Review of Kiss of Fire

This 1955 Universal color film is very much within the tradition of the historical romance novel and film. First, I will comment on the validity of the historical and geographical aspects........Charles II of Spain did indeed lay dying in 1700, as the film claims. Since he was childless, there was much dispute over his successor. In fact, The War of Spanish Succession, which involved many European principalities was fought, resulting in the dismemberment of the Spanish empire within Europe. Historically,, there was no Princess Lucia, as in this film, in competition for the Spanish crown. The Princess is sited in Santa Fe, present NM, which seems a very strange place for her to be, in the isolated northern frontier of Mexico. Apparently, she was exiled here for an unclear reason. Santa Fe did, indeed, exist in 1700. However, she and her entourage traveled to coastal Monterey to board a French ship for Spain. The problem is that Monterey, as a Spanish outpost, didn't exist until1770! And if it had existed in 1700, it's very unlikely that a French ship would be docking there. A band of Comanche was said to have attacked them somewhere in Nevada or eastern California. Well, the Comanche were most famous as a scourge in Texas, ranging as far west as eastern NM. So, if Comanche, they were way out of their normal range. Much more likely, they were Paiute. In fact, soon after, they did contact some Paiute, who were initially friendly. But they became warlike after their chief, Pahvant, was killed by knife after he wanted to trade Shining Moon for Princess Lucia. It's very unlikely that these Paiutes would have chased the expedition or a Spanish military group wanting to kill Lucia(Barbara Rush), across the Sierras, then across the Central Valley, to coastal Monterey! ........The main thread of the plot is the gradual transformation of hate between Lucia and the dashing roguish El Tigre(Jack Palance), who apparently voluntarily exiled himself to this desolate country for some dispute or action in Spain. By the second half of the film, they occasionally kiss, one of which we might dub the Kiss of Fire. Eventually, Lucia proposes that El Tigre go to Spain with her and become her royal consort. But he says he can never return to Spain, and wouldn't like the lifestyle. Well, Lucia is so taken with El Tigre that, near the end of the trip, she tells her guardian Montera((Rex Reason) that she has decided not to go to Spain! But Montera wont stand for this decision, and locks her in a room on the French ship which soon will sail. But, El Tigre manages to get on the ship and fight with Montera, beating him, but hesitating to kill him. With the French captain's aid, El Tigre opens the door, and takes Lucia to shore in a rowboat, as the French ship prepares to sail. Lucia's cousin, Felicia, who has been serving as Lucia's handmaiden, was also locked in that room, and sails with the ship. There is a hint that a romance may develop between her and Montera........ Baron Vega, military commander of the expedition, and his accomplice, Acosta, who leads a military force, both want to kill Lucia or otherwise prevent her from reaching Spain, favoring someone else to inherit the throne. Montera finally realizes that Vega is a traitor and kills him in a sword fight. But, as I have said, later,Montera becomes the main villain, in opposing Lucia's wishes.........On the whole, it's not a bad film, other than the several historical bloopers I pointed out. Also, I wasn't very comfortable with Palance being the hero. He had mostly played villains, and seemed better suited for such.