The Castilian

The Castilian

  • Overview
  • Cast
  • Crew

Status

Released

Release Date

Mar 7, 1963

Runtime

2h 8m

Genres

Adventure, Drama

Original Title

El valle de las espadas

Production Companies

Cinemagic Inc., M.D. Producciones Cinematográficas

Director

Javier Setó

Description

Also released as Valley of the Swords, this lugubrious US/Spanish co-production features the usual mid-1960s "tax shelter" international cast. Broderick Crawford plays a despotic 10th century Spanish king who, in cahoots with the invading Moors, has banished handsome Castilian nobleman Spartaco Santoni. With the surreptitious aid of Crawford's daughter Teresa Velasquez, Santoni assembles an army to march against the Moors. In keeping with the 13th century epic poem from which this film was derived ("El Poema de Fernan Gonzales") Santoni's path is smoothed by the celestial intervention of patron saints Milan and Santiago. Among the big names picking up a few tax-free dollars in The Castilian are Cesar Romero, Linda Darnell, Alida Valli and Fernando Rey.