Black Arrow | |
---|---|
Genre | Adventure History |
Written by | David Pursall Peter Welbeck |
Directed by | John Hough |
Starring |
Oliver Reed Fernando Rey Donald Pleasence Benedict Taylor Stephan Chase Georgia Slowe |
Music by | Stanley Myers |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language(s) | English |
Production | |
Executive producer(s) | Jesús María López-Patiño |
Producer(s) |
Harry Alan Towers Michael-John Biber Andrés Vicente Gómez Maria Rohm (associate producer) |
Cinematography | John Cabrera |
Editor(s) | Geoffrey Foot |
Running time | 93 minutes |
Production company(s) | Cabo Blanco Production Inc. Compañía Iberoamericana de TV Jerawood Limited |
Distributor | Walt Disney Home Video |
Release | |
Original release | January 6, 1985 |
Black Arrow is a Disney television film filmed in 1984 and released in 1985, based on the novel by Robert Louis Stevenson, The Black Arrow: A Tale of the Two Roses. It was a Panatlantic Pictures release directed by John Hough, who had directed a filmatisation of another Stevenson novel, Treasure Island, in 1972. It was released on 6 January 1985, for broadcast on The Disney Channel and distribution on Disney Home Video VHS.
During the Wars of the Roses Sir Daniel is a powerful, unscrupulous knight, surrounded by equally treacherous retainers, Oates, Sykes, Appleyard, and Scar. Since the white rose of the House of York is in the ascendant, Sir Daniel and his household are loyal to York and the white rose. The film takes place just before the revolt of Richard, Earl of Warwick's rebellion against Edward IV (1469–1471).
Some two years prior to this Daniel, Oates, Sykes, and Appleyard perjured themselves to attaint a nobleman, who later would go by the name of "Black Arrow." He went to France in exile while his fifteen-year-old daughter Joanna was warded to Sir Daniel—Black Arrow had not seen his daughter for eight years since she had been kept in a convent during the wars. Sir Daniel was also the guardian of his nephew Richard, who is trained to fight by Scar.
Scar and Richard are unaccountably enemies. On the eve of Richard's twenty-first birthday he is finally able to defeat Scar, although Scar is handicapped by his left hand tied behind his back. Daniel's court then hails him as Sir Richard after he takes the oath to be loyal to the white rose of the house of York.
Sir Daniel arranges for Black Arrow's now seventeen-year-old daughter Joanna to be taken from the convent to his castle to keep her from being rescued by her father. He also plans to marry her to take full possession of her inheritance.
Appleyard is sent by Sir Daniel to one of his tenants to confiscate livestock for the Earl of Warwick's upcoming visit. Richard is also sent to assist Appleyard. Appleyard surmises that Black Arrow will confront him, which he does. Black Arrow accompanied by Lawless and armed with a long bow succeeds in killing Appleyard, armed with a cross bow. Richard challenges the outlaws to a duel with staves, but he is beaten and sent back to Sir Daniel.