The Tartars

Plot

In a region of what is now Russia, a Viking settlement coexists peacefully with Tatars and Slavs. Togrul, a Tatar chief, asks Viking chief Oleg to join a surprise attack on the Slavs; Oleg refuses, kills Togrul in the ensuing battle, and takes Togrul's daughter Samia as a hostage. Togrul's brother Burundai, furious, wants to burn the Viking settlement, but his high priest Ciu Lang insists Samia's safety is paramount.

When a Viking longship is attacked, Oleg's wife Helga and her handmaidens are captured. Burundai tortures the handmaidens for information, rapes Helga, and gives her to his men before planning an exchange for Samia. Meanwhile, Samia falls in love with Oleg's brother Eric. During the exchange, Helga leaps from the battlements upon seeing Oleg and dies from her injuries.

Grief-stricken, Oleg prepares to kill Samia, but Eric reveals she is pregnant by him and demands marriage. Oleg has them tried by tribal elders. Burundai, dreaming of conquering the West, kills Ciu Lang and leads the Tatars to wipe out the Vikings.

Reception

Orson Welles claimed the film earned back its budget in New York City alone. MGM’s books, however, show a slim $34,000 profit.

Variety dismissed it as a poor exploitation melodrama. Welles’s clear speech drew praise, but Victor Mature was seen as miscast for lacking a Viking look. Leonard Maltin rated it a routine spectacle, giving it two out of four stars.

Did You Know?

• Filming took place in Rome and Yugoslavia in October 1960.
• The film was shot using Italian Totalscope anamorphic lenses.