01 December 2022

Zorro: The Roleplaying Game Resources

If I have one criticism about Zorro: The Roleplaying Game, it's that it lacks a separate character sheet. The rule book has one, but it's part of the book, not a separate sheet that would be easy to photocopy. There's a PDF of the character sheet, but it's only available if you buy the PDF of the rule book. Thankfully, there are several free versions of the character sheet floating about the Internet, and here are links to two of them:

The second link also includes custom and vintage maps of colonial California and other useful information for anyone running Zorro: The Roleplaying Game adventures.

19 November 2022

Zorro Returns

I am pleased to report that the Disney Zorro television series from the 1950s starring Guy Williams is now available for viewing on the Disney+ streaming service. I mentioned in a previous quasi-review (q.v.) that I would "happily watch it and report my findings here in Theoretical Swashbuckling" if I ever gained access to the original television series in its entirety, which I intend to do, but it would be callous of me if I did not share the news of its availability with you immediately.

Ha!

Guy Williams as Zorro making the signature Z move with his sword.

09 October 2022

Board Games, Anyone?

Someday, I plan to start writing about some of the swashbuckling board games I've played, but in the meantime I am interested in suggestions. If you can recommend any, please leave a comment!

19 September 2022

Talk Like a Pirate in the Year of Our Lord Twenty Hundred and Twenty-Two

International Talk Like a Pirate Day it be, and those who neglect their seafaring patois are landlubbers the lot of them. Arrrr!

(As a side note and reminder to myself, today also marks a momentous change in my life. A good change.)

30 August 2022

The Treasures Ye Seek Be RPGs!

The Blog of Exalted Deeds has an article that might be useful to readers of Theoretical Swashbuckling: namely, Role-Playing Games Set in the Early Modern Period (ca. 1500-1800). This will be especially useful for my How to Be a Swashbuckler series and my personal collection of swashbuckling games.

20 August 2022

The Bold Caballero (1936) Reviewed

Movie poster for The Bold Caballero (1936).

The Bold Caballero (1936) was both the first Zorro movie in color and the first Zorro movie with sound. Produced by Republic Pictures (which followed it with five serials from 1937 to 1949), it is a vivid demonstration of the adventure, romance, and comedy of Zorro in shorthand. From the outset, Zorro (Robert Livingston) is introduced as a prisoner about to be executed for his crime of leading a Native revolt against the corrupt regime of Commandante Sebastian Golle (Sig Ruman). It is not long before an escape is effected just as the Commandante is confronted with the news that a reckoning may be at hand with the impending arrival of a new governor (Robert Warwick) appointed by the King of Spain. It is Governor Palma's daughter, Isabella (Heather Angel), however, who will play the the more crucial role as events unfold, proving to be easily as strong-willed and decisive as her militaristic father.

At 67 minutes, The Bold Caballero tells a story of Zorro succinctly (albeit without mention of his powerful family or his faithful servant, Bernardo, and by substituting Isabella Palma for Lolita Pulido), through humor, gallantry, and an array of dazzling stunts and fight scenes. Livingston is likeable as Don Diego Vega and his alter ego Zorro. Ruman plays the Commandante (here an Austrian deserter who has sold his loyalty to Spain) as half amoral mercenery, half comedy relief buffoon, which serves the film's brevity well enough, although it reduces the antagonist to that of a comic strip villain. Angel's Lady Isabella shines as a counterpart to Zorro (and outshines him to a degree), and she can rightly be regarded as the film's secret weapon.

The Bold Caballero is enjoyable enough that I've watched it three times this year, but it's worth noting that some streaming services offer it only in black & white. It was filmed in Magnacolor, though, and the night scenes are far more effective when viewed in color as intended. It may not be the greatest Zorro film, but it deserves greater recognition (and a full restoration).

Writing: Good
Directing: Good
Acting: Good
Cinematography: Good
Stunts: Great
Swordplay: Good
Panache: Good

Overall Rating: Good
Swashbuckling Rank: Good

Written by: Wells Root
Based on: "Idea of Johnston McCulley"
Directed by: Wells Root
Performed by: Robert Livingston, Heather Angel, Sig Ruman, Ian Wolfe, Robert Warwick, Emily Fitzroy, et al.

30 July 2022

The Three Musketeers (1939) Reviewed

Movie poster for The Three Musketeers (1939).

The Three Musketeers of 1939 is a musical comedy that is musically impaired and comedically challenged. Don Ameche imbues the role of D'Artagnan with an earnest enthusiasm that does little to counterbalance his utter mediocrity. The three musketeers of the title's fame are stiff caricatures who appear briefly for the purpose of enabling the Ritz Brothers, who are cooks at an inn, to be mistaken for them by D'Artagnan and everyone else. It bears a closer resemblance to a stock Three Stooges short than a feature-length comedy, and could have benefited immensely from some ruthless pruning. Some of the comedy routines are humorous enough to elicit laughter, but there are too many instances where the plot of the novel weighs the movie down too heavily to allow it to fly to greater heights of absurdity and originality, which really should have been the filmmakers' aim if they wanted to create a parody lasting more than 30 minutes. The music is something more to be endured than enjoyed, which is all the more unfortunate for the frequency with which it is inflicted on the viewer. The movie's saving grace is Binnie Barnes, who plays Milady, and although she shines in the role in its comedic incarnation, it would have been fascinating to see her reprise it in a serious adaptation.

Writing: Poor
Directing: Fair
Acting: Fair
Cinematography: Good
Musical Numbers: Poor
Comedy Routines: Fair
Stunts: Fair
Swordplay: Poor
Panache: Mediocre

Overall Rating: Mediocre
Swashbuckling Rank: Mediocre


[Originally posted in Cuparius.com on 7 June 2011.]


Addendum

Written by: M.M. Musselman and William Absolom Drake
Based on: The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas
Directed by: Allan Dwan
Performed by: Don Ameche, The Ritz Brothers, Binnie Barnes, et al.

08 July 2022

The Iron Mask (1929) Reviewed

Poster for The Iron Mask (1929).

The Iron Mask of 1929 is a sequel to Douglas Fairbanks' The Three Musketeers of 1921. It is also his last silent feature, although it includes a brief introduction and intermission in sound. Like its predecessor, its production values are of the highest order with lavish sets, an enormous cast of extras, and a heartfelt dedication to verisimilitude as demonstrated by a declaration in the credits that "This entire production was under the supervision of Maurice Leloir, Member of the Society of French Artists, illustrator of 'The Three Musketeers,' the acknowledged authority on the period depicted." No expense seems to have been spared to bring that period to life.

The Iron Mask covers a greater span of time as well as a greater span of joy and sorrow. Based on events in Alexandre Dumas' novels, the film begins in 1638 with the birth of the future king of France, Louis XIV, and ends 24 years later. It begins also with D'Artagnan's love for Constance and the loyalty of four friends that even death cannot sever. Fairbanks' acting skills have noticeably matured just as his D'Artagnan matures, and the tragedy from which the audience was spared in 1921 is finally played out midway through the picture probably to better effect.

The sombre moments are fittingly counterbalanced with most of the best swashbuckling elements: romance, espionage, derring-do, and high-spirited (and humorous) carousing. There is, perhaps, a little less swordplay than might be expected, primarily occurring in the middle and climax of the film, but swordplay itself is less the focus of a Douglas Fairbanks movie than the acrobatics and physical shenanigans he integrates into any action sequence.

Solid performances are given by Rolfe Sedan as Louis XIII, Belle Bennett as the Queen Mother (an improvement over Mary MacLaren's portrayal), and Dorothy Revier as Milady de Winter. Nigel De Brulier reprises his role as Cardinal Richelieu perhaps a little more convincingly, and Marguerite De La Motte reprises her role as Constance Bonacieux quite capably. The weak link in this film is William Bakewell's dual performance as Louis XIV and his twin brother. Although the former is rendered somewhat more sympathetically than the historical inspiration, the latter is reduced to the equivalent of a moustache-twirling villain of the type who ties damsels to railroad tracks (or would if trains had existed in 17th century France). This is disappointing, but it is not enough of a flaw to ruin the totality of the picture.

In the end, it is a lovingly crafted adieu to an era, and at the same time it is "The Beginning" of the next, which would soon see the rise of Errol Flynn.

Writing: Good
Directing: Good
Acting: Good
Cinematography: Great
Stunts: Great
Swordplay: Fair
Panache: Great

Overall Rating: Good
Swashbuckling Rank: Good


[Originally posted in Cuparius.com on 8 September 2011.]


Addendum

Written by: Douglas Fairbanks and Jack Cunningham
Based on: The Vicomte de Bragelonne by Alexandre Dumas
Directed by: Allan Dwan
Performed by: Douglas Fairbanks, Belle Bennett, Marguerite De La Motte, Dorothy Revier, Vera Lewis, Rolfe Sedan, William Bakewell, et al.

02 July 2022

The Three Musketeers (1948) Reviewed

Movie poster for The Three Musketeers (1948).

The Three Musketeers from 1948 is neither the best nor the worst of all the film adaptations of Alexandre Dumas' classic swashbuckling epic. As an adaptation of the novel itself, it is colorful, lively, and ambitious, but it is also a clumsy adaptation in the standard Hollywood tradition. Moments that are meant to loom large both in plot and dramatic impact are instead rushed and reduced. The moments where it lingers longest are overwrought and paradoxically (though unintentionally) invite detachment rather than empathy. The casting choices promise more than they deliver. Vincent Price would seem to be made for the role of Cardinal Richelieu, but his portrayal seems as flat as the script. Frank Morgan as Louis XIII carries himself more like a befuddled shopkeeper than a king, Angela Lansbury as Queen Anne could be any unhappy housewife, and the titular trio could be any group of boisterous, well-intentioned fops despite the moderately tortured posturings of Van Heflin's Athos. Lana Turner falls short of embodying the evil for which Lady de Winter is infamous, which is a serious shortcoming for so important an antagonist. The film's greatest asset is Gene Kelly as D'Artagnan in what must have been a conscious attempt to mimic Douglas Fairbanks in the same role in 1921. In fact, the film succeeds most where it attempts to adapt its 1921 predecessor rather than the novel. Kelly's D'Artagnan is essentially Fairbanks' D'Artagnan with sound and color, just as dynamic physically and comically, and just as prone to melodramatic telegraphy. With a better screenplay, this 1948 version of The Three Musketeers could have been — and ought to have been — much more than a one-man show.

Writing: Mediocre
Directing: Fair
Acting: Fair
Cinematography: Good
Stunts: Great
Swordplay: Good
Panache: Good

Overall Rating: Fair
Swashbuckling Rank: Good


[Originally posted in Cuparius.com on 20 May 2011.]


Addendum

Written by: Robert Ardry
Based on: The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas
Directed by: George Sidney
Performed by: Lana Turner, Gene Kelly, June Allyson, Van Heflin, Angela Lansbury, et al.

25 June 2022

Lost, Misplaced, or Unwritten

The movie reviews I post here are a mix of newly written reviews and those I originally posted in one of my earliest blogs, Cuparia a.k.a. Cuplog, which was a Wordpress blog attached to my first domain, Cuparius.com (RIP). I was planning to repost my old movie reviews of The Three Musketeers (1973) and The Four Musketeers (1974), but I discovered I do not have them backed up, I cannot find them using the Wayback Machine, and now I'm not sure if I ever wrote anything on either of them. I know I thought about reviewing them, but is that as far as it went? If I can't unearth them, I'll just have to watch the movies again and then I can review them, back them up, and post them here, because sharing the genius of those movies is my duty to all fellow swashbucklers at heart. Truly, if you seek the ultimate swashbuckling movie experience, watch these two.

Incidentally, if you ever encounter reviews of these movies written by me somewhere on the Internet (or elsewhere?), please let me know in the comments so I can salvage them and share them here.

The Musketeers dining very casually.

19 June 2022

The Three Musketeers (1921) Reviewed

Movie poster for The Three Musketeers (1921).

The Three Musketeers, that quintessential swashbuckling tale, has been adapted for the silver screen many times, and for many the most famous one of all is still the one brought to life by that consummate swashbuckler, Douglas Fairbanks, who starred as the hero, D'Artagnan. A production of his own film company, the 1921 film had impressive sets, excellent outdoor cinematography, and a wealth of period costuming. If I rated a film in terms of production values, I would assess it as Great bordering on Superb.

The quality of the acting is more of a mixed bag, ranging from the weak melodrama of Mary MacLaren's Queen Anne to the convincingly regal bearing of Adolphe Menjou's Louis XIII. Nigel de Brulier successfully captures the innocuous posturing of Cardinal Richelieu, but doesn't quite convey the magnitude of his formidable power. Fairbanks, as might be expected, is a nearly nonstop burst of energy, as befits the character of the impetuous D'Artagnan, pausing from chases, duels, and general mêlées to express his grief at a given misfortune with a brief obligatory swooning (symbolized by the pressing of the back of the hand to the forehead), which would be forgivable if it were not repeated over and over again. But Fairbanks was not a great actor. He was a great swashbuckler; he was only an adequate actor. Nevertheless, he embodies the restless, roguish, courageous, idealistic spirit of his character very well, and the sum of all the film's parts constitute a very good film indeed.

Writing: Good
Directing: Good
Acting: Fair/Good
Cinematography: Good
Stunts: Great
Swordplay: Good
Panache: Great

Overall Rating: Good
Swashbuckling Rank: Great


[Originally posted in Cuparius.com on 30 July 2010.]


Addendum

Written by: Edward Knoblock
Based on: The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas
Directed by: Fred Niblo
Performed by: Douglas Fairbanks, Nigel de Brulier, Marguerite de la Motte, Barbara La Marr, et al.

01 June 2022

At Sword's Point (1952) Reviewed

Movie poster for At Sword's Point (1952).

The widowed queen of France is dying, the young heir to the throne is in hiding, and the Duc de Lavalle is plotting to seize the throne by forcing the princess to marry him. The queen sends her messengers to Spain for aid, but each is intercepted and murdered by Lavalle's men. Knowing this, the queen realizes she has one hope left: her Musketeers of old. Alas, the Musketeers of yore are infirm or dead, but their children answer the call without hesitation: the son of D'Artagnan (Cornel Wilde), the son of Aramis (Dan O'Herlihy), the son of Porthos (Alan Hale, Jr.), and — not the son, for he is too young — the daughter of Athos, Claire (Maureen O'Hara).

At Sword's Point (1952) is reminiscent of the Republic serials if they were condensed into a feature-length film and lavished with Technicolor. Action is the batter of this particular cake recipe, divided into layers by tricks and traps, and sprinkled with equal amounts of drama and comedy. The pace is brisk with little time for reflection, and it does strain credibility to see almost no horse move at less than a full gallop, but the fight scenes are rich with surprises and beautifully executed stunts.

Although Wilde has top billing, O'Hara is clearly the stealer of every scene and the most natural swashbuckler. She, more than any other, leaves the viewer wanting to know more about her character and wishing to see her further adventures.

The writing and casting are uneven, but At Sword's Point is still a good showcase of the swashbuckling genre and worth watching if for no other reason than to see O'Hara perfectly embody the spirit of a true Musketeer.

(Incidentally, although she plays the daughter of Athos, I could easily imagine her as the daughter of D'Artagnan. That would have been great movie indeed.)

Writing: Mediocre
Directing: Fair
Acting: Fair
Cinematography: Good
Stunts: Great
Swordplay: Good
Panache: Great

Overall Rating: Good
Swashbuckling Rank: Great

Written by: Walter Ferris, Joseph Hoffman, Aubrey Wisberg, and Jack Pollexfen
Directed by: Lewis Allen
Performed by: Cornel Wilde, Maureen O'Hara, Robert Douglas, Gladys Cooper, June Clayworth, Dan O'Herlihy, Alan Hale, Jr., et al.
Animated GIF of Claire fencing with her instructor.

28 May 2022

Raiders of the Seven Seas (1953) Reviewed

Movie poster for Raiders of the Seven Seas (1953).

Raiders of the Seven Seas is another in a long line of perfunctory pirate pictures of the 1950s that is not a musical only because of its lack of song and dance. There is, of course, the Basic Guy, in this case a "legendary" French-Spanish pirate named Barbarossa played by John Payne in as basic a leading man capacity as is possible. He's a Good Guy, but a Rascal, which means he'll frustrate and annoy the leading lady until the inevitable happens. There is the Sidekick known as Peg Leg, played blandly by Lon Chaney, Jr., who is effectively a rescue dog after being saved by Basic Guy from the lash. There is the Hot-Tempered Rich Girl named Alida, played very capably by Donna Reed in spite of the limitations caused by a formulaic screenplay (and whose performance is the sole redeeming feature of the film). And, finally, there are the Bad Guys who act in standard Bad Guy fashion. Oh, and there is an Orphan thrown in for good measure in an attempt to maximize sympathy.

This film is not worthy of analysis or even summarizing. Apart from Reed, it offers nothing in the way of entertainment; apart from a hastily sketched backstory (if that), it contributes nothing to the swashbuckling genre. If you need background noise as you do household chores, you might find it tolerable. (And yes, Mystery Science Theater 3000 or Rifftrax could have made it nearly enjoyable.)

Writing: Poor
Directing: Poor
Acting: Mediocre (Donna Reed: Good)
Cinematography: Poor
Stunts: Mediocre
Swordplay: Mediocre
Panache: Poor

Overall Rating: Poor
Swashbuckling Rank: Mediocre

Written by: John O'Dea and Sidney Salkow
Directed by: Sidney Salkow
Performed by: John Payne, Donna Reed, Lon Chaney, Jr., et al.

16 May 2022

Yankee Buccaneer (1952) Reviewed

Movie poster for Yankee Buccaneer (1952).

Yankee Buccaneer (1952) is a forgettable swashbuckling movie loosely inspired by U.S. naval history. The plot has so little to do with reality that I'll dispense with addressing its multitude of historical violations and judge it solely on its lack of merits as a standard pirate movie. It is the 1820s and the United States Navy, determined to quash the outbreak of piracy that has been having a deleterious effect on the U.S. economy since the conclusion of the War of 1812, has sent Lt. David Farragut (Scott Brady) to deliver sealed orders to Commander David Porter (Jeff Chandler). The orders, as one may surmise by the film's title, require the ship and her crew to disguise themselves as pirates and infiltrate the hiding places of the Caribbean pirates so the Navy may better seek them out and destroy them. Breaking out what appear to be brand new Halloween costumes, the officers and crewmen sheepishly don their disguises and embark on a series of misadventures that will involve Portugese, Spaniards, native tribesmen (including one played by Jay Silverheels), a Portugese countess to supply the necessary romance (played by Suzan Ball), and a pirate. Yes, a — as in one — pirate, played with disgrace by Joseph Vitale. If ever an actor has played the part of a pirate more woodenly, then I have yet to see it. The standard comic relief is Chief Petty Officer Link (played by George Mathews), the good-natured oaf who gets into trouble and gets others into trouble, but is loyal to the end — predictably, uninterestingly standard.

Despite the "surprise" of the heroes masquerading as pirates in order to defeat pirates, there are no surprises whatsoever in this film. The dialogue tries strenuously to make everything as clear and obvious as possible, which provides little room for any actual acting to take place (not that I'm forgiving Vitale, who could have been out-acted by an amusement park automaton). The plot is far less interesting than the lives of the historical figures it abducts, and the liberties it takes with history are done neither for the sake of entertainment nor artistic license, but rather for the sake of conformity to formulaic filmmaking. Even for those whose swashbuckling yearnings are simple, there is little on offer here. There is but one brief scene of swordplay in the entire film, and none of the combat scenes involve pirates of any kind. Adhering to the real historical events would have yielded far more action (and pirates) than anything on display in Yankee Buccaneer. In more ways than one, there is nothing to see here. Move along.

Writing: Poor
Directing: Fair
Acting: Mediocre
Cinematography: Good
Stunts: Mediocre
Swordplay: Mediocre/Fair
Panache: Mediocre

Overall Rating: Mediocre
Swashbuckling Rank: Mediocre


[Originally posted in Cuparius.com on 20 August 2013.]

Addendum

Written by: Charles K. Peck, Jr.
Directed by: Frederick De Cordova
Performed by: Jeff Chandler, Scott Brady, Suzan Ball, Joseph Calleia, George Mathews, et al.

30 April 2022

Buccaneer's Girl (1950) Reviewed

Movie poster for Buccaneer's Girl (1950).

What happens when a woman from Boston stows away on a ship that is captured by pirates? In Buccaneer's Girl (1950), she sings and dances her way into everyone's heart, especially the pirate captain's, whilst guarding a secret that would rock her newly adopted home of New Orleans should it be discovered.

Yvonne De Carlo plays Deborah McCoy, the fearless, streetwise heroine whose life and fate become intertwined with the debonair buccaneer Frederic Baptiste played by Philip Friend. Baptiste is a humane and gallant pirate captain who inspires loyalty and respect. He is, in a word, a gentleman. McCoy, in contrast, is no lady. Any of the manners she displays were learned from Madame Brizar (Elsa Lanchester), the headmistress of a local school for women specializing in singing and dance instruction. Manners, for McCoy, are a means to an end, which, in her case, is a better life. Baptiste, on the other hand, is motivated by a sense of justice to commit crimes on the high seas, and the beneficiaries of his exploits are, as in the case of Robin Hood and Zorro, those who have been wronged by the rich and powerful.

There is, as a result, the mayhem of armed conflict and amorous conflict as different worlds collide, but in both instances the excitement is minimal. The combat scenes are bloodless, uneventful affairs, which is a fair description of the love scenes as well. The plot seems to be an excuse to give the lead actress some singing time in routines that are frankly more suited for a Bob Hope and Bing Crosby comedy than an historical action movie.

Buccaneer's Girl is a semi-comedic, semi-romantic, semi-adventurous near musical with piratical trappings. To call it a swashbuckling movie would be to dilute the definition. It could charitably be called a romantic comedy, but more by virtue of the filmmakers' intentions than by results. It may provide light entertainment or background noise for 77 minutes, but little more than that.

Writing: Mediocre
Directing: Fair
Acting: Mediocre
Cinematography: Fair
Stunts: Mediocre
Swordplay: Mediocre
Panache: Mediocre

Overall Rating: Mediocre
Swashbuckling Rank: Mediocre


[Originally posted in Cuparius.com on 7 April 2011.]

Addendum

Written by: Harold Shumate, Joseph Hoffman, Samuel R. Golding, and Joe May
Directed by: Frederick De Cordova
Performed by: Yvonne De Carlo, Philip Friend, Robert Douglas, Elsa Lanchester, et al.

27 April 2022

The Scarlet Pimpernel Reviewed Elsewhere

Readers of Theoretical Swashbuckling may find it both edifying and entertaining to read the reviews of several adaptations of The Scarlet Pimpernel in Ellsworth's Cinema of Swords: Sink Me! Scarlet Pimpernels!.

19 April 2022

Captain Scarlett (1953) Reviewed

Movie poster for Captain Scarlett (1953).

Captain Scarlett (1953) is a run-of-the-mill swashbuckling yawn, excuse me, yarn set in 19th century France, but you will be forgiven if you quip, "A nice day for a fiesta in sunny Mexico" as you watch it. It was filmed in Mexico, and there was little, if anything, to suggest a French setting except place names. The story is an obviously hybridized bastardization of Robin Hood, the Scarlet Pimpernel, and — given the Mexican flavor of the costuming, architecture, and landscape — even Zorro. In short, Robin Hood, I mean Captain Scarlett, with the help of Friar Tuck, I mean Fray Felipe, I mean The Friar, frees a number of wronged people (including one Princess Maria) who become his band of merry men (or rather his band of one merry man and one woman who can allegedly pass as a merry man) as they rescue peasants from the guillotine, the toll road collector, and harassment by a couple of soldiers. The evil Alcalde, I mean Sheriff of Nottingham, I mean Duke de Corlaine tries every diabolical trick at his disposal to neutralize the destabilizing effect Captain Scarlett is supposedly having on the populace by neutralizing Captain Scarlett himself, but the wily swordsman is not such an easy pest to remove, and there is more than altruism to Scarlett's motives, for it was the Duke who unlawfully deprived him of his land and led him to this life of highway robbery, adventure, camaraderie, etc. in the first place.

The plot is derivative, the dialogue is inept, and the acting causes irritation, discomfort, and drowsiness. Other symptoms may include disbelief, disapproval, and disdain. Attention paid to the action scenes will cause disappointment. Use only as advised: with the intent to mock.

Writing: Terrible
Directing: Terrible
Acting: Terrible
Cinematography: Terrible
Stunts: Terrible
Swordplay: Poor
Panache: Mediocre

Overall Rating: Terrible
Swashbuckling Rank: Poor


[Originally posted in Cuparius.com on 13 April 2011.]

Addendum

Written by: Howard Dimsdale
Directed by: Thomas Carr
Performed by: Richard Greene, Leonora Amar, Nedrick Young, Manolo Fábregas, Eduardo Noriega, et al.

08 April 2022

Royal Flash (1975) Reviewed

Movie poster for Royal Flash (1975).

Royal Flash (1975) is what a good swashbuckling spoof ought to be: a ripping adventure punctuated by genuinely comedic moments that are presented in context. Director Richard Lester is a master at melding those elements without sacrificing the integrity of the setting (thus preserving the audience's willing suspension of disbelief, which is always a virtue in the genre of swashbuckling escapism). Royal Flash also manages to be a satire on that swashbuckling classic, The Prisoner of Zenda, by reimagining it as having been inspired by events in the life of Harry Flashman (Malcolm McDowell), a questionable war hero self-described as "a scoundrel, a liar, a cheat, a thief, a coward—and, oh yes, a toady." Both the screenplay and the novel upon which it is based, The Flashman Papers, were written by George MacDonald Fraser.

Beautifully filmed and directed, Royal Flash is equally satisfying as a comedy and as a swashbuckling adventure (albeit with an anti-hero for a protagonist).

* Fraser, George MacDonald. Flashman.

Writing: Good
Directing: Great
Acting: Good
Cinematography: Great
Humor: Great
Stunts: Great
Swordplay: Good
Panache: Great

Overall Rating: Great
Swashbuckling Rank: Great


[Originally posted in Cuparius.com on 31 August 2011.]

Addendum

Written by: George MacDonald Fraser and Thomas Hughes (uncredited)
Based on: The Flashman Papers by George MacDonald Fraser
Directed by: Richard Lester
Performed by: Malcolm McDowell, Alan Bates, Florinda Bolkan, Oliver Reed, et al.

01 April 2022

Swashbuckler (1976) Reviewed

Movie poster for Swashbuckler (1976).

The generically named Swashbuckler (1976) is indeed generic, which does not, unfortunately, prevent it from being distinctly bad. Much of the credit for the film's shortcomings belong to the screenplay. There are limits to what even the greatest actors can do with a rotten script, which is why they are normally choosy (although there are occasional lapses of judgment as in the cases of Robert Shaw, James Earl Jones, and Geneviève Bujold). There is, however, no shortage of actors willing to turn in an appalling performance appropriate to the lousiness of their lines (for which we may be truly thankful to Peter Boyle and Beau Bridges).

Set in Jamaica in 1718, we are informed at the beginning of the film that this is the glorious age of piracy, when buccaneers fought the oppressive rule of colonial governors throughout the Caribbean, and that the most famous pirate of all was Captain Ned Lynch. This is straightforward enough. We have the setting, the conflict, the protagonist, and the antagonist neatly summarized. Undoubtedly there will be piratical antics, imperialist depredations, wrongs to be righted, and a love-hate romantic interest thrown in somewhere. But first things first. Something bad is about to happen to someone we don't know, but we know they don't deserve it because the townspeople we don't know appear to disapprove. In this case the victim is Nick Debrett (Jones), who is about to be hanged by the lazily named Major Folly (Bridges), which is contrary to the wishes of the general population of Kingston, Jamaica. As luck would have it (and as the music informs us in no uncertain terms), the heroes arrive just in the nick of time aboard the good ship Blarney Cock (played by the Golden Hinde II, a full-scale replica of Sir Francis Drake's famous ship) and save the day with cannon fire, rope-swinging, and piratey boisterousness. At this point we are introduced to Captain Ned Lynch (Shaw), who loves nothing better than fighting, robbing, wenching, and composing limericks.

In short order we are also introduced to Lord Durant (Boyle), the decadent, depraved, despotic governor of Jamaica whose 20th century American accent does nothing to undermine the quality of the fine script. We are also introduced to Lord Durant's most prominent oppressed citizens, our heroine Jane Barnet (Bujold) and her mother, Lady Barnet (Louisa Horton), who have been evicted from their mansion and deprived of their possessions after Sir James Barnet (Bernard Behrens) is found guilty of integrity and therefore imprisoned.

The story, of course, leads inexorably to encounters (and conflict) between Ned Lynch and Jane Barnet, conflict between them and Lord Durant, and the inevitable Daring Rescue Attempt followed by the inevitable Climactic Duel. (I'm not giving anything away. Every element of the plot is announced via semaphore by a flag-wielding screenwriter.)

It is a pity such beautiful cinematography and scenery were wasted on such an utterly banal story and apparently random casting. If Avery Schreiber can land a role in the film (as the pirate Polonski), it is surely an indicator that nothing should be taken seriously. The stunts and fight scenes are functional, but largely unremarkable. As a whole, despite the location and obviously substantial budget, Swashbuckler seems more like a 1970s made-for-television movie than a period adventure film intended for the silver screen. There is never that moment of immersion into the story that is so necessarily a part of any good movie, especially an escapist one.

Swashbuckler has one factor that simultaneously redeems and condemns it: Peter Boyle as Lord Durant. Playing his part just as dreadfully as it was written, Boyle reduces his character to the dimensions of a villain in a Mel Brooks comedy (coincidentally having starred in Young Frankenstein two years earlier). Amongst his lines, some of the most absurd include, "Let the bitch try and take me," "I serve one master, and his name is Darkness," and, fittingly, "Draw the curtains. The farce is ended!" — a line exclaimed just prior to falling off a balcony.

Writing: Terrible
Directing: Fair
Acting: Poor (Peter Boyle: Terrible)
Cinematography: Good
Stunts: Good
Swordplay: Fair
Panache: Mediocre

Overall Rating: Mediocre
Swashbuckling Rank: Fair


[Originally posted in Cuparius.com on 2 February 2012.]

Addendum

Written by: Jeffrey Bloom and Paul Wheeler
Directed by: James Goldstone
Performed by: Robert Shaw, James Earl Jones, Peter Boyle, Geneviève Bujold, Beau Bridges, et al.

20 March 2022

Don Q Son of Zorro (1925) Reviewed

Movie poster for Don Q Son of Zorro (1925).

Don Q Son of Zorro (1925), although made five years after The Mark of Zorro, takes place perhaps 25 years later, and stars Douglas Fairbanks as both the hero, Don Cesar de Vega, and his father Don Diego, otherwise known as Zorro. Instead of colonial California, the stage is now set in Spain for intrigue, adventure, and romance. From the beginning, Don Cesar's bravado, humility, and sense of humor are on display, as well as his uncanny skill with the whip, his demonstration of which leads unintentionally to a chain of events that will find him hunted by those in power. Like his father, he will be forced to become an outlaw and draw on those abilities he learned or inherited from him. Fairbanks exploits every opportunity to disregard gravity by virtue of his acrobatic training, and when even that is not enough, there is always the whip to disarm or entangle a foe or hoist him to safety.

Although there is action in abundance, there is also love, and the object of Don Cesar's affection is Dolores, played very capably by Mary Astor. The scene in which they first meet is amusingly scripted, albeit with very little dialogue from Fairbanks, and it is apt that it occurs in the proverbial eye of a hurricane of activity.

Of the villains I will say nothing lest too much is revealed, but the varying shades of gray in which they are painted is a refreshing change from the unvarying black that typifies most enemies in action movies.

Don Q Son of Zorro is one of the lesser known swashbuckling movies, but undeservedly so. It is a fine (and rare) example of the sequel that not only honors its parentage with a faithful continuity, but stands as a solid work in its own right. Few action movies are as well balanced as this one.

Writing: Good
Directing: Good
Acting: Good
Cinematography: Good
Stunts: Superb
Swordplay: Fair
Whip-Handling: Superb
Panache: Superb

Overall Rating: Great
Swashbuckling Rank: Great


[Originally posted in Cuparius.com on 1 October 2010.]

Addendum

The following is from a Wikipedia article on Hesketh Hesketh-Prichard:

In 1904, the mother-and-son writing team [Kate Prichard and Hesketh Hesketh-Prichard] produced The Chronicles of Don Q., a collection of short stories featuring the fictional rogue Don Quebranta Huesos, a Spanish Robin Hood-like figure who was fierce to the evil rich but kind-hearted to the virtuous poor. A second collection, The New Chronicles of Don Q. followed in 1906. The pair produced a full-length novel, Don Q.'s Love Story, in 1909. Don Q. was brought to the stage in 1921 when it was performed at the Apollo Theatre, London. In 1925, the book was reworked as a Zorro vehicle by screenwriters Jack Cunningham and Lotta Woods; the United Artists silent film Don Q, Son of Zorro was produced by Douglas Fairbanks, who also starred as its lead character. The New York Times rated the film one of its top ten movies of the year.

So, the son of Zorro predates Zorro himself!

Written by: Jack Cunningham and Lotta Woods (uncredited)
Based on: Don Q.'s Love Story by Kate Prichard and Hesketh Hesketh-Prichard
Directed by: Donald Crisp
Performed by: Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Astor, Jack McDonald, Donald Crisp, et al.

12 March 2022

Reviews in Theoretical Swashbuckling

Just to set the record straight, the purpose of the reviews I post in Theoretical Swashbuckling is twofold: to give swashbuckling fans an idea of whether they would enjoy a particular movie, television show, or book as entertainment; and to offer possible sources of inspiration for those who play, run, or create various types of games (especially of the role-playing variety). Nothing more. Nothing less. It is not my intention to provide detailed analysis, "scholarly" criticism, or evaluations of fencing technique. I am concerned only with how enjoyable the subject of the review is and how useful it might be to one's gaming.

Carry on.

06 March 2022

Scaramouche (1952) Reviewed

Movie poster for Scaramouche (1952).

If any film could be declared the ultimate swashbuckling film, Scaramouche (1952) would easily qualify as a contender for the title. It is said to have both the longest duelling scene and the greatest number of duels of any movie. Whether this is true or not, the duels are a marvel of fight choreography. Both Stewart Granger and Mel Ferrer [allegedly] performed all of their own duels and stunts, which is all the more remarkable when it is discovered that their duel on the railing of a theatre balcony was executed without a net. The action is spectacular, but the drama and the comedy (essential to a film named after the clown of the Commedia dell'arte) give the film its impeccable balance. Scaramouche is truly one of the great masterpieces of the genre.

Writing: Great
Directing: Superb
Acting: Good
Cinematography: Great
Stunts: Superb
Swordplay: Superb
Panache: Superb

Overall Rating: Great
Swashbuckling Rank: Superb


[Originally posted in Cuparius.com on 1 February 2010.]


Addendum

Written by: Ronald Millar, George Froeschel, Talbot Jennings (uncredited), and Carey Wilson (uncredited)
Based on: Scaramouche by Rafael Sabatini
Directed by: George Sidney
Performed by: Stewart Granger, Eleanor Parker, Janet Leigh, Mel Ferrer, et al.

27 February 2022

Adventures of Don Juan (1948) Reviewed

Movie poster for Adventures of Don Juan (1948)

In Adventures of Don Juan (1948), Errol Flynn returns to full color swashbuckling as the most famous ladies' man in history. Beginning with one such adventure in progress, the film quickly progresses to more important matters as Don Juan finds himself involved — through no fault of his own — in affairs of the state (ahem) and an alliance with the formidable Queen Margaret (Viveca Lindfors). All is not well in Spain, for King Phillip III (Romney Brent) is weak, and his diabolical advisor, the Duke de Lorca (Robert Douglas), is far stronger than he appears and far more interested in reviving dreams of conquest than pursuing international peace.

Eight years after The Sea Hawk, Flynn proves that his charm, candor, and swordsmanship are as sharp as ever. Regal of bearing and complex of character, Lindfors is more than worthy of her role as queen and provides the ultimate foil for the film's amorous yet well-intentioned hero. Brent is quite capable as the less-than-capable king, and Douglas is everything one could ask for in a devious, torture-minded warmonger. Alan Hale, of course, is suitable as Alan Hale, Loyal Sidekick (or Leporello as he is billed in the credits).

Beautifully filmed in vivid color, and masterfully scored by Max Steiner, Adventures of Don Juan is an adventure film with excitement, humor, and surprising depth.

Writing: Good
Directing: Great
Acting: Great
Cinematography: Good
Stunts: Great
Swordplay: Great
Panache: Great

Overall Rating: Great
Swashbuckling Rank: Great


[Originally posted in Cuparius.com on 1 February 2012.]


Addendum

Written by: Herbert Dalmas, George Oppenheimer, and Harry Kurnitz
Directed by: Vincent Sherman
Performed by: Errol Flynn, Viveca Lindfors, Robert Douglas, Alan Hale, Romney Brent, et al.

20 January 2022

The Black Pirate (1926) Reviewed

Movie poster for The Black Pirate (1926).

The Black Pirate, made in 1926, is a pirate fantasy starring and conceived by Douglas Fairbanks. That he had not made a pirate movie earlier in his career seems surprising for the king of the swashbucklers, but once he did, the result was another lavish and explosive epic. It was so lavish, in fact, that it was filmed entirely in Technicolor. It is, indeed, a pirate fantasy, as the extravagant use of Technicolor during the silent era might suggest, for the main characters are nobles, their countries are fictitious, and even the ships are of a design never seen in history. Fairbanks' costume looks specifically designed for the exploits of an acrobat, though he does not play one, and the legion of soldiers who appear later rowing a galley and leaping into battle more closely resemble guards of the planet Mongo or the Undersea Kingdom in their attire (and martial artists from a kung fu movie in their behavior) than soldiers of any historical period. The story is essentially a fairy tale — an action fairy tale. There is a loyal son vowing revenge for the death of his father, the infiltration of a gang of pirates, impossible deeds done with a sparkling smile, a damsel in distress, love at first sight, more impossible deeds done with a glint in the eye, etc. The story and acting are childish, but intentionally so. The stunts are impressive by any standard except, perhaps, Fairbanks' own. It is not the greatest pirate movie ever made, but it was certainly not made halfheartedly nor on the cheap.

Writing: Poor
Directing: Fair
Acting: Mediocre
Cinematography: Good
Stunts: Superb
Swordplay: Good
Panache: Superb

Overall Rating: Good
Swashbuckling Rank: Great


[Originally posted in Cuparius.com on 27 September 2007.]


Addendum

Written by: Douglas Fairbanks and Jack Cunningham
Directed by: Albert Parker
Performed by: Douglas Fairbanks, Billie Dove, Tempe Pigott, Donald Crisp, et al.

09 January 2022

How to Create a Swashbuckler in Privateers and Gentlemen

Cover of Privateers and Gentlemen, published by Fantasy Games Unlimited.

Privateers and Gentlemen, published by Fantasy Games Unlimited in 1982, is a game of "Role Playing Adventure in the Age of Fighting Sail" wherein "The world of Horatio Hornblower and all the naval heroes of fact and fiction is thoroughly dealt with in three volumes of rules."

As it states in the first volume, Promotions and Prizes:

PROMOTIONS AND PRIZES is a historical role-playing game. Each player will take the part of a naval officer of the period 1755-1815, attempting to rise in rank and affluence through a series of naval battles, raids, skirmishes, and captures... meanwhile avoiding any number of horrible deaths, diseases, amputations, courts-martial, or perhaps being shot by a firing squad like Admiral Byng.

Here is my first character for Privateers and Gentlemen:

Name: Captain Barrington Dalrymple, Privateer

Strength: 16
Sense Acuity: 13
Mass: 11
Constitution: 15
Intelligence: 15
Dexterity: 8
Intuition: 12
Charisma: 11

Strike Bonus: +20%
Shoot Bonus: +5%
Parry Bonus: nil

Languages: 3 (including native tongue): English, French, Spanish
Handedness: right-handed
Social Level (of father): Gentleman (roll of 79)
Legitimacy: Legitimate
Position: First Son
Father's Health: Alive
Allowance: 25 pounds
Patrimony: 1000 pounds + Respectable Estate and House
Privateer Background: Smuggler + Merchant Captain

Gunnery: +15%
Sailing Ability: -5
General Seamanship: +10%

Astronomy: 15
Biology: 1
Carriage Driving: 14
Chemistry: 1
Climb: 10 (raised from 8)
Dance: 8
First Aid: 7 (raised from 4)
Forgery: 12 (raised from 4)
General Knowledge: 7 (raised from 4)
Geology: 1
Haggle: 13
Hide: 15
History: 15
Law: 7 (raised from 4)
Literary Gent: 4
Lockpick: 4
Make Speech: 17
Mapmaking: 15
Mechanics: 3
Move Quietly: 12 (raised from 8)
Play Instrument: 0
Pick Pocket: 1
Ride: 8
Shipwright: 15
Sing: 13
Swim: 10 (raised from 2)
Weather Prediction: 15
Write Own Language: 15
Write Foreign Language: 3

Character creation in Privateers and Gentlemen is of moderate complexity. The eight attributes are generated by rolling 3D6 for Strength, Sense Acuity, Mass, Constitution, Intelligence, Dexterity, Intuition, and Charisma. If the character's attributes are hopeless, the player may, with the referee's permission, roll again or even roll three characters and choose the best. I opted for the latter and selected the third character. Three tables are consulted to determine one's Strike Bonus, Shoot Bonus, and Parry Bonus based on three or four of a character's attributes.

Skills begin with starting abilities based on a variety of factors. Some will be equal to a character's attribute, some will start with a random roll such as a D10 or D20, some will be calculated by multiplying an attribute by .5 and adding D10 or just averaging two attributes, and others will be static numbers such as 1 or 4. After these are determined, the player may then spend points to improve any skill chosen using a pool of points equal to the character's Intelligence plus the rolled result of the character's Social Level divided by 5. In my case, this was 31 points, and I immediately spent 8 points on Swim (for which I had rolled a starting ability of 2).

Several specific naval skills are modifiers based on a character's Intelligence and are determined by consulting the relevant table. These are Gunnery, Ship Quality (known as Sailing Ability on the character sheet), and General Seamanship. The number of additional languages a character may start with is also based on Intelligence and ranges from 0 to 3.

Other facets of the character are determined by making percentile rolls on various tables including Handedness; Social Level (of one's father); Legitimacy; Position (in the family); various aspects of one's father's health, past service, and past rank; Allowance (yearly); and Patrimony.

Next, the character's earlier career must be decided. If the character begins as a naval officer, the player will participate in a simple character creation mini-game reminiscent of classic Traveller wherein it will be learned how old the character is, whether they were wounded or succumbed to any diseases, whether they were noticed by a superior officer, whether their naval skills improved, whether they were promoted, and how much prize money they were awarded. If the character begins as a privateer, the player simply rolls on the Privateer Background table, which modifies the character accordingly. I decided my character would be a privateer and result of my roll was "Smuggler + Merchant Captain."

SMUGGLER: The character will know very basic seamanship, and will also have intimate knowledge of 1D4 'smuggler's havens' on a friendly coastline, plus 1D4 smuggler's havens on the enemy coast. Will know the smugglers' underground in his own and the enemy's country, and will be able to gain intelligence from it. On a roll of 81-100 the smuggler has also become known to the authorities, who will be watching for him.
MERCHANT CAPTAIN: Will know basic seamanship plus navigation, stowage, and so on. Roll twice to see if the character can improve his Sailing Quality and General Seamanship scores (see Intelligence Scores for midshipmen, above). Will also have an intimate knowledge of commercial circles in his own and other countries. Due to his knowledge of trade routes, he may add 1 to his die roll on the Encounter Chart.

If I were to play this character in an actual game, I would provide the details of his birthplace, his path to a life of smuggling and privateering, and his interests and motivations, but that would require more research and time than I can afford at the moment. The character has potential, though, and I think I would enjoy portraying him.

You might say Privateers and Gentlemen is to the Horatio Hornblower novels what Flashing Blades is to The Three Musketeers, and that's not a bad thing.

[For more articles in this series, visit How to Create a Swashbuckler.]