The Tartars and the Vikings maintain a fragile peace in the harsh landscape of the Russian Steppe. When the leader of the Vikings, Oleg, declines to accompany the Tartars on a campaign against the Slavs, there is an explosion of violence. After Oleg kills the Tartar leader and kidnaps his daughter, the dead man's brother, Burandai, retaliates by holding Oleg's wife, Helga, hostage. The stalemate can be resolved only on the battlefield.
The Tartars is a fairly entertaining piece of peplum, something you wouldn't guess by the bad reviews. In those days, entertainment was more important than historical accuracy or having the correct costumes or picking an actor that looked like a Viking. Star presence was important and Victor Mature got that in abundance, despite looking like an Italian gangster rather than a Viking. Orson Welles is quietly menacing as the power mad Tartar chieftain - the man's got presence and not just because of his size.
There's some impressive set pieces, set designs, good cinematography and well-staged action scenes - I enjoyed it and I have seen much worse films. There's a nice subplot of a young Viking and the Tartar captive falling in love, which creates some tension.
The Tartars is a fairly entertaining piece of peplum, something you wouldn't guess by the bad reviews. In those days, entertainment was more important than historical accuracy or having the correct costumes or picking an actor that looked like a Viking. Star presence was important and Victor Mature got that in abundance, despite looking like an Italian gangster rather than a Viking. Orson Welles is quietly menacing as the power mad Tartar chieftain - the man's got presence and not just because of his size.
There's some impressive set pieces, set designs, good cinematography and well-staged action scenes - I enjoyed it and I have seen much worse films. There's a nice subplot of a young Viking and the Tartar captive falling in love, which creates some tension.