The Black Arrow (1948)

Written by John Chard on July 27, 2014

Black Arrows for Black Hearts.

The Black Arrow is directed by Gordon Douglas and adapted to screenplay by Richard Schayer, David P. Sheppard and Thomas Sellar from the novel written by Robert Louis Stevenson. It stars Louis Hayward, George Macready and Janet Blair. Music is by Paul Sawtell and cinematography by Charles Lawton Jr.

A little known swashbuckler, the Black Arrow has all the requisite touches for fans of such dashing fare. Story is set just after The War of the Roses has ended and pitches the returning Sir Richard Shelton (Hayward) into a hunt for the truth behind his father’s murder. Political intrigue, fights, brutal jousting and romance does follow. It doesn’t give the Flynn or Power swashbucklers a run for their money, but it’s good honest family entertainment with medieval literacy at the core and red-blooded machismo bulging at the seams. 6/10