Movie Review: Hercules and the Masked Rider

Hercules and the Masked Rider (Golia e il cavaliere mascherato) 

Starring:  Sergio Ciani (aka Alan Steel), Mimmo Palmara, José Greci, Pilar Cansino, Arturo Dominici, Dina De Santis, Piero Leri, Renato Navarrini 

Director: Piero Pierotti 

Altavista Productions, Romana Film, Italy, 1963. 

This movie is published as a part of Warriors 50 movie pack box published by Mill Creek Entertainment. 

The movie is set in 16th century Spain. Captain Blasco (Ettore Manni) and evil ruler Don Ramiro (Arturo Dominici) lead a group of mercenaries against some innocent people. Just-married Felipe (Piero Leri) and Dolores (Dina De Santis) try to escape across the river to a peaceful territory Valverde ruled by Don Francisco (Renato Navarrini). The arrival of Francisco's daughter Dona Blanca (José Greci) makes Ramiro to retreat because he is in love with her. But Dona Blanca is already in love with her cousin Don Juan (Mimmo Palmara). Dolores becomes Blanca's handmaid. 

Don Ramiro

Don Francisco and Dona Blanca

Felipe and Dolores

Meanwhile Don Juan is returning from war and entertaining some village girls with his war stories. Francisco wants Blanca to marry Duke Ramiro so that the can avoid a war with Ramiro. Felipe becomes Don Juan's trusted servant when he tells him that Blanco still loves Juan. 

Don Juan entertains some girls

The girls are entertained

Juan and Blanco together

Francisco sees Juan and Blanco together and banishes Juan. Juan does not get very far when he and Felipe are abducted by a band of Gypsies. Their leader is Estella (Pilar Cansino) who gives Juan a chance to escape. To do that he must survive a knife-fight with Hercules (Sergio Ciani). This is not a Hercules the Greek demi-God, but just a jovial strong guy named Hercules. After the fight ends in draw, Juan joins the Gypsies. Estella tells that his man was killed.

Estella the Queen of Gypsies

Don Juan vs Hercules

Hercules is a jovial giant

Ramiro pays a lot of money to mercenaries and their boss Don Ruiz (Tullio Altamura), sure that he will soon get huge dowry. Using a mask Juan becomes the Masked Rider and begins to rob Ramiro's men with the help of the Gypsies and Hercules. They also rob Don Ruiz's pants. Masked Rider duels against Ramiro and manages to give him a scar. Ramiro sends captain Blasco to capture the Masked Rider. Ramiro also goes on to take the lands of Don Francisco by force. Captain Blasco becomes more and more appalled by Ramiro's cruelty. 

Don Ramiro making a deal with Don Ruiz

The Masked Rider

The Masked Rider observing a wanted poster

Captain Blasco  gets appalled by Ramiro's actions

Estella goes to the castle where Blanca is held captive. He says to Ramiro that she can make a love potion that can make Blanca love him. Estella tells Blanca about the plot to free her. Captain Blasco falls in love with Estella. During Gypsy dance Estella accuses Ramiro of killing her husband. Hercules and other Gypsies escape but Estella is arrested. 

Traditional Gypsy dance

Hercules beats the soldiers

Blasco and Estella fall in love

The Gypsies ambush Ramiro's soldiers and steal their uniforms. It turns also out that Blasco is an old friend of Juan. Ramiro threatens to burn Estella at stake if Blanco does not capture the Masked Rider. Blasco and Juan plot together to save Estelle and Juan allows him to be arrested. King sends an envoy to approve the marriage of Ramiro and Blanca. The carriage stops to pick some strawberries. Also they find some beautiful Gypsy girls. The Gypsies knock out the King's men and steal their clothes. Hercules and gypsies disguise as soldiers and monks. They fight Ramiro's men and Blasco frees the prisoners. Don Juan duels against Ramiro. Juan marries Blanca. Felipe and Dolores can finally spend their honey-moon. Blasco joins the Gypsies with Estella. And Hercules returns home with his friend Palomito (Fidel Gonzáles).

Happy End

The movie tries to woo the fans of Zorro-type masked avenger movies and Italian strong man spectacles, spiced with some romantic sub-plots. The sword-fights are quite run-of-the-mill but Hercules beating alone hordes of soldiers is entertaining. There is also some humour, both intentional and unintentional. The story is quite average for these kind of adventures. 

Rating: Average