Hercules and the Masked Rider (1964)

Golia e il cavaliere mascherato

Cast:

Sergio "I'm Alan Steel!!" Ciani is Hercules
Mimmo Palmara is Don Juan
José Greci is Dona Blanca

What the box says:

When a soldier is attacked by a group of rebels, led by Hercules, he wins their respect by taking on the strongman in a knife fight. Then fored to save the woman he loves, he dons a mask and cape and teams up with Hercules to track her down in this gripping adventure saga.

Plot:

As some peasants are being chased by some nobles, Delores and her new husband have to leave her dying father behind. They are still being chased by Don Romero and his head soldier, Captain Blasko. The peasants cross the border to the nearby land of Don Francisco. He refuses to let Romero enter. Romero wants to marry Francisco's daughter, Dona Blanco.

Francisco's country of Valvere welcomes the returning hero, Juan, Francisco's nephew. Juan wants to attack Don Romero and isn't too happy about Francisco marrying off Blanco to Romero for peace between their countries. Juan wants Blanco to run off and marry him. Francisco disowns Juan and throws him out of the castle.

In the words of Phil Collins "You're no son of mine"...

Juan is captured by a Gypsy band led by Estrella. Juan will have to fight Hercules to win his freedom.

Normally knife-fighting or wrestling Hercules seems like a bad idea... Through the fight, Juan manages to last the time limit which impresses the Gypsies and Hercules that allow him to join the band. Let the Gypsy fiesta ensue.

Don Romero is still plotting.

The Gypsies, Hercules, and a masked Juan attack some nobles.

Could you excuse me where the Alcalde or the Sheriff of Nottingham is? The Masked Rider keeps striking. Eventually, he catches up with Don Romero. Their fight ends when the Gypsies have to beat a hasty retreat when Romero's reinforcements arrive.

Romero's group reaches Francisco's castle. Romero demands that Francisco appoint him as his heir. Francisco and Romero argue before fighting where Francisco is killed. Just in case you didn't now, Romero is evil enough he forces his own troops to fight to the death.

Juan plans to catch Romero and get his revenge.

Captain Blasko is getting more and more disgusted with Romero. The Gypsies reach Francisco's castle. Romero wants Estrella to cast a love spell on Blanco. Estrella explains to Dona Blanco about Juan and to pretend to love Romero for the plan. Hercules is demonstrating his strength. During the Gypsy dance number, Estrella claims that Romero killed her husband. The fight is one. Hercules opens the gate. As the Gypsies leave, Romero catches Estrella.

Romero wants to torture Estrella. Captain Blasko talks him into waiting. Apparently, the good captain has fallen madly in love with the Gypsy queen.

At the Gypsy camp, they spot a group of approaching soldiers.

We'll show him the power of a Zeus wedgie... Captain Blasko and his troops are slowly weeded down by the gypsies and Hercules. Blasko recognizes Juan.

Don Romero has the gallows readied. Estrella is taken to the gallows when Captain Blasko and Juan ride up. Romero lets Estrella go but imprisons Juan.

The King's envoy stops in the forest.

Excuse me masked man, is it safe to got throguh Sherwood forest? The Gypsies knock out several of the soldiers and ride to the castle.

Dona Blanco signs the papers which will allow Romero right to rule the countryside and to save Juan. Suddenly, a fight breaks out. Disguised monks versus Romero's men. Captain Blasko frees the prisoners from the dungeon. Juan versus Don Romero who falls off the balcony to his death.

Juan marries Dona Blanco. The gypsies head off.

What I say:

Hercules with Steve Reeves pretty much released all the Hercules movies in the mid-1960s. If you don't think it was that popular. Marvel Comic's version of Hercules is basically a super-bragging version of Herc who looks exactly like Steve Reeves. A large number of Hercules movies from Europe in the 1960s were just re-titled and dubbed to give the impression of Hercules. Why else was the other title Golia e il cavaliere mascherato? Goliath and the Masked Cavalier or something like that...Italy's film companies haven't been known to rip off from popular movies...Sorry, can't even get that last sentence out with a straight face..

At least Hercules and the Tyrants of Babylon, Arnold Schwarzenegger's Hercules in New York, or the Steve Reeves Hercules movies definitely focused of a specific son of a Greek demi-god, Zeus. A number of the others just changed a character's name to Hercules to make up for originally being title for Goliath, Samson, etc...

This movie's hero is definitely the Masked Rider with Herc as just a less than main hero but more than a sidekick...Noble losing his place and must join with a group that is against the oppressive nobles who are crushing them. Sounds bit Robin Hoodish...Don Juan who disguises himself as the Masked Rider starts leading the gypsies against Duke Romero's forces.

It's a good for the villain's chief soldier start to realize his boss is definitely one of the dishonerable scum bums so he can joy the forces of light or the force with the hot lonely Gypsy queen. The chief soldier also being buddies with Juan, the Masked Rider, is just gravy, too.

The feuding neighboring kingdoms..While Duke Romero rules one with whatever oppressive whim he has at the moment, the other, Valverde, is ruled by the elderly Don Fernado. Fernado knows that Romero is watching his kingdom and just waiting to strike to conquer it. Fernado doesn't want for his land to be conquered but can't fight off Romero either. He has the great idea to marry his daughter off to Romero hoping to ensure peace.

Juan sure seems to be right interested in marrying his cousin. Have to use the Su'thern vernacular for it's true meaning to be 'ppreciated... Lets hope their family tree is more concerned with just calling him and Blanco cousins rather than them actually being 1st cousins.

Quotable Dialogue
"When are we going to act married?"
"You must be a miracle maker."
"The gentleman has dropped his defenses."
"They seem to fermenting in my veins."
Morals of the Story
Wooden sticks make metallic clanging noises.
Hercules commonly hanged out in Spain.
Tree stumps are excellent hiding places.
Hercules disguises as a monk regularly.