The Lion of St. Mark

This film is mainly worth seeing for its exquisite photography of historical Venice in the 17th century. The action is a romantic swahbuckler account of the son of a Doge who falls in love with a pirate princess, for whose sake he deserts his bride to be, another but more conventional princess. The action is fast with many brilliant fights and a great siege to a fortress and a naval battle in the end. The costumes are also exquisitely stylish, the story is all right in its romantic exaggerations, while the actors are all rather mediocre, incluidng Gordon Scott in the lead. If you find this entertainment somewhat superficial and undramatic in its load of clichés, at least you can enjoy the beauty of Venice and its 17th century people to the full.