THE DARK AVENGER (1955) Movie Poster, Original Vintage Daybill
Size AU Daybill Post-War (13" x 30")
THE DARK AVENGER (1955) Movie Poster, Original Vintage Daybill, Starring Errol Flynn, Joanne Dru, Peter Finch, and Directed by Henry Levin is in Very Fine Condition. Movie Poster and Condition....
THE DARK AVENGER (1955) Movie Poster, Original Vintage Daybill, Starring Errol Flynn, Joanne Dru, Peter Finch, and Directed by Henry Levin is in Very Fine Condition.
Movie Poster and Condition.
Condition: This Original Daybill, Movie Poster is presented in Very Fine condition, 2 Daybill folds as issued, small edgewear tears on left and right hand top sides, very small paper loss on bottom corner left with some bumps and tears at the bottom, folded out dog ear on right bottom. Otherwise, this poster presents in excellent condition with a colourful clean presentation.
This is an original Australian The Dark Avenger (1955) movie poster, starring legendary Hollywood swashbuckling star Errol Flynn as Edward, the Black Prince. Also featuring Joanne Dru and Australian-born actor Peter Finch, this vintage Australian Daybill promotes a spectacular historical adventure set during the Hundred Years' War. An appealing example of original 1950s movie poster memorabilia, this collectible is ideal for admirers of classic Hollywood adventure films, Errol Flynn and vintage historical cinema.
Movie Synopsis
The Dark Avenger (1955) is a British historical action adventure film directed by Henry Levin, starring Errol Flynn, Joanne Dru and Peter Finch. Also released in the United States under the title The Warriors, the film tells the story of Edward, Prince of Wales, better known to history as Edward the Black Prince, during the turbulent period of the Hundred Years' War between England and France. Combining medieval battles, political intrigue, romance and traditional swashbuckling adventure, the production showcases Errol Flynn in one of his later historical action roles.
The story takes place in 1359, when England has established control over the French province of Aquitaine following years of conflict. Edward, played by Errol Flynn, is the eldest son and heir of King Edward III, portrayed by Michael Hordern. Having successfully defeated the French forces, Edward is determined to maintain peace and protect the people living within the territories now under English control.
However, the defeat has not been accepted by everyone. A number of powerful French nobles resent the English occupation and are unwilling to surrender their ambitions. Among them is the ruthless Comte Robert de Ville, played by Peter Finch, who becomes Edward's principal adversary. De Ville is determined to undermine the English prince and restore French control over Aquitaine, regardless of the consequences for the local population.
Edward initially attempts to establish stability through diplomacy, offering defeated French nobles the opportunity to retain their estates in exchange for recognising the authority of King Edward III. However, his generosity is interpreted by some as weakness, and opposition continues to grow. The prince soon discovers that maintaining control of the territory will require considerably more than military victory.
At the centre of the personal storyline is Lady Joan Holland, played by Joanne Dru. Joan is romantically involved with Edward, and their relationship provides a softer contrast to the violence and political manoeuvring surrounding them. Edward's affection for Joan becomes an important motivation as the conflict develops, particularly when his enemies realise that she represents a potential weakness they can exploit.
As De Ville's plans become increasingly dangerous, the French nobleman arranges a series of schemes intended to destabilise Edward's authority. When Joan is kidnapped, Edward is forced to take matters into his own hands. Determined to rescue the woman he loves, he adopts disguises and ventures into enemy territory, placing himself at considerable risk.
Edward's journey exposes him to the brutality and political corruption that continue to affect the region. Although he is a formidable military commander, he must also demonstrate intelligence, courage and resourcefulness to overcome his opponents. Meanwhile, his loyal followers prepare for the inevitable confrontation with De Ville and the French forces.
The supporting cast includes Yvonne Furneaux as Marie, Patrick Holt as Sir Ellys, Michael Hordern as King Edward III, and Christopher Lee in a supporting appearance as a French patrol captain. The film also features a number of familiar British character actors, helping to create an impressive ensemble around Flynn's central performance.
The screenplay was written by Daniel B. Ullman, based on his original story, with additional uncredited writing contributions from Phil Park. The film was produced by Walter Mirisch for Allied Artists and was part of a production arrangement involving Twentieth Century-Fox, with the two studios sharing distribution rights across different international territories.
One particularly interesting production detail is that the film was shot at Elstree Studios in England, making use of impressive medieval sets that had remained from earlier historical productions, including the successful MGM adventure Ivanhoe (1952). The production was photographed by Guy Green in CinemaScope and Technicolor, providing the widescreen format and rich colour associated with the grand historical adventures of the 1950s.
The music was composed by Cedric Thorpe Davie, with the London Orchestra performing the score. The film also holds a special place in Errol Flynn's career, marking his last appearance in a historical action adventure film. Although Flynn was approaching the end of his career, his familiar screen charisma and swashbuckling presence remain central to the production.
The Dark Avenger is an entertaining example of classic 1950s medieval adventure cinema, combining historical conflict, romance, elaborate costumes and spectacular sword-and-battle sequences. For collectors of original vintage movie posters, this Australian Daybill represents an attractive piece of Errol Flynn film history and the golden era of Hollywood historical adventure productions.
To find out more about The Dark Avenger (1955) click here to go to IMDB.com.
Special Notes.
Images may have a small 'MPA' digital watermark and this does not appear on the poster. Posters are being held by magnets in the corners to take photographs, so you may see some magnet and shadows from the magnets in these areas. The magnets are not included in the sale of the item.
Postage, Insurance & Your Country Taxes
Postage costs are quoted for this item, include insurance up to AUD$100, but if you reside outside of Australia, the price does not include any import taxes/fees that you may be required to pay when the item reaches your borders. Please check with your local authorities for any additional taxes or fees. If you would like full insurance coverage for your purchase, please message me and I would be happy to quote the additional cost (estimate is AUD$2.50 p/AUD$100 or 2.5% of the item value, up to a maximum item value of AUD$5,000).
FAQ
At Movie Posters Australia, the love and conservation of movie posters comes first, and we like to share this passion. Our commitment to quality means we will provide high quality memorabilia to our customers. Posters are carefully chosen and authenticated to ensure originality and value. We want our customers to trust MPA, so we always try to be as open and transparent as we can, provide detailed condition information and images, to ensure customers are comfortable and confident in their purchase.
While the industry does have a few condition rating standards, there is no movie poster condition rating system that has become the accepted standard world wide. This unfortunately makes condition terms vary from movie poster dealer to movie poster dealer. Terms like Mint, Near Mint, Very Fine, Fine, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor, seem to be universal to most condition rating standards, but most standards still lack definition about what and how many flaws/defects/damage defines a specific condition level. For more information on how Movie Posters Australia grades the condition of its movie posters, daybills, lobby cards and other ephemera please see out Movie Poster Condition and Grading page.
In the early days of cinema, posters were primarily hand-drawn and printed in various sizes, often tailored to fit the available space in theaters or promotional areas. In the United States, the "One Sheet" size (some times called '1 Sheet' or '1SH' approximately 27" x 41", became the standard during the 1930s. This size was manageable for theater display and suited the needs of a growing film industry.
Different countries developed their own poster sizes and styles, which also changed sometimes over the decades, and were influenced by local preferences and practical considerations, like available paper sheet sizes and how many posters could be printed on one sheet.
In Australia, the most popular size, the Daybill, has evolved over the decades. Australian Daybills sizes in chronological order are:
- Long Daybills (15" x 40"), from 1920's to pre-WW2 or pre-1941, were printed two to a sheet, longer than current Daybill versions. There were size variances in width from 14.5" to 15" and in height from 39.5" to 40".
- War Time Daybill (10" x 30"), during WW2, for a short time to conserve paper during a war time shortage, four Daybills were printed on one sheet. Information from Press Sheets also referred to these War-Time sizes as "New Size Daybills".
- Post-War Daybill (13" x 30"), this 13" x 30" Post-War size carried through until the 1980's, but also varied in size from 13"-14" x 29.75"-30.25".
- Post-80's Daybill (33cm x 66cm, or 13" x 26"), over a few years in the late 80's, the size changed again to a metric 33cm x 66cm, although these have also varied from 32-33cm x 64.5-66cm. New sizes from the late 80's were created, sometimes called a Mini Daybill or Mini Poster, in 9" x 12", 11" x 17" and 13" x 20".
In the UK, the somewhat unique 'Quad' poster, measuring 30" x 40", became popular, offering a larger landscape format that allowed for more elaborate designs.
In Japan, movie poster sizes were smaller, such as the "B2" (20" x 28"), which suited the more compact living environment of larger cities, smaller advertising spaces, and unique aesthetic sensibilities.
The 1970s and 1980s, witnessed the rise of the "six-sheet" (81" x 81") format, reflecting a trend towards larger and more visually impactful advertising.
Overall, the variation in movie poster sizes across different countries and decades highlights the interplay between technological printing advancements, paper resource availability, paper sheet size changes, cultural preferences, and the evolving nature of movie marketing.
At Movie Posters Australia we tag each poster we sell with a 'size' and 'condition' description at the very top of the page for our customers to easily see. There may however be some slight variations to sizes by up one inch due to variations in production and guillotine methods by printers over the decades.