The Long Ships
The Long Ships Review: Story, Cast, Rating & Final Verdict
Last updated: April 17, 2026
Movie Overview: The Long Ships
| Movie | The Long Ships |
| Release Year | 1964 |
| Director | Jack Cardiff |
| Genre | Adventure / Drama |
| Runtime | 126 minutes |
| Language | EN |
Quick Verdict: Hit or Flop?
Is The Long Ships (1964) worth watching? According to our cinematic analysis, the film stands as a ABOVE AVERAGE with a verified audience rating of 6.0/10. Whether you're looking for the box office collection, ending explained, or parents guide, our review covers everything you need to know about this Adventure.
Cast & Character Study
The performances in The Long Ships are led by Richard Widmark . The supporting cast, including Sidney Poitier and Russ Tamblyn , provides the necessary layers to the central narrative.
movieMx Verdict: Is it Worth Your Time?
What Works in the Movie
While The Long Ships does not fully realize its potential, it still contains moments that may appeal to viewers who enjoy Adventure films.
- Interesting concept or premise
- Some entertaining scenes
- Supporting cast delivers occasional highlights
What Doesn't Work
Despite its strengths, The Long Ships has a few issues that may affect the overall viewing experience, particularly in terms of pacing and narrative consistency.
- Uneven pacing in certain parts of the film
- Some predictable plot developments
- May not appeal to audiences outside the Adventure fanbase
Story & Plot Summary: The Long Ships
Quick Plot Summary: Released in 1964, The Long Ships is a Adventure, Drama film directed by Jack Cardiff. The narrative presents a compelling narrative that engages viewers from start to finish. This summary provides a scannable look at the movie's central conflict involving Richard Widmark.
Ending Explained: The Long Ships
The Long Ships Ending Explained: Directed by Jack Cardiff, The Long Ships wraps up the main storyline while leaving some interpretation to viewers. The ending highlights the core adventure themes developed throughout the film.
The emotional resolution focuses on the transformation of its main characters, particularly in scenes involving Richard Widmark. The interpretation of the ending may vary among viewers.
Key Elements of the Ending
- Narrative Resolution: The story resolves its primary conflict while leaving room for interpretation.
- Character Development: Character motivations become clearer by the final scenes.
- Thematic Message: The ending reinforces the adventure themes introduced earlier in the film.
The final moments of The Long Ships reflect the creative choices of the filmmakers and align with the tone of the narrative.
Who Should Watch The Long Ships?
Worth Watching If You:
- Enjoy Adventure films and don't mind familiar tropes
- Are a fan of Richard Widmark or the director
- Want solid genre entertainment
Box Office Collection: The Long Ships
| Metric / Region | Collection (Approx) |
|---|---|
| Production Budget | $3.0M |
| Trade Verdict | FINANCIAL DISAPPOINTMENT |
The Long Ships Budget
The estimated production budget for The Long Ships is $3.0M. This figure covers principal photography, talent acquisitions, and visual effects. When accounting for global marketing and distribution, the break-even point is typically 2x the base production cost.
Top Cast: The Long Ships
All Cast & Crew →
Where to Watch The Long Ships Online?
Streaming Hub🎟️ Rent on
Amazon VideoThe Long Ships Parents Guide & Age Rating
1964 AdvisoryWondering about The Long Ships age rating or if it's safe for kids? Here is our cinematic advisory:
⏱️ Runtime & Duration
The total runtime of The Long Ships is 126 minutes (2h 6m). Ensuring you have enough time for the full cinematic experience.
Verdict Summary
Analyzing the overall audience sentiment, verified rating of 6.0/10, and global performance metrics, The Long Ships is classified as a ABOVE AVERAGE. It remains an essential part of the 1964 cinematic calendar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Long Ships worth watching?
The Long Ships is definitely worth watching if you enjoy Adventure movies. It has a verified rating of 6/10 and stands as a ABOVE AVERAGE in our box office analysis.
Where can I find The Long Ships parents guide and age rating?
The official parents guide for The Long Ships identifies it as PG. Our detailed advisory section above covers all content warnings for families.
What is the total runtime of The Long Ships?
The total duration of The Long Ships is 126 minutes, which is approximately 2h 6m long.
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Critic Reviews for The Long Ships
Sidney Poitier just about carries his role off, as a Moorish prince obsessed with a mythical great golden bell ("The Mother of All Voices") - reputedly made by monks many years ago. The rest of the cast, however, are fish out of water - Richard Widmark and Russ Tamblyn are not at all plausible as Viking raiders/explorers and the ebbs and flows of the storyline and the pretty verbose dialogue stretch the imagination well beyond the point when it stops being fun and starts being dull. Oskar Homolka gets up to some mischief as the only potentially realistic Viking "Krok" but then Lionel Jeffries and Gordon Jackson show up and it is laughable again. The film does have a good, lavish, look about it and the attention to detail (costumes etc.) are suitably sumptuous but it is way too long and wastes a good adventure story.
movieMx Verified
This review has been verified for accuracy and editorial quality by our senior cinematic analysts.
This analysis is compiled by our editorial experts using multi-source verification and audience sentiment data for maximum accuracy.
