Film

What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases


Royal Flash (1975)

Director: Richard Lester

Average user rating
2 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out Film Guide

Lester long cherished an ambition to make a film out of George MacDonald Fraser's Flashman books, but once the swashbuckling gets under way, it begins to seem far too much like The Four Musketeers Part III. The director's visual style is as strong and witty as ever, and he does score one bull's-eye with Oliver Reed's Bismarck. But after an opening which promises some kind of riotous comic strip of Victorian England, and a particularly good scene involving a boxing-match, the plot begins to parody itself too overtly and too loosely, finally overreaching itself completely with an endless and unimaginative duel between Bates and McDowell. The film might perhaps get by on its superb visuals and the occasional good gag, but the casting sinks it: whatever Lester's intentions, McDowell and Bolkan are no match for Michael York and Faye Dunaway at this kind of thing.

Author: DP

Time Out Film Guide


User reviews of this film

  • mr.mike said...
    Posted on Jul 25 2011 19:46 Lacks spark , and is busy and episodic rather than entertaining.
    Report as inappropriate
  • Sue Ferguson said...
    Posted on Nov 26 2008 22:19 A brilliant, funny film. Malcolm McDowell is wonderful as cowardly, cheating Flashy. Have seen this over 20 times!
    Report as inappropriate

What do you think?
Post your review now

clear rating
Min 1 star. Zero stars will be treated as unrated.

*mandatory fields




Most popular on this site


Top Stories

Has David Cronenberg turned tame?

Has David Cronenberg turned tame?

Has director David Cronenberg veered too far from his radical and bloody roots with new film 'A Dangerous Method'?

The 10 worst date movies

The 10 worst date movies

Just in time for Valentine's Day, we present ten of the least romantic films ever made

Where to watch this year's Oscar-nominated films

Where to watch this year's Oscar-nominated films

Find out where to watch 2012's Oscar-nominated films in London cinemas

10 unlikely badboy biopics

10 unlikely badboy biopics

Featuring Phil Collins, Jeremy Clarkson, Nick Clegg, David Starkey and a host of other unlikely subjects

Interview: Sean Durkin on 'Martha Marcy May Marlene'

Interview: Sean Durkin on 'Martha Marcy May Marlene'

The first-time director of the brilliant new thriller discusses religious cults and robot boxing

Pop-up cinema for Valentine's Day

Pop-up cinema for Valentine's Day

Side-step romantic clichés with some alternative Valentine’s viewing