I saw this as a kid many years ago and loved it. Having seen it as an adult it is an appalling piece of stupid trash - but still great fun. Richard Widmark as a Viking is OK but Poitier as a Muslim prince is played far too seriously to be taken as such. The cast have American stars but the secondary characters are played by terrific classy British actors like Gordon Jackson, Colin Blakeley and Lionel Jeffries (cast - strangely as a mute Middle Eastern type!) The story is fascinating - regarding a legendary golden bell of huge size which Poitier's character wants to find so badly that he no longer wants to pleasure his nubile wife!! Widmark seems to dive into the sea in the Middle East and then fetch up n Viking country - bizarre! A hero of mine, Russ Tamblyn ( he of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and West Side Story) is one of the Vikings and lends his athleticism to the part and plays Widmark's brother.
Review of The Long Ships
