The Vikings

Directed by Richard Fleischer

The Vikings (1958) Einar and Eric are two Viking half-brothers. The former is a great warrior whilst the other is an ex-slave, but neither knows the true identity of the other. When the throne of Northumbria in Britain becomes free for the taking, the two brothers compete against one another for the prize, but they have very different motives - both involving the princess Morgana, however.

Director

Richard Fleischer

Writers

Edison Marshall (novel)

Dale Wasserman (adaptation)

Cast

Kirk Douglas... Einar

Tony Curtis... Eric

Ernest Borgnine... Ragnar

Janet Leigh... Morgana

James Donald... Egbert

Alexander Knox... Father Godwin

Maxine Audley... Enid

Frank Thring... Aella

Eileen Way... Kitala

Edric Connor... Sandpiper

Dandy Nichols... Bridget

Per Buckhøj... Bjorn

Trivia

• Stuntmen had practiced for weeks for the oar walking scenes. Kirk Douglas told director Richard Fleischer that he could do it and did several times. At one point when he did fall in the icy water he calmly swam over to the camera boat and asked if they had gotten good shots. He then swam back to the Viking longboat. Fleischer noted they were watching and filming an activity that had not been done in a thousand years.