Old swashbucklers?

[Steve]

In an effort to make good use of my Netflix subscription, I was wondering if anyone could direct me to some of the better of the Errol Flynn and Basil Rathbone swashbuckling films. I'd appreciate it.

 

[John in Covina]

Little John was a very in joke.

Robin Hood is my fav. Also I have been told that the white horse is Trigger.

 

[Kent Allard]

I'll second "The Adventures of Robin Hood". I'd also recommend:

The Crimson Pirate (1952) - Pirate film with Burt Lancaster.
Captain Blood (1935) - Errol Flynn's pirate film.
The Mark of Zorro (1940) - Tyrone Power and Basil Rathbone.

For a really good funny swashbuckler go for "The Court Jester" with Danny Kaye and Basil Rathbone.

 

[Tin Pan Sally]

Anything Errol Flynn.

 

[Feraud]

Ah, the lost art of the swashbuckler. After the suggested films you might want to try:
- Cyrano De Bergerac starring Jose Ferrer
- The Three Musketeers ('73 version)
- The Duellists
- The Princess Bride
- Rob Roy
Good swordplay all around.

 

[Mr_Misanthropy]

Yes, definately check out Captain Blood and The Adventures of Robin Hood. Here's a link you might want to check out.. lots of feedback from folks on his movies, plus a filmography. Hope this helps.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001224/

 

[jake_fink]

"Scaramouche" is great fun too.

So are the Zorro movies, of which the serials "Zorro's Fighting Legion" and "Zorro Rides Again", along with the 1940 "The Mark of Zorro" and the 1970s Alain Delon film are my favourites. The silent swashbucklers of Douglas Fairbanks are great, and Dougie Jr. shows up in one of my all time favourite films, not quite a swashbuckler, but in that vein, and a treat if you like Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, "Gunga Din"

 

[Feraud]

"Scaramouche" is great fun too.

Doh! How could I forget that one! Doesn't this movie have one of the longest sword fights on film? Scaramouche fights his final duel throughout a theater?

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

The Mark of Zorro

I'll second "The Adventures of Robin Hood". I'd also recommend:

The Crimson Pirate (1952) - Pirate film with Burt Lancaster.
Captain Blood (1935) - Errol Flynn's pirate film.
The Mark of Zorro (1940) - Tyrone Power and Basil Rathbone.

For a really good funny swashbuckler go for "The Court Jester" with Danny Kaye and Basil Rathbone.

Yes! Has some of the best sword - play I think. Basil Rathbone was an expert fencer.

 

[Doctor Strange]

Besides Errol Flynn's magnificent early films - let's face it, Captain Blood and Robin Hood are the gold standard! - his later ones still have their moments. Try The Sea Hawk, The Master of Ballantrae, and The Adventures of Don Juan.

And don't forget the silent films of Douglas Fairbanks, Sr.! His 1920 Mark of Zorro, Robin Hood, The Thief of Bagdad, The Black Pirate, etc. These films set the original standards for swashbucklers, and are still great fun, even though they're now antiques.

The 1937 version of The Prisoner of Zenda features a great climactic sword duel between Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. and Ronald Colman. (The 1950s shot-for-shot remake with James Mason and Stewart Granger is okay too, but not quite as good.)

And what about the amazing duels with skeletons in the classic Ray Harryhausen flicks, The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad and Jason and the Argonauts?

I have to second the recommendations for The Court Jester and The Crimson Pirate - I loved these comic swashbucklers as a kid, and I still do!

"The vessel with the pestle contains the brew which is true!"

 

[Steve]

Thanks all for the recommendations. I already had Mark of Zorro and Robin Hood on my queue, and I watched Gunga Din and Princess Bride not too long ago, but the others sound really good.

I'd heard that Basil Rathbone was a world champion fencer, or some other such title; is that true?

 

[Feraud]

I know Rathbone studied fencing but am unsure if he held any titles.

 

[Doctor Strange]

I recall reading that Basil Rathbone was a much better fencer than Errol Flynn - he had fenced in school, and in many plays in London and New York, before they met in Captain Blood. (Flynn had come to Hollywood quite young, with only very minimal acting experience in Tasmania/Australia.)

There's a pretty in-depth biography of Rathbone at this excellent site:

http://www.basilrathbone.net/

But while they say he excelled at athletics, there's no mention of his competetive status in fencing. What is there that's fascinating (among many things) are details about how some of the famous fencing scenes were done.

For example, Rathbone talks about how impressed he was with Danny Kaye when they did The Court Jester: Apparently, Kaye learned fencing from scratch for the role, but was better than Rathbone (and not just because he was much younger) by the time that they shot the duel, after only a few weeks of training.

Lots of nice pictures at that site too...

 

[Williamson]

Another great swashbuckler is "Against All Flags", with Errol Flynn and Maureen O'hara. Once in a blue moon and I do mean blue moon they used to show it on one of the Turner Stations. It has been years since I have seen it on tv and I do not think it has been released on VHS or DVD. Anyway, this was one of my favorites from long ago and I thought I would share it with the gang. Good thread by the way. Regards, Williamson.

 

[Magus]

Doh! How could I forget that one! Doesn't this movie have one of the longest sword fights on film? Scaramouche fights his final duel throughout a theater?

Well...perhaps...though The Duellists with Keith Carradine and Harvey Keitel has some of the longest and most realistic you will see on film. (based on my years of experience with the balde) Ridley Scott dirrected it in 1977 and if you like swordwork and a compelling story of obsession its one to watch, though its not for everyone. It isn't a swashbuckler though so I do apologise for being a bit off topic.

Let me know if you see it as I'm curious about your reactions.
M

 

[John in Covina]

The Bucaneer from 1958.

:cheers1:

Although not a high brow sword play movie, the film "The Bucaneer" 1958, with Yul Brynner is pretty neat Pirates and the Battle of New Orleans history rolled into one. Many people find it enjoyable It is one of those, they don't make them like this anymore movies. Charlton Heston plays Andrew Jackson.
:eusa_clap

izza: I got to see this a couple of times when I went to a summer camp one summer.

 

[Gray Ghost]

The Crimson Pirate and The Court Jester are two of my favorite movies. I even like the updated 3 Musketeers with Charlie Sheen and Robin Hood Prince of Theives.

GG

 

[zeus36]

Try "Long John Silver" with Robert Newton and "Captain Kidd" with Charles Laughton.

 

[Pilgrim]

One recent film that I enjoy wasn't a big hit - it's "Cutthroat Island" with Gena Davis playing the lead. Not many female swashbucklers have been made, and I think this one is a lot of fun. It has a good supporting cast, too.

 

[Haversack]

One Golden Age Swashbuckler which features a prominent female role is Frenchman's Creek made in 1944. It stars Joan Fontaine and while it is no Captain Blood, it does feature Basil Rathbone as the prime villain and Nigel Bruce as the secondary rotter. If I remember right, they shot this up around Mendocino.

Haversack