This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

Singing coach for Mr Taylor: Arthur Rosenstein. Archery coach: Colonel John M.T.F. Churchill. Produced by Pandro S. Berman at M-G-M's Elstree Studios in England and on location in Hatfield Woods. Copyright 30 June 1952 by Loew's Inc. A Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer picture. New York opening at the Radio City Music Hall: 31 July 1952 (ran 8 weeks). U.S. release: 20 February 1953 (sic). U.K. release: 13 September 1952. Australian release: 15 August 1952. 9,595 feet. 106 minutes. (Available on an excellent Warner DVD).NOTES: Nominated for the following prestigious Hollywood awards: Best Picture (won by The Greatest Show On Earth), Color Cinematography (won by The Quiet Man), Music Scoring of a Drama or Comedy (won by High Noon). With gross rentals of $6.3 million, number 4 at U.S./Canadian ticket windows for 1952. The film also took the number 4 position at the U.K. box-office. Perhaps because it was released for the winter-spring school holidays, the movie did far less business in Australia, though it did come in at the latter end of the top fifty box-office successes.COMMENT: The general impression that Ivanhoe is a schoolboy's movie is not borne out by the film itself. Crammed full of violent, exciting action in a fast-paced plot set in motion by a wonderfully dastardly trio of villains - superbly characterized by George Sanders, Robert Douglas and Guy Rolfe - Ivanhoe has been produced on a splendidly lavish scale that often staggers the senses. This is not to say that the actors are overwhelmed by pageant and panoply (though they do skilfully stand aside whilst hundreds of stuntmen do yeomen service in the many battle and siege scenes). True, Robert Taylor sometimes looks a trifle uncomfortable and out-of-place in medieval armor, but this clumsiness is due more to Thorpe's lack of competence in camera placement than to any deficiency of charisma on Taylor's part. Mostly he performs his chores with such dash, we forget his incongruous American accent. It's British-born Elizabeth Taylor who seems to have the wrong voice for the part (though she looks the beauty well enough).

maybe, not the best adaptation. or not the most impressive film for a generation far by the universe of Walter Scott. but one of films who could be inspired choice for the viewer looking the art and flavor and sensitivity of old times. and, maybe, this is the basic virtue of it. to be a trip. in the universe of good novel and to remind the glamour of stars from a lost time. so, Ivanhoe.

Well, it ain't Game of Thrones, brothers and sisters. I might have been amazed by Ivanhoe, even twenty years ago, but maybe CGI has ruined me. I bet when they made Ivanhoe that the costumes and set designs were state of the art. But now it just looks cheap. It's incredible because it must have been a massive effort to produce this movie. I feel guilty trashing it, but I was bored to death. As much as I love Liz Taylor and Joan Fontaine, they couldn't save this movie for me. I wasn't impressed with the acting. And those battle scenes, sword fights, and jousts!—oh brother. It looked like something you'd see at a Renaissance festival or that place Medieval Times. I've never seen either but I imagine that's what it must be like. In the battle scenes, bunches of arrows drop on targets like some stagehand just grabbed a bundle and tossed them at the actors. The soldiers swing their swords about like kids banging and slamming their toy swords against one another. The swords clang against the shields like clubs on trash cans. Boulders are thrown from atop the castle and are handled like the light plastic pieces that they are. When the castle is stormed, they lay down a bridge to pass over a moat (if you wanna call it that) but they don't need it because when a few fall into the water it is only ankle deep. I hung in there and watched to the end, but it just didn't do it for me.

King Richard is captured while returning from the crusades and his evil brother, Prince John (Guy Rolfe), is appointed acting king in his absence. A middle-order knight (Ivanhoe) seeks natural justice for his country and freedom for his former ruler.Hard to know the correct approach to take on this crowd-pleasing historical epic. Falling short as a history lesson (other than a few random nods at reality) it quickly boils down to nothing much more than a good versus evil parable that even a small child couldn't lose. The masterful MGM reading the whole thing as nothing more than a well-financed and staged pot-boiler.The casting of Robert Taylor in the lead role is curious because being a knight and warrior is a young man's game and he is - despite his permed hair and clever make-up - clearly approaching middle-age. Still he does a good job when not being replaced by a stuntman.Evil brother and stand-in king Guy Rolfe is brilliant in the role and maybe the best acting on show. All snarl and beard stroking. Liz Taylor is a bit all-at-sea, which the director simply disguises by making her stand stock still while the camera takes in her staggering early beauty.The whole affair puts me in mind of Raiders of the Lost Arc where after being entertained for a couple of hours you are left reflecting of the things you could have been doing other than being entertained. Still simple entertainment isn't something to be sneezed at...