A hero who has code of honor and masterful wielding of thin sword demonstrated in multiple confrontations what is foremost in defining of swashbuckler, which began in books and conveyed to cinema. I wanted to find and see these flicks.
The Mark of Zorro (1920)
Douglas Fairbanks performs an imposing protagonist. His impression in manners which in both incarnations of his character: an aristocrat who does monkey business and tricks and suave and gallant hero in mask whose name Zorro. He is seducing even in doing evil thing, which is smoking. Fairbanks’ execution of impressive stunts amazes that human can do such things.
But plot becomes underdeveloped in process. One personage screams, but nobody hears him through a door. Or Zorro takes under pistol the suddenly appeared people who could not to come to there. Mexicans who oppressed under governor are joyful to arrest of innocent family. Soldiers in Zorro’s house don’t know on existence of hidden door behind of clock and don’t guess on it, but they just enter to there. A film has a place required dialog and situation where one speaks while words said by other. Enemy has number advantage in the end on Zorro, but they give up. Sergeant Gonzales, who is too comical for reality, changes side without reason in flick’s final. A first movie in genre and Douglas Fairbanks is a first action hero are only distinctive things.
The Mark of Zorro (1940)
Tyrone Power is wonderful though not imposing as Douglas Fairbanks in a role of masked hero. Whereas a film is excellent in a script. That’s a little but forgivable flaws that no words of how appeared Zorro and it’s personage has little presence when much time of Diego Vega will take sword when he willn’t wear mask. Basil Rathbone is compelling villain but that’s usual. I lovely love pronouncing “Zorro” from somebody as magnificently it does governor whom played J. Edward Bromberg. Grandiose sword fighting and astonishing eye stunts as a horse with a rider jumps through fountain.
The Black Swan (1942)
Romance never must be in forward of epic and historical compositions – it causes ruining of story. Adaptation of pulp fiction by Rafael Sabatini can’t for be a good. Most time of watched length is about a rude-mannered buccaneer wanting a noble woman who rejects him and calls him impolite. Anyway, she will confess in love in the end and becomes one of them. No hint of faith of such transformation. Absolutely commercial film with presence of comedian relief in stereotypical average heighted fat man whom performed Thomas Mitchell. A lot swords fights were not made properly. Music is that what in balance.
Adventures of Don Juan (1948)
Watching old movies make to love Technicolor. Nothing amazing that you see in Adventures of Don Juan the actors from The Sea Hawk (1940) due to circumstances which were in these times. Errol Flynn still is a lead action hero and Alan Hale Sr. is his a big-sized sidekick who brings some comedy. But such relief in the last also does and takes center eventually is a midget actor Jerry Austin and he is astonishing either he is funny or serious. A story in process will walk away from typical activity of Don Juan by becoming fight for Spain ruling what doesn’t make wrong. Nevertheless, Errol Flynn gives wonderful speeches every time when get caught. It’s an incredible breathtaking action with accurate beautiful inclusion of comedy. Sword fights are mesmerizing and a final one is blasting in inventiveness.
Fortunes of Captain Blood (1950)
A film is adapting Captain Blood books by Rafael Sabatini, which I still didn’t read and therefore can’t compare. Perhaps, a first one at least is only finest in among of written pulp. A storyline of movie was wonderful and hyping until attracting Louis Hayward’s protagonist was exposed under his fake identity and was caught by Englishman who wanted to get a needful information but do that for intention to shoot him by trick that Blood takes an empty pistol is missing a point of understanding. That didn’t realize because Spanish soldiers arrived and they came to arrest house’s owner. A lead character helps by defeating enemies in poorly staged sword fights and leaves one adversary alive what means he puts himself in danger but hero walks freely after that and meets with marquis, a leader of island, for own purposes. I moved forward soon because a plot did new depriving of sense. I saw a sword combat in prison between main personage and two Spanish guards and that was topnotch staging. Gordon Douglas was a seasoned director to that time. He could be creative (a scene with shadow of hanging man and how two people come and take off his body is one of them.) while this filmmaker was more a craftsman than an artist.
He made masterpieces and I wanted that Fortunes of Captain Blood be a beautiful flick.
Two years later was made a sequel Captain Pirate (1952) which nonsense describing did completing for not watch though I wasn’t in intention to do so. A Spanish crown pardoned Blood for his multiple crimes with no understanding how it’s possible (he did sinking a ship with marquis.) and there is no point to do this.
Fanfan la Tulipe (Fanfan the Tulip) (1952)
Historical mess of Louis XV period with frequency of not well-made sword fights. A plot isn’t interesting for me by itself while act can’t be earnest and nothing comedian though everybody wanted and couldn’t do this last. It becomes surrealistic when Fanfan and his friend Tranche-Montagne are going on gallows with all narrating sadness while director still brings extraneous elements of fun. And that’s strange because a king said on pardoning in previous scene and I can’t understand it’s following creation of intrigue. However, I already was amazed by nonsense of how Sergeant’s daughter Adeline could easily and instantly get audience to monarch of France. A scene of his aspiration to have intimate contact with her couldn’t excuse any politeness of watching this. And that will come to upside-down as I saw in later clicking by Louis XV will arise in sympathy to her despite on being slapped.
Crossed Swords (1954)
Errol Flynn ended contractual relationship with Warner Bros. which were for eighteen years. He already opened a film studio Errol Flynn Productions and relocated to Italy for wishing to repeat success of Adventures of Don Juan by using elements of hero-lover and sword fights in making Crossed Swords, which commercially named The Teacher of Don Juan in several European countries. Not fortunately for him, Flynn found people who did a bad promotion and flick didn’t make box-office. Caused by this financial difficulties ceased filming of The Story of William Tell. Crossed Swords is excellent staged swashbuckler having correctly measured notes of easygoing and incredible comedian elements. A single flaw in inaccurate sound work in a first half as it was when many hits of sticks come before colliding. That doesn’t hurt. Errol Flynn still energizing and tantalizing as he was always. Final combat and line of confrontation between two personages are mighty and inventive elaborated. Certainly, filming places and period of Early Modern Italy are enhancing a beautiful.
The Moonraker (1958)
I couldn’t move to watching by recognizing on pulp kind a love line in a woman who has sympathies to supporters of Charles Stuart as to representing them a main character but she engaged with a soldier of Oliver Cromwell. I watched pieces where personages’ confusing acts can’t be explained by any reason, keeping to lousy acting (as it much from Sylvia Syms in seen scenes.) and not authentic consequences in gotten wounds from blades.
Le Bossu (The Hunchback) (1959)
France’s performer of gallant heroes with epee is brilliant Jean Marais who already played in ancien regime films. Sadly, I am not familiar with original Paul Feval’s book. Nevertheless, a story was made to that I didn’t perceive a time on discover of criminals and justice could be spend less. It’s an intriguing plot and has many incredible and living fights on thin swords. I wasn’t favor to turning Bourvil’s character Passepoil as comedian relief (what wasn’t in novel as I looked.) what you usually can expect from this actor. However, it wasn’t offensive as I had with Around the World in 80 Days (1956) and poking fun was in little doses and presented nice. And it was lovely to watch on magnificent places of France.
Le capitan (The Captain) (1960)
I wasn’t tantalized by Michel Zevaco’s books by seeing them as not high literature in doing research. While that adaptation in which reunited Jean Marais, Bourvil, director Andre Hunebelle and same group scriptwriters watched with enchanting almost till the end. A lead performer amazes in stunts till those ones in which breath stops. The concluding twenty somewhere minutes do collapsing in domino effect. A main character situates in deep forest in his secret hideout and gets accident by seeing king on crazed horse which actually was under potion. He chases for stop. Marais’ protagonist who gets luck in audience to Louis XIII could disclose to him about what’s going on as he wanted initially but he doesn’t do with no explanation point. Conspirators poison wine and not ridding from witnessing servant who sees two corpses (though one is just fainted and it was Bourvil’s hero.). No word of how a house in the woods was discovered by one blondie personage who couldn’t know from anybody. In a final combat by sudden luck a one of ostensible killed enemies wakes up for slay monarch who goodly in front of him but it’s a good moment for demonstrate sympathy to the king from a group of people who didn’t support a new head of France before that. However, he knew from nowhere that these people are not against him. A film has astonishing and inventively elaborated sword fights. I’m sure, I could watch Le capitan again despite on confusions.
