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Samson and the Slave Queen (1963)

This rare costume adventure differs from other Italian films made in the same era, for it actually takes place in a setting highly reminiscent of 16th century Spain. When the king of Nogara dies of the plague, his two nieces, Malva and Isabella, find themselves in a bitter deadlock for the throne. Malva, the evil one, gets Garcia, the captain of the guard, to intercept the king’s troops and confiscate the scroll-case containing the king’s will. To this end, Garcia employs Samson (Alan Steel) to steal the scroll-case and deliver it to Malva. Of course, Samson does not know what she has in mind. Meanwhile, Isabella enlists the aid of Zorro (Pierre Brice) to get the scroll-case himself, and thus thwart Malva’s evil plans. I really enjoyed this film because it contains lots of action and vibrant colors, as well as a nicely done soundtrack. Alan Steel is at his best, and Pierre Brice is perfect in his role as Zorro. Lenzi has created a worthy film, and it will survive many viewings. It is a shame that this is unavailable on VHS or DVD. Well, maybe soon!