It feels right to begin by stating that this isn’t intended as an accurate portrayal of historical events. Cecil B. De Mille has employed the third crusade essentially as a framework for his large-scale narrative centered on Richard the Lionheart, portrayed by Henry Wilcoxon. The film uses this religious expedition as a pretext to circumvent Richard's marriage to the assertive Princess Alice, who happens to be the sister of Philip II of France’s co-crusader (C. Henry Gordon). While traveling toward Jerusalem, they need supplies in Navarre, where King Sancho, played with considerable charm by George Barbier, recognizes an opportunity to arrange his lovely daughter Berengaria's marriage in exchange for providing food for the army—Loretta Young takes on this role. We are told that Richard and Berengaria were genuinely fond of each other, and De Mille largely adheres to the established story throughout the rest of the movie; however, this adherence is what ultimately holds it back. There are numerous thrilling siege and battle sequences surrounding Acre as the Christians try to reclaim territory lost to Saladin (Ian Keith, who delivers a solid performance), but whenever the narrative shifts focus to Young and her long hair—who by then has become the target of both men’s affections—it becomes tiresome. The director truly shines during the large-scale action sequences, and Victor Milner's cinematography – also responsible for “Cleopatra” (1934) - significantly contributes to the film's epic scope. Nevertheless, Wilcoxon and Young don’t create a particularly compelling romantic connection; furthermore, any sense of intrigue—especially concerning the scheming French—is kept too distant from the central romance to elevate it to its full potential. C. Aubrey Smith delivers a noteworthy performance as a religious figure who is freed by Saladin early on and subsequently rallies Christian forces against the Muslim army, while Alan Hale is quite good in his role as a minstrel. I generally appreciate these swashbuckling, heroic adventure films, and I did find enjoyment in this one; it just didn’t achieve the level of excitement it could have had, being weighed down by its romantic elements.

Source on TMDB