Musings!

Ursus (Joe Robinson) gives a helping to the good folks in URSUS AND THE TARTAR PRINCESS (1961)

This movie is difficult to describe. There are action scenes and Feats of Strength scenes like this one but it's really mainly a political drama with waring enemies, including big battle scenes. I can almost always figure out the year a PEPLUM movie was made just by the look of it as the PEPLUM genre followed the progression of filmmaking of the mid-1950s up to the mid-1960s. But this one always baffles me. It looks like a late stage PEPLUM movie, from1964 then an early 1961 one. The movie often falls under the radar for some of these reasons. The casting of Joe Robinson was a brilliant choice. He perfectly exemplifies Ursus: a Nordic Hero. IMO, he should have had more to do. It's almost a supporting role while the movie focuses on Ettore Manni and Yoko Tani. Regardless, it's a fun film.

There's a scene with a bear that can be seen in the trailer (below with Maria Grazia Spina). It's not in the final cut. From every different versions I have, it's not there. And I can't figure out where in the movie it would have taken place. It looks like a fun scene. Why did they cut it? This reminds me of all the scenes that appear in trailers or lobby cards of other movies that were eventually cut. I should write about this.