The Cossacks may well be the best bad movie ever made. Certainly the characterizations are shallow and quickly changeable, often for little or no reason. Gilbert's change from a pacifist to a leader is inexplicable - where did he get all the training to do the incredible stunts and fighting that allowed him to kill 10 Turks and trounce his father, the strongest man of the tribe? Why are Adoree's passions so flighty? And why are the Cossack and Turk cities so close they can be reached in ten minutes or less?
No matter. The action rises above plot as in the best serials. The horsemanship is so good it couldn't be anyone other than Yakima Canut. The battles are stirring. The costumes and sets are wonderful. The glass shots and special effects are woven into the story to great effect. My one complaint is that the original score was supplanted by a new one by Robert Israel. Perhaps TCM thought the original was of poor quality but this is belied by the quality of the print.
No matter. The action rises above plot as in the best serials. The horsemanship is so good it couldn't be anyone other than Yakima Canut. The battles are stirring. The costumes and sets are wonderful. The glass shots and special effects are woven into the story to great effect. My one complaint is that the original score was supplanted by a new one by Robert Israel. Perhaps TCM thought the original was of poor quality but this is belied by the quality of the print.