El Cid: Battle for Calahorra

This clip is of the action sequence in Anthony Mann's 1961 epic, El Cid. In this sequence, two competing king's champions, including El Cid (Charlton Heston), battle for the strategic city of Calahorra. Fight choreography was done by the legendary Yakima Canutt. The beautiful pageantry provides a sharp contrast to the exertion and punishment of the combatants in the contest being waged in this scene.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• action sequence
• El Cid

[El7IncA]

@mataikan Even death he destroyed the muslims out of Spain!...FOR GOD, EL CID AND SPAIN!.

[deriter64]

From Major Dundee to Ben Hur, nobody played those larger than life roles than Heston.

[wolfstriked]

The moors that stayed behind with the Christians to finish the Reconquista started converting to Christianity.Moors stayed in Spain mixing with the populace even into the inquisition.No big deal really and I hope I do not hurt anyones feelings by saying that.

[Prospro8]

@oooTACooo Yes, this piece is by Miklos Rozsa, and uses the melodies of two of the Cantigas de Santa Maria from Alfonso the Wise's music collection of the 13th Century. Inspiring, yet not inspiring enough it seems to make an impact on some of the awful people who've posted on this thread already.

[Prospro8]

@dieschnellboote One small (?) detail. The knights are jousting on the wrong side of the road. Each has his shield on the wrong side, not facing his opponent. All those stuntmen and Franco's cavalry and nobody noticed that! He wins because the screenwriter wished him to win that way, in a symbolic fashion, with a cross in the fence at foreground. It's art, not reality.

[Prospro8]

@cripplehawk These are not claymores, which are unique to Scotland. These are double-handed greatswords which, incidentally, didn't exist at that time either. The film is deliberately stylised to fit a hero myth motif, based partly on Corneille.

[Prospro8]

@El7IncA What a bizarre comment. Clearly you have never understood the film.

[cripplehawk]

I like Claymores

[Zelje2010]

Heston is really great actor :)

[wuenkuesko]

@SpaniardsRNOTWhite stupid

[dieschnellboote]

Truly one of the best single combat scenes ever filmed. Heston's El Cid was on his heels for most of the fight yet won because his opponent made one fatal mistake. I first saw this when I was a 8 years old yet no matter how many times I see this clip it is always exciting. Great acting by all. A pity they don't make movies like this anymore!

[ttboy2004]

Viva Espana!!! y los soldatos de CHRISTO!!!