Terror of the Red Mask

Marco (Lex Barker), a traveling soldier in Renaissance Italy, enters the employ of an ambitious lord named Astolfo whose cruel reign is being challenged by a rebel known as "the Red Mask."

Marco soon becomes romantically involved with both Karima, a Gypsy woman, and Iolanda, Astolfo's niece who blames her uncle for her father's death. Intrigues at the court soon result in Marco's fall from favor. He's about to be executed when a rebellion erupts in which the Red Mask's true identity is dramatically revealed.

Terror of the Red Mask is a nice looking swashbuckler with nice costumes, scenery and castle sets, however it's on the routine side and the action is ok, but there's not enough of it and the duel between Barker and the evil Duke wasn't lengthy enough, however it's still fairly enjoyable; there's a charm to it.

Lex Barker makes a stalwart hero, pretty Liana Orfei is a princess who hates her evil uncle Duke, who runs the region with an iron fist - he's played wonderfully by Livio Lorenzon. An interesting aspect is that Barker's character is on the wrong side initially and someone else is the masked hero - usually he would be the masked hero. The identity of the red mask came as a surprise.

The basic plot here involves the overthrow of a tyrannical ruler. However, the story-line soon expands to include a romantic triangle which, along with various comic diversions and a few court intrigues, results in a "busy" movie that works better in parts than as a whole.

Though Lex Barker seems a bit out of place in these surroundings, he makes a stalwart presence and still, at about age 40, has the physique to carry off a scene in which he's whipped across his bare back while chained in a dungeon. (Strange -- the floggers really carry out their task with enthusiasm, but no matter how often they lash their victim's back, the number of bloody gashes on his skin appears to remain the same!) This flogging ranks 22nd in the book, "Lash! The Hundred Great Scenes of Men Being Whipped in the Movies."

Chelo Alonso as the fiery Gypsy and Liana Orfei as the lord's demure niece make attractively contrasting rivals for Barker's affections with Alonso leaving the stronger impression.

Livio Lorenzon plays the villainous lord in high style, delivering such delicious lines as, "Put him in the dungeon and whip him till there's no skin left on him," and "If he won't speak, he can scream."