Revolt of the Mercenaries [La rivolta dei mercenari] ** (1961, Virginia Mayo, Conrado San Martín, Susana Canales) – Classic Movie Review 7937

Director Piero Costa’s 1964 Revolt of the Mercenaries [La Rivolta dei Mercenari] is a lurid and lusty if somewhat mediocre Italian swashbuckler, set during the Renaissance in Friuli, Venezia, in an Italy that was then composed of a number of warring city states.

One of the states hires a group of mercenaries for protection, but mercenary Captain Lucio di Rialto (Conrado San Martin) switches sides when he is pledged to defend the beautiful noblewoman Lady Patrizia (Virginia Mayo), the Duchess of Rivalta, against the rapacious Count Keller Paroli (Livio Lorenzon).

The decent-looking production in highly artificial TotalScope and Eastmancolor, with colourful costume designs (by Franco Nardelli) and convincing armoury, as well as some effective action and location filming, help to add some allure and flavour to the rather tepid brew.

Also in the cast are Carla Caló, Susana Canales, Alfredo Mayo, Tomás Blanco, Xan das Bolas, Ángel del Pozo, Diana Lorys, Enzo Fiermonte, Pilar Cansino, Franco Fantasia, John Kitzmiller, Marco Tulli and Anita Todesco.

Revolt of the Mercenaries [La Rivolta dei Mercenari] is directed by Piero Costa, runs 102 minutes, is made by Prodas, Chapalo Films and Rewind Film, is released by Imperialcine (Italy) and Warner Bros (US), is written by Antonio Boccaci, Eduardo Falletti, Carlo Musso, Luciano Vincenzoni and Piero Costa, is shot in Eastmancolor and widescreen by Julio Ortas and Godofredo Pacheco, produced by Antonio Canelli and scored by Carlo Innocenzi.

 © Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7937

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