The Vikings (1958)
Film · Adventure, History, Action
Stream itif you enjoy muscular, mid-century Hollywood epics with physical performances and grand location photography.
A sweeping historical adventure filled with grand scale, star power, and muscular action sequences. It is a quintessential mid-century spectacle that prioritizes brawny thrills and broad drama over historical accuracy.
What it is about
Einar, brutal son of the viking Ragnar and future heir to his throne, tangles with clever slave Eric, for the hand of a beautiful English maiden.
Trailer
What The Vikings is like, and who it is for
What it is like to watch
Watching this film is a robust experience, defined by its immense physical scale and a palpable sense of brawn. The pacing is deliberate, allowing the camera to linger on the jagged Norwegian fjords and authentic longships, which lends the action a grounded, heavy quality. It avoids the glossy sanitisation of modern blockbusters, opting instead for a gritty, sweat-stained atmosphere where every clanging sword hit feels heavy and every roar from the cast feels earned.
Who it is for, and who should skip it
This is essential viewing for fans of old-school adventure who appreciate the charisma of stars like Kirk Douglas and Tony Curtis. It is for those who value practical stunts and sweeping cinematography over historical precision. However, you should skip it if you require a nuanced or sensitive portrayal of history; the film leans heavily into brutal masculine tropes and melodrama that can feel dated or overly aggressive to contemporary sensibilities.
The right evening for it
It suits a weekend evening when you want to be swept away by grand, traditional storytelling. It pairs well with a large screen to appreciate the vibrant Technicolor and the sheer ambition of the production.
Written by our AI from the facts on this page. It has opinions; it has not watched it.
Another trailer
Trailer · Movie Trailer - The Vikings (1958)
How The Vikings leaves you
One line on the mood it ends on, with no plot. Some people count that as a spoiler, so it stays hidden until you ask.
You will likely feel invigorated by the sheer energy of the performances and the film's rugged, uncompromising visual grandeur.
How The Vikings ends
Spoilers. The whole ending, in a few lines. Nothing shows until you ask and then confirm.
The film ends with the Viking invasion of Northumbria, where Einar and Eric fight their way into the castle. After Eric kills Aella by shoving him into the wolf pit, he finds Einar and Morgana at the top of the tower. The two rivals engage in a final sword fight, which Eric appears to lose when his blade breaks. However, Einar hesitates to deliver the killing blow after Morgana reveals the truth of their kinship and he recognises their father's features in Eric’s face. Eric seizes this moment to fatally stab Einar with his broken sword, though he allows his half-brother to die with a weapon in his hand to ensure his entry into Valhalla.
The story concludes with Einar receiving a traditional Viking funeral. His body is placed on a longship and cast off into the sea, where it is set ablaze by burning arrows. The conflict between the brothers is settled through Einar's death, while Eric's victory leaves him with Morgana.
Summarised by our AI from the plot section of the Wikipedia article, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. This summary is shared under the same licence.
Stills
Images from TMDB.
More clips
Featurette · John Landis on THE VIKINGS
The Vikings soundtrack
Music by Mario Nascimbene
Questions people ask
- Is The Vikings an epic film?
- Yes. On Watchlist Boosted it is tagged Epic. A sweeping historical adventure filled with grand scale, star power, and muscular action sequences. It is a quintessential mid-century spectacle that prioritizes brawny thrills and broad drama over historical accuracy.
- How long is The Vikings?
- The Vikings runs 115 min and was released in 1958.
- Where can I watch The Vikings in Australia?
- In Australia, The Vikings is included with Prime Video (all plans).
- Who composed the music for The Vikings?
- The music for The Vikings is by Mario Nascimbene.
- Is The Vikings worth watching?
- Stream it: if you enjoy muscular, mid-century Hollywood epics with physical performances and grand location photography. IMDb users rate it 7.0 out of 10 from 16,024 votes, Rotten Tomatoes gives it 77% and TMDB users 7.0.
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