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Knights of the Black Cross

Play trailer Knights of the Black Cross 1962 3h 0m History Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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Tomatometer 1 Reviews 78% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
During the early 1400s, Germany's Teutonic Knights invade Poland, purportedly on a crusade to convert the Poles to Christianity. Jurand (Andrzej Szalawski) repels the invading force but loses his wife. Polish soldier Zbyszko (Mieczyslaw Kalenik) becomes infatuated with Jurand's daughter, Danusia (Grazyna Staniszawska), and vows to avenge her mother's death. After she saves him from being executed, they become engaged, but a renewal of hostilities between the countries threatens their happiness.

Critics Reviews

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Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews If nothing else, it invites scrutiny of Poland's contemporary history. Rated: C+ Jan 28, 2014 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Audience Member The epic film is long seen as the base of many great American films. Spartacus, The Robe and many others were the Hollywood answer to the threat of Television. In the Iron Curtain countries the Epic was based in historical fact with implied reference to World War 2 In 1960 this Epic from Poland was released and I can assure readers of my reviews that this film is more than on a par with the epics of the west. Teutonic Knights are leaving a terrible mark on the people of Poland in the 14th century ,they are stealing ships full of grain and kidnapping the women of the valiant Polish knights. When are local warlord is captured and tortured by the Knights it can only lead to battle and on Grunwald field both sides will face each other in a final pitched battle. The film is worthy of and epic but the film also has the sense to focus on the intimate stories of love and honour at its heart. The battle scenes when they arrive are expertly staged and despite the films length the story maintains you interest with all the plotting and intrigue. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/23/23 Full Review Audience Member another Polish historical movie. These movies are based on a Polish Author who wrote many books about the glorious eras of Polish history, during a time when Poland was partitioned and didn't exist. This movie, made in 1960, showed its age a bit, but was still a good capture of Middle Ages life. The only downside of these movies is that Henry always embeds a "fictional" love story against the back of the historical fact. and the love story is a bit maudlin. The Teutonic Knights are definitely portrayed as 'black hatted' bad guys. Way to bone up on one's Polish history. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/28/23 Full Review Audience Member Excelente dirección y un guión dinamico y atrevido para la epoca. Y no en un sentido morboso o licencioso. Gratamente sorprendente para este fin de semana. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/07/23 Full Review Audience Member Most people who are reading this review of this underrated movie are probably not familiar with foreign (except monty python) cinema but this one the best in my opinion European movies made and to all history and medieval buffs one of most historically accurate movies made Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/19/23 Full Review Audience Member A cornerstone in European cinema and period pieces alike, Aleksander Ford achieves an enormous task: to balance the most common human reactions that one as an audience may feel towards a motion picture. Hatred, desperation, excitement, nostalgia, even a Shakesperian thirst for blood and revenge. Extraordinary take on the infamous knights, adressed with patriotism and melodrama but never forgetting the true nature of the focused novel by Sienkiewicz. More than being one of Poland's finest, it is unquestionably among the best 100 movies ever made, and it easily outdoes any project directed by David Lean; the final battle sequence still remains officially as one of the best scenes ever filmed. Eisenstein's feature has been remade! 100/100 Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/22/23 Full Review Audience Member really a mediocre movie taken on the whole, however it is interesting as a fairly accurate depiction of late medieval europe. In this regard it is quite unique, however it might be best employed as a tool for teaching history rather than as a work of art. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/25/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Knights of the Black Cross

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Cast & Crew

Movie Info

Synopsis During the early 1400s, Germany's Teutonic Knights invade Poland, purportedly on a crusade to convert the Poles to Christianity. Jurand (Andrzej Szalawski) repels the invading force but loses his wife. Polish soldier Zbyszko (Mieczyslaw Kalenik) becomes infatuated with Jurand's daughter, Danusia (Grazyna Staniszawska), and vows to avenge her mother's death. After she saves him from being executed, they become engaged, but a renewal of hostilities between the countries threatens their happiness.
Director
Aleksander Ford
Genre
History, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (DVD)
Oct 23, 2007
Runtime
3h 0m