The Castilian
El valle de las espadas
“TRUE...Actually Shot in the Medieval Locations Where the Actual Story Took Place!”
Synopsis
Also released as Valley of the Swords, this lugubrious US/Spanish co-production features the usual mid-1960s "tax shelter" international cast. Broderick Crawford plays a despotic 10th century Spanish king who, in cahoots with the invading Moors, has banished handsome Castilian nobleman Spartaco Santoni. With the surreptitious aid of Crawford's daughter Teresa Velasquez, Santoni assembles an army to march against the Moors. In keeping with the 13th century epic poem from which this film was derived ("El Poema de Fernan Gonzales") Santoni's path is smoothed by the celestial intervention of patron saints Milan and Santiago. Among the big names picking up a few tax-free dollars in The Castilian are Cesar Romero, Linda Darnell, Alida Valli and Fernando Rey.
Top Cast
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Espartaco Santoni
Fernán González
Frankie Avalon
Jerifán
Cesar Romero
Jerónimo
Teresa Velázquez
Sancha
Tomás Blanco
Don Nuño
Germán Cobos
Abderramán
Alida Valli
Reina Teresa
Fernando Rey
Ramiro II, rey de León
Broderick Crawford
Don Sancho
Julio Peña
Santiago
Soledad Miranda
Maria Estévez
Rafael Durán
Gonzalo Díaz
George Rigaud
Millán
Ángel del Pozo
Don García
Luis Induni
Capitán
Beni Deus
Íñigo
José Calvo
Fraile
Paco Morán
Peribáñez
Release History & Theatrical Window
September 6, 1963
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Javier Setó
- Screenplay & Story
- Paulino Rodrigo, Luis de los Arcos
- Original Title
- El valle de las espadas
- Country of Origin
- Spain, United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- Spanish, English
- Runtime
- 2h 8m
- Production Studios
- Cinemagic Inc., M.D. Producciones Cinematográficas
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Javier Setó
Paulino Rodrigo, Luis de los Arcos
Mario Pacheco
Sidney W. Pink
Department Leadership Roster
Javier Setó
Director
Paulino Rodrigo
Screenplay
Mario Pacheco
Director of Photography
Luis de los Arcos
Screenplay
Sidney W. Pink
Producer
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Castilian.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Castilian.
Medieval
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Castilian
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Castilian about?
Also released as Valley of the Swords, this lugubrious US/Spanish co-production features the usual mid-1960s "tax shelter" international cast. Broderick Crawford plays a despotic 10th century Spanish king who, in cahoots with the invading Moors, has banished handsome Castilian nobleman Spartaco Santoni. With the surreptitious aid of Crawford's daughter Teresa Velasquez, Santoni assembles an army to march against the Moors. In keeping with the 13th century epic poem from which this film was derived ("El Poema de Fernan Gonzales") Santoni's path is smoothed by the celestial intervention of patron saints Milan and Santiago. Among the big names picking up a few tax-free dollars in The Castilian are Cesar Romero, Linda Darnell, Alida Valli and Fernando Rey.
Who directed The Castilian?
The Castilian was directed by Javier Setó.
Who stars in The Castilian?
The principal cast of The Castilian includes Espartaco Santoni, Frankie Avalon, Cesar Romero, Teresa Velázquez, Tomás Blanco.
When was The Castilian released and how long is it?
The Castilian was released in 1963 with a total runtime of 2h 8m.