The Black Rose Reviews

This sweeping, well-made, if somewhat derivative adventure epic stars Power as a nobleman in 13th-century England ostracized for leading a revolt against King Edward (Rennie), a Norman whom Power, a Saxon, refuses to serve. Traveling as wanted men, Power and his archer companion (Hawkins) are picked up in Antioch by a powerful warlord (Welles), and accompany him to the court of Kublai Khan. One of the gifts Welles is taking to Khan is a Eurasian beauty (Aubry), who falls in love with Power. Once in the Chinese court, Power realizes that, though they are treated graciously, he and Hawkins cannot leave the palace. A daring escape through ancient underground tunnels, a dramatic separation, and a key reconciliation occur before love emerges triumphant. A beautifully photographed (in England and North Africa) film whose chief merits are its exciting action sequences and lavish production (courtesy of five million dollars worth of Fox assets frozen in England), THE BLACK ROSE borrows liberally from such earlier efforts as THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD and THE ADVENTURES OF MARCO POLO, but benefits considerably from the well-cast players. Power was losing the vigor and mobile features of his youth, but he is still an eminently suitable swashbuckler. Hawkins and Welles play their standardized roles with tongues firmly in cheek and Aubrey is very appealing as the heroine. Perhaps the only exception is the arresting Bedoya, whose telltale Mexican accent unfortunately belies his Asian characterization.