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Flesh & Blood (Flesh+Blood) (The Rose and the Sword) (1985)

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Average Rating: 6.2/10
Reviews Counted: 12
Fresh: 10 | Rotten: 2

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Average Rating: N/A
Critic Reviews: 1
Fresh: 1 | Rotten: 0

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Average Rating: 3.4/5
User Ratings: 3,976

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Movie Info

When an attempted political coup in 16th century Northern Italy fails, most of the mercenaries hired by the coup leaders disperse. Not so Martin (Rutger Hauer), who intends to rob his duplicitous former employer Arnolfini (Fernando Hillbeck). Martin is able to raise his own army by using a stolen religious artifact as a talisman. He later kidnaps Arnolfini's prospective daughter-in-law Agnes (Jennifer Jason Leigh), who saves herself from gang rape by feigning eternal devotion to her captor.

R, 2 hr. 6 min.

Drama, Action & Adventure

Directed By: Paul Verhoeven

In Theaters: Aug 30, 1985 Wide

On DVD: Feb 3, 2004

MGM

Cast

Rutger Hauer
Martin
Jennifer Jason Leigh
Agnes
Tom Burlinson
Steven
Jack Thompson
Hawkwood
Susan Tyrrell
Celine
Ronald Lacey
Cardinal
Brion James
Karthans
John Dennis Johnston
Summer
Sim�n Andreu
Miel
Bruno Kirby
Orbec
Kitty Courbois
Anna
Marina Saura
Polly
Hans Veerman
Father George
Jake Wood
Little John
H�ctor Alterio
Niccolo
Blanca Marsillach
Clara
Nancy Cartwright
Kathleen
Susan Beresford
Sturdy Woman
Fernando Hilbeck
Arnolfini
Mario De Barros
Herman
Ida Bons
Roly Poly
Jorge Bosso
Sterz
Bettina Brenner
Lady of the Castle
Siobhan Hayes
Child of the Castle
Monica Luccetti
Tongueless Girl
Jaime Segura
Lord of the Castle

Critic Reviews for Flesh & Blood (Flesh+Blood) (The Rose and the Sword)

All Critics (12) | Top Critics (1) | Fresh (10) | Rotten (2) | DVD (1)

A vivid and muscular, if less than fully startling, account of lust, savagery, revenge, betrayal and assorted other dark doings in the Middle Ages.

October 22, 2010 Full Review Source: Variety

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Variety Staff

Variety

Top Critic

A more appalling view of the turmoil and misery of the late Middle Ages may never be seen.

January 23, 2011 Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide

| Comments (2)

TV Guide's Movie Guide

It's hamstrung by leaden dialogue and the motley international cast - Python and the Grail are never that far away - but it's admirably unsentimental and by no means stupid.

January 26, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out

| Comment

Time Out

Delivers exactly what the title promises (and then some), as Dutch director Verhoeven spares no gory or raunchy details in his vigorous recreation of medieval Europe.

May 25, 2004 Full Review Source: Film4

| Comment

Film4

Brutally ugly and irresistably entertaining.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com

| Comment

Scott Weinberg

eFilmCritic.com

One of the most underrated gems of 1980s.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: rec.arts.movies.reviews

| Comment

Dragan Antulov

rec.arts.movies.reviews

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Audience Reviews for Flesh & Blood (Flesh+Blood) (The Rose and the Sword)

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Part soft-core medieval porn and part extreme gorefest, this is an early trip into the dirty mind of Paul Verhoeven and it's actually very good. This felt a lot like The Seventh Seal, which I think is the best compliment you can give this movie. Rutger Hauer stars as the unstoppable mercenary Martin, who is immune to

July 28, 2010

Conner Rainwater

Super Reviewer

This was the first film I ever bought on VHS and I've lost count of the number of times I've watched it. Everything about this movie is first class and Rutger Hauer gives the most charismatic performance of his career. It's powerful stuff and I'm always surprised that so few people have even heard of it.

June 21, 2007