Flesh+Blood (1985)

In 1501, somewhere in Europe, a band of mercenary soldiers led by Martin (Rutger Hauer) is double-crossed by a nobleman named Arnolfini (Fernando Hilbeck.) Initially promising Martin and his men riches if they recapture the town from which he’d been ousted, Arnolfini changes his mind. Once they’ve claimed the town in his name, Arnolfini strips the mercenaries of their weapons as well as spoils they’ve collected and leaves them penniless.

Arnolfini’s son, Steven (Tom Burlinson) is appalled at the trick his father has played on the very men who won the town back for them. However, in an attempt to make peace with his son, the elder Arnolfini has arranged for Steven to be married to the beautiful Agnes (Jennifer Jason Leigh.)

As Steven meets his future bride, Martin plots an ambush on Arnolfini’s soldiers. Posing as monks, the mercenaries attack Arnolfini’s caravan and capture Agnes in the process. At first, Agnes is disgusted by the way she is treated by Martin and his men. Soon, though, she falls for Martin. Martin is captivated by her as well. Steven, who has never been a man of action, vows to reclaim his betrothed Agnes with the help of Hawkwood (Jack Thompson), a soldier who once fought alongside Martin.

1985’s Flesh+Blood was the first English-language movie directed by Paul Verhoeven. Despite the fact that Verhoeven would later score hits with the likes of RoboCop in 1987 and Basic Instinct in 1992, I had never heard of this film until recently. A major flop at the box office, Flesh+Blood only made $100,000 before disappearing from theaters. Sporting generous doses of violence, sex, and gore, it’s unmistakably a Paul Verhoeven film.

Rutger Hauer gives a confident yet overtly masculine performance. While that might sound like a criticism, it’s exactly what is required of a character like Martin. His band of mercenaries are a bunch of horny drunkards. They’re excellent fighters but they’re not good for much more than raping, drinking, and killing. Martin, however, knows what he wants and he knows how to get it. His manipulation of the cardinal (Ronald Lacey) to convince his men that he is directed by God is proof that he’s as smart as he is deadly.

Steven may be technically smarter than Martin but he lacks his experience and cunning. His mind is his greatest weapon. Tom Burlinson looks a bit out of place in the Middle Ages with his 80s style feathered haircut but the earnestness he brings to the role won me over.

Verhoeven provides plenty of screen time for Jennifer Jason Leigh’s physical features. The director makes sure the audience is aware of the real reason for Agnes’ desirability. Sadly, Leigh’s acting does little to take the attention away from her numerous nude scenes.

Flesh+Blood certainly lives up to its name. Plague sores, burning bodies, decapitations, impalings, and various other displays of bodily fluids should dispel anyone’s fairy tale notions about the time period in which the film takes place. Perhaps that’s why the film failed at the box office. It was too full of realism in a time when audiences wanted fantasies. Still, the cinematography by Jan De Bont — who would go on to direct Speed and Twister — is top-notch, as is the lively musical score by Basil Poledouris.

Seen through modern eyes, Flesh+Blood presents an exciting yet morally ambiguous tale about two men driven by lust and revenge. Neither one is right but both are justified. In any case, Verhoeven’s English-language debut deserves more acclaim than it initially received. It’s grimy depictions of sex and violence might not be for everyone but Verhoeven fans should definitely seek it out.