Alfred the Great ** (1969, David Hemmings, Michael York, Prunella Ransome, Colin Blakely, Julian Glover, Ian McKellen, Alan Dobie, Peter Vaughan) – Classic Movie Review 9,004

David Hemmings stars as Alfred, who defeats the invading Danes, led by King Guthrum (Michael York), in the wobbly 1969 British historical epic film Alfred the Great.

The ninth-century tale of Alfred the Great (849 – 899) taking over as King of Wessex (871 – 899) and overlord of England from his feeble older brother Ethelred (Alan Dobie) is turned into a wobbly historical epic by director Clive Donner in his 1969 British film Alfred the Great.

David Hemmings stars as Alfred, who defeats the predatory invading Danes, led by King Guthrum (Michael York), while doing a spot of social good by encouraging writing in English and learning. Guthrum makes off with Alfred’s estranged queen, Aelhswith (Prunella Ransome), and Alfred has to go to the rescue.

Alfred the Great comes complete with violence, swearing and a bit of swashbuckling in a vain appeal to young audiences who shun history lessons, but they do not help to make Ken Taylor and James R Webb’s flat screenplay any more exciting.

It is an excellent cast, but these actors just cannot fill the huge Panavision screen, though the costly production does look handsome, with Alex Thomson’s beautiful, luscious cinematography, and there is just a hint of excitement in the imaginatively staged fighting.

Alfred the Great is an ambitious but misconceived failure of a movie and one of the MGM British Studios’ expensive British errors at its Borehamwood, London, studios that eventually led to their departure from the UK. Why were MGM British making costly flop historical epics like Alfred the Great at the height of the Swinging Sixties? Talking costly, the budget was $6 million and the North American box office, not surprisingly. particularly bad: $197,788 (US).

Also in the cast are Colin Blakely, Julian Glover, Ian McKellen, Alan Dobie, Peter Vaughan, Julian Chagrin, Vivien Merchant, Christopher Timothy, Michael Billington, Barry Jackson, John Rees, Jim Norton, Peter Blythe, Sinéad Cusack, Barry Evans, Barry Jackson, Henry Woolf, Andy Bradford, Keith Buckley, David Glaisyer, Robin Askwith, Eric Brooks, Alec Finn, Trevor Jones and Ralph Nossek.

Doesn’t Ian McKellen (as Roger) look different as young like this, in his second feature, after A Touch of Love (1969).

It is shot in County Galway, Ireland, on locations including Castle Hackett in Tuam, Kilchreest, Ross Lake, and Cnoc Meadha.  Irish military are extras in the battle scenes filmed in Counties Galway and Westmeath.

Producer Bernard Smith said he ‘wanted a director who had never done a historical. That way I knew we could minimise cliches and the possibility of someone simply repeating, imitating what went before.’ So he chose Clive Donner, the director of What’s New Pussycat.

Donner said he wanted to make the film ‘because of the inherent youth problem which is so close to our so-called youth revolt; turning the destructiveness of youth into constructiveness. Like so many students today, Alfred advocated peace, but at the same time proclaimed violence to redo the world.’

Donner had the original script by James R Webb, suggested by a novel by Eleanor Shipley Duckett, rewritten by Ken Taylor. He said Webb was too old Hollywood.

Alfred the Great is directed by Clive Donner, runs 122 minutes, is made by Bernard Smith Productions and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer British Studios, is released by MGM, is written by Ken Taylor (screenplay) and James R Webb (story and screenplay), suggested by a novel by Eleanor Shipley Duckett, is shot by Alex Thomson, is produced by Bernard Smith and James R Webb, is scored by Ray Leppard, and is designed by Michael Stringer.

Its royal world premiere was on 14 July 1969 at the Empire, Leicester Square, London.

Release date: 14 July 1969.

Donner recasts Barry Evans (as Ingild) and Christopher Timothy (as Cedric) from his earlier film Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush (1968).

Vivien Merchant (Freda) has a prominent role but no lines, after allegedly refusing to say her lines, claiming they were unspeakable.

Robin Askwith recalled on 9 November 2020 playing shepherd boy: ‘Stabbed to death by a Viking in the first two minutes. But… A roll in the hay with the lovely Maggie Taylor. Met the lovely Ian McKellen. A drink with David Hemmings in his castle! Then flew home…’

Cast: David Hemmings as Alfred the Great, Michael York as Guthrum, Prunella Ransome as Aelhswith, Colin Blakely as Asser, Ian McKellen as Roger, Peter Vaughan as Burrud, Alan Dobie as Ethelred of Wessex, Julian Glover as Athelstan, Vivien Merchant as Freda, Julian Chagrin as Ivar the Boneless, Jim Norton as Thanet, Christopher Timothy as Cedric, Sinéad Cusack as Edith, Barry Evans as Ingild, Peter Blythe as Eafa, Michael Billington as Offa, Robin Askwith as shepherd boy, John Rees, Sinéad Cusack, Barry Jackson, Henry Woolf, Andy Bradford, Keith Buckley, David Glaisyer, Eric Brooks, Alec Finn, Trevor Jones and Ralph Nossek.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 9,004

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