It's the 13th century, some 200 years after the Normans conquered England. There is residual friction between Normans and Saxons. Walter of Gurnie (Tyrone Power) is the illegitimate son of the recently deceased Earl of Lessford. He's a Saxon but his father's widow is a Norman. He receives only his father's boots but it's his most beloved possession. He gets into trouble with the Normans and has to flee England with his bowman friend Tristram Griffen. They set off on a long trip looking for Cathay. They join a caravan loaded with gifts for the Kublai Khan under the protection of General Bayan (Orson Welles). Maryam is an English girl known as the Black Rose being sent as one of the gifts.
Maryam never seems English to me. She's played by French sexpot Cécile Aubry. I put it down to her never been in contact with many English people. Then there is Orson Welles and his yellow-faced acting. Old cinema can be disturbing but one must be careful retroactively imposing moral standards. In the grand scheme of things, other old films have done much worst. There doesn't seem to be any expense spared in this production coming out of England. The story is a step slower than it should be. It needs more big epic action. The characters need to be more compelling. They do pile on the Chinese inventions like there's no tomorrow in this movie. In the end, this needs a big epic signature battle to make this more than a passing adventure movie.
Maryam never seems English to me. She's played by French sexpot Cécile Aubry. I put it down to her never been in contact with many English people. Then there is Orson Welles and his yellow-faced acting. Old cinema can be disturbing but one must be careful retroactively imposing moral standards. In the grand scheme of things, other old films have done much worst. There doesn't seem to be any expense spared in this production coming out of England. The story is a step slower than it should be. It needs more big epic action. The characters need to be more compelling. They do pile on the Chinese inventions like there's no tomorrow in this movie. In the end, this needs a big epic signature battle to make this more than a passing adventure movie.