Natalie Davis, the medieval historian who wrote The Return of Martin Guerre tells the story of being the technical advisor on the film, and they did everything they could to make it authentic. At one point the Director turned to her and said, how authentic does the village look? She replied that in the 16th century everyone was about 5 foot tall, most people had pockmarks, and there were crippled people everywhere. Everyone was just too healthy.

Speaking of "Ivanhoe", I have never for a moment been convinced that Elizabeth Taylor was a medieval Jewess -- married to Lord Edward Fisher perhaps? -- but she was unbelievably beautiful in that film, at her absolute peak (until WAOVirginia Woolf, when she had a different sort of beauty). It is hard to imagine people in that film not falling down whenever she walked into a room, and converting instantly. Hebrew God did that? Where do I sign up?
yours, Peter T.