Mention the name of actor Burt Lancaster and one of the following performances may come to mind:
Sgt. Milton Warden in "From Here to Eternity"
Bill Starbuck of "The Rainmaker"
Wyatt Earp of "The Gunfight at the OK Corral"
Elmer Gantry of "Elmer Gantry", Academy Award winning Best Actor
Dr. Ernst Janning of "Judgement at Nuremberg"
Robert Franklin Stroud of "The Birdman of Alcatraz" and
Gen. James Matton Scott of "Seven Days in May"
However, very rarely are the three motion pictures of this article mentioned, or even remembered.
The road to being an actor started when 19 year old Burton Stephen "Burt" Lancaster met Nicholas Cuccia (pronounced coo-cha) in New York City. The two young men would become life long friends and together went to the "Union Settlement House's" summer camp at "Palisades Interstate Park". There they learned both acting and acrobatics.
At the start of the 1930's the two young men formed an acrobatic act. Burt Lancaster changed his last name to Lang and Nick Cuccia changed his to Cravat. The next thing "Lang and Cravat" did was to make every boys dream at the time come true. They joined the "Kay Brothers Circus".
The pair on the horizontal bars during a performance of the "Kay Brothers Circus".
The duo next moved to the "New Deal's" "Federal Theatre Project Circus". Appearing between 1935 and 1938. Here is a picture of the two at this time.
In 1939 Burt Lancaster injured his hand and ended "Lang and Cravat's" acrobatic act as a result. Returning to his own last name Burt Lancaster he reluctantly became an actor after completely his service in the Army during the Second World War. Lancaster started on the legitimate stage in New York and worked his way onto the convenient Broadway Stage in leading roles . This would lead to meeting his future business partner Harold Hecht. Which in turn lead to a reverting performance opposite Ava Gardner in his first motion picture. The film was made in 1946 and was loosely based upon a Ernest Hemingway short story "The Killers". Burt Lancaster's motion picture career was launched.
By 1949 Nick Cuccia had legally changed last name to Cravat and entered motion pictures with a non screen credited role in "My Friend Irma", The movie also contained the first on screen performance by the comedy team of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis.
At the request of Burt Lancaster the two friends were reunited on screen in "The Flame and the Arrow".
From the movie review in the New York Times for July 8, 1950:
Who says that the fire of bold adventure is dying on the screen? Who says that there is no longer interest in flashing romance and deering-do? Shades of Douglas Fairbanks (the elder) and Errol Flynn! Take a look at Burt Lancaster and his new film, "The Flame and the Arrow!" Take a look at this gaudy swashbuckler,.......
"The Flame and the Arrow" has been described as an Italian version of the 1938 Errol Flynn picture "The Adventures of Robin Hood" and there are similarities in the plot. Also both films were made by Warner Brothers at the same locations in the San Fernando Valley were the Warner Brothers studio was located.
Lets play substitution here for similar roles::
In "Robin Hood" you have Prince John. In "Flame and the Arrow" you have Count Ulrich.
In "Robin Hood" you have Sir Guy of Gisbourne. In "Flame and the Arrow" you have the Marchese Alesandro de Granazia.
In "Robin Hood": you have Maid Marian. In "Flame and the Arrow" you have Anne de Hesse played by Virginia Mayo.
In short the characters pretty much have the same traits.
Also in both pictures you have "The Merry Men" band of outlaws working with the hero.
The basic plot for "The Flame and the Arrow" has Burt Lancaster as Dardo Bartoli the "Arrow". Who with his son encounter Count Ulrich "The Hawk" out hunting. In Ulrich's party is Dardo's unfaithful wife and the Lady Anne the "Flame". At this meeting Dardo demonstrates his archery skills by shooting Ulrich's favorite Hunting Hawk out of the air. In retaliation Ulrich takes Dardo's son hostage and action that is followed by Dardo kidnapping Anne.
The stage is now set for Dardo and his men to save his son, but after he starts to fall in love with the Lady Anne. Again their are similar scenes reworked in "The Flame and the Arrow" that seem right out of the 1938 "The Adventures of Robin Hood". One scene has the Lady Anne sending a warning to Dardo as did Maid Marian to Robin, of an attack and trap being set.
In "The Adventures of Robin Hood" Robin devices a plan to sneak his men into Nottingham Castle for the climatic battle. In "The Flame and the Arrow" Dardo has a plan to enter Count Ulrich's castle. Which also gives Burt Lancaster and Nick Cravat a chance to show off the acrobatic skills. They arrive disguised as of all things acrobats coming to entertain Count Ulrich and his friends.
In the still below Burt Lancaster is on the left and Nick Cravat on the far right.
The film is good old fashion fun and a chance to watch Lancaster and Cravat at the top of their acrobatic form and well worth the visit.
THE CRIMSON PIRATE premiered in New York City on August 27, 1952
This was a major United States - United Kingdom co-production that was filmed in Italy. The picture was directed by Robert Siodmak, who was his brother, screenplay writer Curt Siodmak, filmed 1943's, "Son of Dracula", in which Curt came up with the idea of reversing the spelling of the "Count's" name to "Alucard". Among other screenplays, Curt also wrote the screenplay for 1941's, "The Wolfman". While Robert, became one of the most prominent Film-Noir directors of the 1940's. My article is "CURT and ROBERT SIODMAK: Horror and Film Noir" found at:
http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2017/11/curt-and-robert-siodmak-horror-and-film.html
The screenplay was written by Roland Kibbee, the Marx Brother's, 1946, "A Night in Casablanca", and Burt Lancaster's, 1951, "Ten Tall Men".
Burt Lancaster portrayed "Captain Vallo - The Crimson Pirate". The following is from my article, "Burt Lancaster: Circus Acrobat Turned Actor", at:
http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2016/04/burt-lancaster-circus-acrobat-turned.html
At the time of my writing this article, the fifth "Pirates of the Caribbean" film is being prepared with the return of "Captain Jack Sparrow". Both, actor Johnny Depp, and producer Jerry Bruckheimer, have stated, along with many film historians, that "The Crimson Pirate's", "Captain Vallo", is the prototype for the character of "Jack Sparrow" and "Vallo" has been referred too as "Sparrow's Grandfather" .
Nick Cravat portrayed "Ojo". His story is part of the above article, because he ran away from school with his friend Burt Lancaster to join the circus together and become an acrobatic team.
Eva Bartok portrayed "Consuelo". The Hungarian-British actress had been chosen for the role after both Lancaster and Siodmak saw her in, 1951's, "A Tale of Five Cities (A Tale of Five Women)". She followed this feature co-starring with Sir Richard Todd, in 1952's, "The Assassin".
http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2017/07/torin-thatcher-career-of-great-british.html
Leslie Bradley portrayed "Baron Jose Gruda". Between 1934 and 1970, the actor appeared in 90-roles divided between motion pictures and television. He is remembered for this cult pirate adventure, and two appearances in films directed by Roger Corman. He was "Dr. Karl Weigand", in 1957's, "Attack of the Crab Monsters", and "The Symbol Maker", in 1958's, "Teenage Cave Man".
Yes, that's Christopher Lee with Bradley, as "Joseph - Military Attache". Lee's first on-screen appearance was in a 1946 episode of the British television series, "Kaleidoscope" and this role was five-years away from 1957's, "The Curse of Frankenstein". My article is "CHRISTOPHER LEE: Foreign Language Motion Pictures 1959 to 1970" at:
http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2016/08/christopher-lee-foreign-language-motion.html
A Little Acrobatic Swashbuckling:
The following link takes my reader to the opening - credits - sequence for "The Crimson Pirate", and sets up the tone of what follows.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLV0Ye2hIjk
"The Crimson Pirate" opens with "Captain Vallo" and his crew capturing a King's frigate, with the villain of the film, "Baron Jose Gruda", on it. "Vallo" then decides to impersonate "Baron Gruda" and sell the ships weapon's to "El Libre", a rebel on the island of Cobra. He also plans to trick "El Libre", and capture him, to be sold back to the real "Gruda". Some of the crew, including "Humble Bellows", complain that plan is not real pirate work, but loyally they will follow "Vallo".
The pirate ship sails to the Island of Cobra and finds the rebels led by "El Libre". "Vallo" and "Ojo", who is a deaf mute, Nick Cravat is not, had first to dodge the Spanish military on the island. This involves some of Lancaster and Cravat's acrobatics. With perfectly placed horizontal bars and trampolines, as the two did their own stunts.
Their escapades help "Vallo" and "Ojo" find the rebels, but are captured by them. They're bringing too much unwanted attention. 
"Vallo", immediately makes an enemy of "Pablo Murphy", portrayed by Noel Purcell, who wants them killed. However, with the help of "Professor Prudence", a student of Leonardo DaVinci, portrayed by James Hayter, a plan to go to the Island of San Pero, and rescue "EL Libre" is made with "Vallo" continuing to pose as "Baron Gruda".
"Vallo - Baron Gruda" orders the prisoners released into his custody, and they're taken from the cells. On board his ship, "Vallo" reveals his deal to sell "Consuelo", her father, and the professor to the real "Baron Gruda". "Consuelo" is surprised over what the man she has fallen in love plans to do, but"Vallo", next tells three that they are free to go. This is overheard by "Humble Bellows", who now confirms that "Captain Vallo" is breaking the rules of piracy.
Not trusting "Vallo", "Baron Gruda" has a trap planned. As the three head through the town,"Consuelo" is captured, her father killed, but the professor gets away. While, the pirate crew mutiny against "Vallo" for breaking the pirate code and vote "Bellows" their new captain. However, they are also captured by "Baron Gruda", "Joseph", and Spanish soldiers and put in the pirate ships hold.
Now we come to the exciting climax. "Baron Gruda" tells "Consuelo", that he will murder every person on the Island of Cobra unless she marries the island's "Governor", portrayed by Eliot Mareham. The "Professor" has a plan of his own, and reveals it to "Vallo". With "Ojo", the three arm the islanders with the weapon designs of Leonardo Da Vinci.
The wedding starts to take place, but the "Governor" and the "Baron", must first go through an entirely made up ritual featuring the unwed island women. Two of these local women just happen to look like "Vallo" and "Ojo".
The final motion picture I want to speak to does not have Nick Cravat in it. That's a shame as it goes to both Lancaster and Cravat's roots. However, the two would appear together in "Ten Tall Men", "Run Silent, Run Deep", "The Scalphunters", "Airport", "Valdez is Coming", "Ulzana's Raid", "The Midnight Man", and the 1977 version of H.G. Wells' "The Island of Dr Moreau".
On May 30, 1956 the picture "Trapeze" was released starring Burt Lancaster, Tony Curtis and Gina Lollobrigida.
Lancaster plays trapeze artist, Mike Ribble. Ribble only the sixth man to perform a triple somersault in the air. However there is an accident and Mike Ribble is crippled for life. Since then no other flying act has attempted the triple.
Into Ribble's life comes young Tino Orsini, Curtis, who tracked him down. Now in France Ribble is basically doing janitor work to be able to stay at a European Circus. Orsini wants Ribble to be his coach and catcher, but mainly to teach him the triple. Everything is going fine until an ambitious women Lola, Lollobrigida, comes between them. After she dumps another circus performer and his act to talk herself into Lancaster and Curtis' trapeze act.
The motion picture is from British director Carol Reed.The film was Gina Lollobrigida's first American motion picture. Lancaster performed most of his own stunts except for the triple which was done by Eddie Ward of "Ringling Brothers Circus".
I would add that at times "Trapeze" is very slow and prodding, but it again is worth seeing the acrobatic skills of Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis. Whom he also worked with for the sequences.
Three motion pictures:
"The Flame and the Arrow", "The Crimson Pirate" and "Trapeze" that I enjoyed as a young boy. Each illustrates a side of Burt Lancaster seldom seen on the big screen except as a glimpse here and there. As I have mentioned dear reader worth a look. So find these treasures and enjoy.
