There is a lot of history and connections to other historical drama in this TV version of the Walter Scott novel that combines real life historical figures with a few fictional ones. Fans of the Robin Hood legend and the epic tale "The Lion in Winter" will enjoy what they learn about realize history and this version which deals with issues in old England plow King Richard the Lionhearted is out on the Crusades and Prince John is his regent. It's obvious to anybody who saw the Hepburn/O'Toole movie that Prince John even as a young man was no good and should have no element of power, so it's no surprise that has reasoned, he is trying to upsurb the throne. Wilfred of Ivanhoe, obviously a fictional character, has returned to England after serving with Richard in the Crusades and instantly becomes an enemy of everybody associated with Prince John.

But Prince John and his supporters have much more to worry about than just Ivanhoe. Richard has his supporters who do not bow to Prince John, and this creates near civil war as John's obsession with becoming king leads to his enemies doing all they can to make sure that their beloved country doesn't fall into the wrong hands. While Prince John is a major character, his enemies are more important and have more footage, although when John does appear, it is very clear that he is a scheming, evil man.

The handsome Anthony Andrews is hidden for much of the first half hour in disguise as Ivanhoe, revealing himself to Isaac of York (James Mason),a powerful Jewish man with a beautiful daughter (Olivia Hussey),loyal to the missing king, as is nobleman Michael Horden and his equally beautiful daughter (Lysette Anthony). Both of these beautiful women end up romantically interested in Ivanhoe and are coveted by the more slimy of John's supporters. Robin Hood and his band of merry men do make an appearance later in the film, right after Richard has returned to reclaim his throne, tying together several legends into one film.

This is a beautifully filmed TV version, more famous for the MGM film from 1952. But there is a lot more detail of historical interest in this film, and thus, the film is more epic in scope and a bit longer. The costumes and ancient castles are among the stunning said pieces, and the various battles are well filmed and very intense. A great Emmy nominated score helps the film move along briskly. Sam Neill stuns in a rare villain role with Julian Glover a commanding King Richard and Ronald Pickup a nefarious Prince John. After watching this and other films in which John appears, I still wonder how he was ever allowed to actually become king, and makes me wonder why a film about the creation of the Magna Carta was never made. Well worth seeking out and certainly much more substantial historically than the MGM version.

The story of Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott has been filmed a few times and this version is good though not exceptional. Part of the problem is that Ivanhoe is inactive from his wounds for the middle part and so the narrative is carried by others such as the Brian de Bois- Guilbert/Rebecca story and the King Richard/Robin Hood story with Prince John thrown into the mix. Ultimately the real heroic person is not Ivanhoe but Rebecca. In the end King Richard opts for unity between Norman and Saxon and there is forgiveness between Ivanhoe and his father but also in the end Ivanhoe sticks to Rowena rather than Rebecca. There isn't room in the new England for the Jewish people so Rebecca and her father choose to leave the country.

Rebecca is brave and caring and firm in her loyalty to her father and her faith despite falling in love with Ivanhoe though she is not comfortable with his ideas of honour and glory. Rebecca is played extremely well by Olivia Hussey and is the moral centre of the film. How anyone can prefer the simpering Rowena (played blandly by Lysette Anthony) to Rebecca is a mystery!

With the other characters there is good acting all round from the mainly British actors and the settings and costumes are adequate. The jousting scenes are well staged and good use is made of real castles in England. The climax of the last duel is not quite how the novel depicts it, that is the death of Bois De Guilbert, but that is only a minor quibble. Anyway it is a good version and worth watching.

Although the romance and derring do of medieval chivalry is best expressed in the famous MGM big screen version of Ivanhoe that starred Robert Taylor, this made for British TV Ivanhoe stays far more accurately to what Sir Walter Scott wrote. There are even characters that the MGM film eliminated from the story that are present here.

Anthony Andrews plays the hero Sir Wilfred of Ivanhoe in this version and he's a knight who takes his vows quite seriously. That means help and aid to the weak and oppressed and Jews in medieval England were among the most oppressed. Although his heart is set on the Saxon princess Rowena played by Lysette Anthony, he gets a stirring for the medieval Jewish princess Rebecca as played here by Olivia Hussey.

But the one who's really crushing out on her big time is Sam Neill playing Brian Bois Guilbert a knight of the Templar order and the Templars are trying to topple Richard the Lion Heart from the throne and put Prince John on it. Sad for the years of his reign for the people of England they got a King John after the action of this film is over. As a Norman he and Andrews just don't like each other on general principles. Put in the romantic angle and even those who never read the book know that Andrews and Neill will be duking it out with lance and spear at the climax.

The Robert Taylor classic never covered the Templars and hence the anti-Semitism was muted. Here it bursts forth in full flower and the Templars who pronounce Hussey a witch are sure no knight who takes any Christian vows will champion an infidel.

By dint of his star power James Mason who plays Rebecca's father Isaac of York gets top billing. Mason is effective and the part is built up somewhat.

I do love Robert Taylor's Ivanhoe, one of my favorite of his films. But this version is one good Cliff's Notes version of the story.