Movie |
Sword Fight | Battle
Disclaimer: All content and media belong to original content streaming platforms/owners like Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar, Amazon Prime Videos, JioCinema, SonyLIV etc. 91mobiles entertainment does not claim any rights to the content and only aggregate the content along with the service providers links.
In 1970, Director Richard Lester had planned to make a movie of "Flashman", the first of George MacDonald Fraser's novels, from a screenplay by Charles Wood and Frank Muir, and with John Alderton in the title role. Because of expense, it was cancelled with only days to go before the start of shooting. Four years later, having collaborated with Fraser on his two "Musketeers" movies with huge success, Lester tried to reactivate the project, but found it easier to set up a movie of Fraser's second novel, "Royal Flash", perhaps because the story is a parody of "The Prisoner Of Zenda", which had been filmed several times with great popularity. Even so, United Artists went cold on the idea shortly before filming was due to begin, but this time Lester was able successfully to transfer the project to Twentieth Century Fox. However, the movie proved to be a critical and box-office failure, and was cut from a running time of one hour and fifty-eight minutes to one hour and thirty-six minutes for general release in Britain (which accounts for certain well-known actors either not appearing, or doing so only very briefly). George MacDonald Fraser so disliked this movie, that he would not consent to having another one based on his Flashman novels made in his lifetime.
Roy Kinnear had his scenes deleted from the final print. He was amongst around twenty performers that had their performances deleted, including some famous actors, which included two Dad's Army (1968) regulars.
In the scene in the throne room, just after the wedding, the U.S. Ambassador is introduced as "Cassius Clay". That is the birth name of boxer Muhammad Ali who defeated boxer Henry Cooper, the man who played John Gully, M.P. Muhammad Ali was named Cassius Clay at birth, after his father who had been named after another Cassius Clay, who had been a famous Kentucky politician and anti-slavery activist in the mid nineteenth century, and was later named Ambassador to Russia by President Abraham Lincoln.
Arthur Lowe was cast in this movie, but was replaced.
The role of Lola was first offered to Brigitte Bardot.
"[first lines] Harry Flashman: So, the last thing I have to tell you young fellows is this: play up and play the game, honor your queen and country, mind what your masters tell you, say your prayers each night, keep your minds and your bodies clean, take a cold bath each day, and you'll find you can always look the world in the eye like an English gentleman. [audience members concurs, muttering "Here, here"] Harry Flashman: Now my lads, I'm just a simple soldier. [Audience members murmer objections and so does the headmaster] Harry Flashman: Yes, I am though. But I tell you if you follow these rules, then when the last roll call comes, you'll be able to go up before the great headmaster with a clean, British conscience and say, "Well sir, I tried to do my duty", and I think, I think, you'll find that's good enough for him. [applause and standing ovation from the audience]"
"Harry Flashman: [to Bismarck] How dare you insult a lady, you dirty foreigner. Otto von Bismarck: I shall remember you. Harry Flashman: Well I shan't trouble to return the compliment."
