This underrated Alan Ladd vehicle was released a year after his leading role in the classic western Shane, with the actor taking advantage of a concession that enabled American film stars working abroad to be exempt from exorbitant US tax burdens. No, that's not the plot, just the reason for his presence. The story has Ladd playing a common swordsmith whose love for a nobleman's daughter leads him to adopt the guise of the Black Knight in order to prove his worth. Skilled director Tay Garnett - who also made The Postman Always Rings Twice and, more relevantly, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court - brings a fair amount of boisterous charm to this not-to-be-taken-seriously studio-bound Arthurian romp. The 1950s Technicolor is absolutely splendid - check out the clarity of Ladd's blue eyes and blond hair - and the supporting cast of British stalwarts such as Peter Cushing and Harry Andrews is a joy to behold. A better script wouldn't really have helped - and doesn't really matter.

John, a blacksmith and swordsmith, is tutored at Camelot. As a commoner, he can't hope to win the hand of Lady Linet, daughter of the Earl of Yeoniland, so he creates a secret alternate identity as the Black Knight. In this new role, he is now able to help King Arthur when Saracens and Cornish men—disguised as Vikings -- plot to take over the country.