Review of Ladyhawke

Ladyhawke (1985)
7/10
"......and they livid happily ever after".
6 September 2019
Matthew Broderick stars in Ladyhawke in a role with an oriental setting would have been done by Sabu. There is a lot similaritity between Ladyhawke and the Thief Of Bagdad.

Our juvenile thief is Broderick who is about to be caught by the local troops and pay for his crimes when his capture is interrupted by a strange knight and a hawk. The knight is Rutger Hauer and he's the object of the hate of the local Bishop who runs the town.

Back in the days of The Code this film could never be made. One could not show a clergyman in a bad light and John Wood as the Bishop is as bad as they come. He has an obsession with Michelle Pfeiffer who is the true love of Hauer.

Wood if he couldn't have her, summons the powers of the black arts and curses them both. They can never find happiness because at sunrise Pfeiffer turns into a hawk and Hauer at sunset turns into a wolf and vice versa. Their time together is a moment or two at sunrise and sunset.

This medieval fairy tale is well done and the main players are well cast who also include Leo McKern as a defrocked priest. The sets are outstanding and Ladyhawke got two Oscar nominations in the sound department but lost.

A nice timeless fairy tale from Hollywood.
8 out of 8 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

Recently Viewed