The Viking Queen (1967)

The Viking Queen (1967) is one of Hammer's pseudo-historical films that they put out in between the horror movies.  I say 'pseudo' because they present a hugely fictionalised version of history, using their period settings as backdrops for some low budget action orientated adventures.  The Viking Queen, for instance, presents the audience with a highly fictionalised fantasy version of Roman Britain and the Iceni uprising led by Queen Boudica.  The film's problems start with the catch-penny title, doubtless used because Vikings were perceived to be 'sexier' than Ancient Britons in box office terms.  In point of fact, there are no Vikings in The Viking Queen, the title justified with a single throwaway line when the heroine is told that, when she inherits the kingdom, she will be 'a Viking Queen like your mother'.  While the main part of the plot broadly follows the events of Boudica's rebellion, it is completely fictionalised, with names and relationships changed, a romance between the Boudica-substitute and a fictional Roman governor added to the mix and lots of Druidic nonsense - human sacrifices by immolation and the like - thrown in.  Whereas, in reality, Boudica was the wife of the King of the Iceni, whose will divided his kingdom between her, their two daughters and the Emperor of Rome, here Salina is one of the dying king's three daughters, who is given joint jurisdiction with Rome over the kingdom.  Obviously, by making the Boudica equivalent younger and not the widow of a king, it opens up the possibility of the romance with the 'nice' Roman, who tries to be respectful toward the customs and culture of the Iceni.  Of course, he has a jealous subordinate, the obligatory 'bad' Roman, who seizes the opportunity presented by the governor's absence in Anglesey, putting down a Druid uprising, to start getting heavy handed with the revolting Britons, flogging Salina and raping her sisters.

As can be seen, various historical events, (there were actually two Roman expeditions against Anglesey, one at the time of the real rebellion, but neither were against Druids), also including a depiction of a version of the financial penalties extracted from the Britons by the Romans, are happily mixed together to try and create a fantasy adventure story.  The problem is that while the script pays lip service to historical fidelity with their inclusion, it is otherwise apparently clueless as to most other aspects of the culture of the Ancient Britons.  For some reason, for instance, many of the Britons seem to have names ransacked from classical mythology and/or Shalespeare:  King Priam (!), Tristram, Beatrice, Benedict, Fabian and Talia, for example.  These sound all the more ridiculous as we have other, lowlier, Britons called things like Fergus and Nigel.  The depiction of the druids is quite laughable: a group of raving maniacs who, for some reason, seem to worship Zeus (an ancient Greek god and the equivalent of the Roman Jupiter).  Their influence over the Ancient Britons is hugely exaggerated - according to the script they were the main progenitors of the rebellion, but in real life it was inspired by more concrete grievances such as the Roman seizure of lands and demands for the immediate repayment of financial loans.  Yet the script does have some interesting aspects - its depiction of the Britons as actually being relatively sophisticated and civilised rather than the woad painted savages of Roman propaganda, is a welcome corrective.  (Although the film then somewhat undermines this by staging several brutal attacks on Roman columns by woad painted savages).  Ultimately, though, the script simply has no feel for Roman occupied Britain: the drama despite being derived (at some distance) from history, end up feeling generic, as though they could be taking place in any number of eras against any number of settings.

To its credit, though, The Viking Queen is remarkably well produced, (it went significantly over budget), shot against some harshly beautiful Irish locations boasts lots of extras dressed variously as Roman soldiers and Iceni warriors, lots of war chariots and battles and a surprising good cast, even if their performances are highly variable.  Finnish/French model Carita gives a surprisingly strong performance as the heroine, while Andrew Keir is suitably arrogant and bull headed as the 'bad' Roman.  Wilfrid Lawson, though, as Priam, seemed to think that he was in 'King Lear' and the character's death comes as a blessed relief.  Donald Houston, hidden behind a beard gives an absolutely rabid, wild eyed performance as the Druid High Priest, going completely over the top in his scenes, (but obviously enjoying himself immensely).  Patrick Troughton (who was offered the part of the Second Doctor while on location for this film), gives a far more restrained and effective performance as Salina's advisor, Tristram, while Niall MacGinnis is typically effective, but somewhat wasted, as his Roman equivalent.  The film's main weak point in casting terms lies with its imported US star, Don Murray, who looks deeply uncomfortable and is quite unconvincing as Justinian, the Roman governor.  His romance with Salina is never properly developed and remains unconvincing throughout the film, robbing their inevitable clash of any resonance or emotional impact. Like most Hammer films of the era, across all genres, The Viking Queen constantly teases the audience with the prospect of female nudity, frequently almost, but not quite, serving up a flash of breast.  No doubt contemporary audiences (the adolescent male component, at least), had their hopes up when we get some side boob from an apparently topless Nubian slave - but when she finally turns to face the camera, she's wearing some large tassels over her nipples, to the doubtless frustration of many teenaged boys.  Unlike most Hammer historicals, The Viking Queen, has been little seen on TV over the years, (although it has been available on DVD), doubtless due, in part, to its box office failure, particularly in the US.  Which is a pity as, if you can look past the massacring of history it represents, it is a well produced, efficiently directed (by Don Chaffey) and enjoyable enough action film.