Sounds like you all had a blast!
JRand54, I did not know Calder Willingham, I merely took his original idea, fleshed it out and ran with it. If it ever got produced, it would be screenplay by me, story by Calder Willingham and me. The project came to me from his last agent before he (Willingham, not the agent) passed away, who had gone into producing (the agent, not Willingham). But you are right! He is a great writer.
I forgot in mentioning my love for THE VIKINGS that I actually have three posters of the film in my TV room...one is American, one Italian, one Polish. The Polish one is particularly exquisite...a real piece of art. Viking is Wikingowie in Polish...The Lovely Wife and I are constantly singing "The Wikingowie, The Wikingowie, The Wikin, Wikin, Wikin, Wikingowie...to the opening horn fanfare of the Viking Theme by Mario Nascimbene.
The Lovely Wife and I have been having a Deadwood marathon tonight, watching the first four episodes of Season One. Pretty good stuff!
elmore, I agree about Lee Remick. Beautiful, smart, and a terrific actress on top of it all.