"William Tell - how is it?" Topic

It's streaming now. Anyone see and is it worth the time?

I downloaded it for a train journey.

I watched it all. I'll never get that time back. It was a shame, it could have been so much better…

Are we talking about the old syndicated TV show, also known as Crossbow? I enjoyed it thoroughly. I bought the spliced-together movie, and I'd spring for a DVD set of the series if I found it for sale. Bonus points for Tell's old buddies in The Four Horsemen.

No Robert, there is a new one that was just done. I haven't seen it yet but was wondering what it would be like. So what was wrong with it Royston?

Yes, I am looking for the new movie that just hit streaming.

I watched it and found it moderately terrible, though with with some fine actors and the usual Henry V-style speeches all over the place. Most of the set-pieces are very small affairs, with a couple of larger ones near the end (it takes some time to get rolling and a LONG time to get warlike). I did enjoy the sets and the unusual setting (Medieval Hapsburgs versus Swiss), and the constant references to Swiss politics were quite interesting – cantons against one another, traitors, divided families, etc. A few cliched references to the Crusades and a past indiscretion, no mounted warfare – and the same 8 or 10 horses appearing every 20 minutes or so, no pikes anywhere, some longbows as well as crossbows (which are everywhere), and a few references to actual tactics – like the Roman testudo!!

Ben Kingsley was wasted in a cardboard roll, and the bad guys are cartoon villains.

But hey: it was late, the family was in bed, and two hours of silly swordplay and heroic delling-do is not such a bad way to unwind. Plus: I know next to nothing about 1300s Switzerland, so it was mostly new to me and therefore beyond historical complaining.

Just watched it this afternoon. Good Sunday afternoon popcorn movie.

Admittedly, a little slow in parts and they left it open for "William Tell me more".

I couldn't finish it. Very tedious.