Cossack Bulba boys, Pete and Andrew finish their studies among the Poles then promptly trash the school before heading home to be greeted by dad, Taras who shows more pride for the ignorant one who rejected the Polish education. Cossacks it turns out are a rowdy bunch who like to party and go to war and as mentioned more than once in the film "need to be treated like children." Rising up against their oppressors the Cossacks attack the Poles but the educated Andrew ends up siding with the Poles because he has the hots for a Polish Princess.
Rebel Son goes off the rails almost immediately with its insipid school hijinks scene followed by a stream of mediocre acting led by a scenery chewing Harry Baur as Taras. More blowhard than chieftain, a bit of a humorless Akim Tamiroff, most of his performance consists of snarling and grunting. Anthony Bushell and Patricia Roc as the love interest are a mawkishly weak pairing while Roger Livesey as the dunce like brother, much too refined for the role.
Cinematically the battle scenes are poorly edited, chaotic and archaic Eisenstein (even in 38), the impressive montage build up prior to confrontation let down by clumsy editing once the "shooting" starts.
With its unconvincing performances and lackluster action Rebel Son has nothing to recommend other than comparison to a near equally as poor Yul Brynner version from 1962.
Rebel Son goes off the rails almost immediately with its insipid school hijinks scene followed by a stream of mediocre acting led by a scenery chewing Harry Baur as Taras. More blowhard than chieftain, a bit of a humorless Akim Tamiroff, most of his performance consists of snarling and grunting. Anthony Bushell and Patricia Roc as the love interest are a mawkishly weak pairing while Roger Livesey as the dunce like brother, much too refined for the role.
Cinematically the battle scenes are poorly edited, chaotic and archaic Eisenstein (even in 38), the impressive montage build up prior to confrontation let down by clumsy editing once the "shooting" starts.
With its unconvincing performances and lackluster action Rebel Son has nothing to recommend other than comparison to a near equally as poor Yul Brynner version from 1962.