a Viking's death. With this revelation, and the promise that Eric will guide their ships through the fog (thus making a surprise attack possible), Einar is finally able to persuade the other Vikings to mount an invasion of Northumbria. Putting their mutual hatred aside for the moment, Einar and Eric sail for England. The dragon longships land, and the Vikings begin to move inland in force. The alarm is sounded, and the castle defenders assemble to repel the Vikings' assault. In a bold move, Einar has several Vikings throw axes at the closed drawbridge that bars entrance to the castle's keep. Several of the axe-throwers are killed, but enough survive to throw their axes that a "ladder" is created for Einar to climb after he leaps across the moat to the drawbridge. He gains entry to the keep and lowers the drawbridge so that the other Vikings can overwhelm the outnumbered English. Eric and Einar both set off in search of Morgana. Eric encounters Aella instead and shoves him into the wolf pit. Einar finds Morgana in the chapel in the highest tower of the keep and accosts her, telling her she will be his Queen. When Morgana tells Einar that she loves Eric, Einar drags her outside and calls Eric to their long-delayed battle. The two bitter rivals engage in a sword fight on top of the tower. Eric is defeated, his sword broken, but as Einar prepares to deliver the killing blow, he hesitates, having learned the truth from Morgana, and suddenly seeing Ragnar in Eric's defiant face. This gives Eric (who does not yet know they are brothers) the opportunity to fatally stab Einar with his sword's broken blade. Echoing the scene with Ragnar, Eric gives Einar a sword so that he too can enter Valhalla. In the final scene, Einar is given a Viking funeral: his body is placed on a longship, which is set on fire by flaming arrows. Cast Kirk Douglas as Einar Tony Curtis as Eric Ernest Borgnine as Ragnar Lodbrok Janet Leigh as Morgana James Donald as Egbert Alexander Knox as Father Godwin Maxine Audley as Enid Frank Thring as Aella of Northumbria Eileen Way as Kitala Edric Connor as Sandpiper Dandy Nichols as Bridget Per Buckhøj as Björn Ironside Orson Welles as the Narrator Paul Préboist Release The film had a dual premiere at the Astor Theatre and Victoria Theatre on