Movie review - "Alfred the Great" (1969) **1/2

One of a series of expensive flops that helped bring MGM to the brink of bankruptcy (others included The Appointment and Goodbye Mr Chips), this is a decent attempt at a "serious" epic, which execs no doubt thought would appeal to the then-attractive youth market, with its idealistic, "I'm-not-sure-if-I-want-to-be-king" hero. Alfred the Great deserved an epic film, the first official king of England, I guess, who placed a lot of emphasis on education and war. His life was film friendly, as it involved fighting off the Danes, having a spell in the wilderness (well, marshlands) then making a comeback. 

 David Hemmings has the lead - he was a film star for a short while in the late 60s, was Hemmings, before a series of flops reduced his box office standing. He was perfect casting and is quite good as the king, worried about the violent side of his nature.

There are plenty of battles and action and some interesting touches (emphasising all the soldiers puffing at the end of a battle, which is something most war films don't do) but the film doesn't quite work: it badly lacks humour and has way too many rapes in it. The Danes rape nuns then Alfred rapes his own wife (the beautiful Prunella Ransome), who then is taken as a hostage by the Danish kind (Michael York, in good form) who then is about to rape her but then she becomes willing, then she goes back to Alfred and... actually that whole plot is just off and the film would have been better without it. 

They hint at another love relationship between Alfred and the wife (Vivien Merchant) of one of his allies in the marshes (hubby is played by a very young Ian McKellen) but nothing seems to come of this. Actually come to think of it the film is a bit of a mess - Alfred's life could still produce a better film, though since he was a 9th century guy he is becoming less and less known.

Clive Donner talks about the film here in side 17. Interesting account of making of the film - Donner was pursued by the producer for months, Donner disliked the original script and had it redone.