Plot Details: This opinion reveals major details about the movie's plot.

Legend (1985) Directed by Ridley Scott

Lilly is a princess, Jack is a child of the Forest. Both are pure and innocent, and whether they know it or not, very much in love with each other.

One day when Lilly is in the forest, Jack takes her to see something special. The Unicorns are traveling through their part of the forest.

Unbeknownst to our mismatched lovers, there is another entity interested in the Unicorns. The Lord of Darkness wishes to bring eternal night to the land. To this end, he dispatches Blix, foulest of his goblins, to slay the Unicorns, using the innocence of Lilly as bait.

And Lilly plays into the Lord of Darkness’ hands. Not content to see the Unicorn, she moves forward to try to touch one.

In that moment, Blix fires the poisoned blowdart, dooming the magical creature. Lilly and Jack are unaware of the full ramifications. Jack is horrified that she has broken the taboo, but neither knows that her hubris could have fatal results.

They continue their play, and Lilly tells Jack that as a princess, she has the right to set a goal for a suitor. She declares she will wed whoever should find her moonstone and onyx ring, which she casts over the bluff into the pool far below.
And as Jack is diving into the waters far below, Blix and his companions have caught up to the poisoned stallion, and with a terrible blow, sever its horn.

The effect on the world is immediate. Summer, sweet and fragrant, ends in moment, and winter crashes upon the land, freezing the pool of water, and trapping Jack below!

It is into a different world he is born when he breaks through the ice.

Meanwhile, Lilly has fled seeking help at her friend Nell’s cottage. But Nell and her man are frozen, like the land, and the goblins are close behind. Lilly hides and from her eavesdropping she learns who is responsible.

In the meantime, Jack has visitors. Honeythorne Gump, an elf, and his faery court, Oona, a sprite, Brown Tom, a brownie and Screwball, a spriggan. The Fair Folk are seeking answers, and that is why they have deigned to show themselves. Together, they discover the stallion, and set of to track the Goblins.

Lilly sets out to warn people and finds Brown Tom just ahead of the Goblins. But the battle is three to one, and Brown Tom takes what appears to be a mortal blow. Lilly and the Mare are captured.

What follows is the Heroes Quest. Jack must first be armed and armoured, and is, from a barrow mound. Then he must be blooded, and a green hag named Meg Mucklebones proves adequate to the job. Then, while Lilly must face the seductive power of evil, he and his friends must sneak in to the Palace of Night, and attempt a rescue.

The Analysis
This film had a very rocky career. Originally 150 minutes, it was cut to 98. The original score by Jerry Goldsmith was removed, and Tangerine Dreams was commissioned, hoping to increase the appeal to kids. The film actually took three years from filming to screen. Mia Sara was only 15 while filming, but was 18 by the time it aired.

One of the problems is the film is a faery tale, and the audience may not understand exactly what that entails. The Fey are not sweet little tinkerbells, they are elemental creatures driven by passions mere mortals have difficulty understanding. In the director’s cut, this comes across better. The Unicorn is at first enraged by Lilly’s approach, and rushes her. She is only saved by the fact that she is a maiden, innocent and pure.

When Jack meets Honeythorne Gump, Gump poses a riddle to Jack. If he guesses, then he has an alliance with the Fey. If he fails, they will kill him. Gump’s fit when Jack gets the answer is a full blown, roll on the floor tantrum, but then, as quickly as it came, it is gone, and they are fast friends.

Whatever the case, The Lord of Darkness also has certain restrictions. He can not harm Lilly, so long as she is pure. He must seduce her to have any power over her.
The Cast

Tom Cruise ... Jack. I trust you, Lily. Crouching, grubby, before his teeth were perfected, Jack oozes a certain sensuality, that goes a bit beyond Cruise’s perfect legs. This movie may have been an embarrassment to the star in later years, but I think it shows his talents better than many things that came later. Jack is a pure soul, and his trust of Lilly is Key to the story.

Mia Sara ... Princess Lilly. I hear a throat begging to be cut! Lilly is an innocent, but it is her hubris in touching the Unicorn that allowed them to be harmed. Lilly is required to grow up quickly; temptation and desire strip innocence quicker than anything. She learns, quickly, to accept things as they are, and to do what she can. Mia did a fine job, both as innocent airhead, and as seductress. Panic is her weak point…she gets shrill and whiny in the crisis. Still, a fine job.

Tim Curry ... The Lord of Darkness. The dreams of youth are the regrets of maturity. Talk about typecasting! Sensual, perverse, dark and delicious, he also plays that in this movie. Not that you can see who it is. This make up was nominated for an Oscar, a BAFTA and a Saturn. This role makes the movie.

David Bennent ... Honeythorn Gump. I know everything, Jack. Yet I do not understand what has happened today. Suppose you tell me, Jack? Sly and sleek, the Gump is mercurial, temperamental and dangerous. He is a faery. David got his only nomination for this role. It was excellent. There is a wild, elemental quality to him that carries the subtle menace of the Fair Folk. However, his voice is done by Alice Playten for the American version. However, he does the voice for both Gump and Blix for the German version. Turn about.

Alice Playten ... Blix. May be innocent, may be sweet... ain't half as nice as rotting meat. Blix is a goblin, foul and evil, and marinated in malice. The make up was based on Keith Richards after a bender. True story. Alice suggested it, and Ridley ran with it. Alice also voiced Gump for the English version, and was dubbed out by David Bennett for the German version.

Billy Barty ... Screwball. Billy Barty; the very name makes me laugh. This little man was a very big actor, and his spriggan was cute and sweet. Always turns in a great performance.

Cork Hubbert ... Brown Tom. Funny, silly, and cute, Brown Tom is a solid fellow. The performance is more than solid.

Peter O'Farrell ... Pox. This little piggy went everywhere. Great make up, and a great job. This goblin has excellent comic timing.

Kiran Shah ... Blunder. Embodying the concept that faeries were both good and bad, Blunder is a formian, a little deformed, particularly around one hand. This actor is also a skilled stunt man.

Annabelle Lanyon ... Oona. A sprite. Most of the time, she is a point of light, but she can assume a much larger form. She has something of a crush on Jack, and demonstrates yet another hazard of the Fair Folk; the love passionately, but not constantly. Jealousy can make them lash out if not handled just right.

Robert Picardo ... Meg Mucklebones. What a fine meal you'll make, be the rest of you as sweet as your tongue! One of the best bit parts in the movie. The make up totally obscures the actor, but not the talent. For all you Trekkies, that was the Doctor, the EMH of Voyager! Like I said, a small part, but he sold it, and made it memorable.

Ridley Scott was going for a feel. The air is always full of of something; mayflies, petals, snow, or bubbles, it gives the world a feeling of life and frantic energy. The flowers are mostly white; lilies, phlox and narcissus, with a notable exception being the cherry tree the Unicorn shelters under. This gives a very pure and pristine feel even to the wild riot of nature. Jack moves like an animal, in a permanent crouch. He rarely stands. All these details are part of the overall vision.

If you really want to enjoy this movie, remember that Faeries are the elemental forces of nature, as gentle as a breeze, then as terrifying as a storm. Get the Director’s cut, remember that the score was saved from oblivion by Mike Ross-Trevor of Hit Factory Studios. He had kept a two-track digital copy, mixed down from eight-track session masters, which he knew "would be worth preserving." Most of these tapes contained complete takes, which had to be re-edited from scratch to match the cues in the recut print. The score is a little rough, because of this, but much more appropriate than Tangerine Dreams. Sit back, and watch it. Ignore that the Unicorns are gay (both are male). And loose yourself in this fable. It is wonderful, simple and complex at the same time. Give it a try, and see if it isn’t a memorable experience.

Check out these Faery Tales.
MirrorMask
Night Breed
The Dark Crystal
The Spiderwick Chronicles
Legend
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
The Water Horse
Princess Mononoke



Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 9 - 12