings would probably have more entertainment value, had other actors been the leads. Kirk Douglas and Tony Curtis produced this movie. Douglas always wanted to play a Viking, and Curtis was a major star at the time. The actors especially Curtis have limited range, and their egos probably got in the way. This happens many times in Hollywood, and hinders a film like The Vikings.