The Adventures of Sir Lancelot (1956-1957) Reviewed

For the purposes of any Theoretical Swashbuckling review, I generally approach any adaptation as a unique work unto itself, more or less. This is true whether it's a movie adapted from a novel or, in the case of The Adventures of Sir Lancelot, a television show adapted from multiple poems that were adaptations of still older poems that were adaptations of legends that were based on early medieval history. There have been many versions of Sir Lancelot from a variety of sources, so, instead of trying to match this one (or indeed any other aspect of Arthurian legendry) with any preceding it, I'll take it at face value, anachronisms be damned.

Consisting of 30 episodes that originally aired in 1956-1957, first in black & white and then in color, the adventures begin with Lancelot's arrival in Camelot where he seeks a place at King Arthur's Round Table. The famous affair with Queen Guinevere is never more than hinted at with the briefest of exchanged glances in the early episodes because the emphasis is on chivalry, justice, and (naturally) adventure. One can reliably expect to see horses, swordplay, a bit of humor, and a moral.

Apart from the obvious and inevitable departures from historical and literary accuracy (neither of which were ever in agreement anyway), the most frustrating liberty taken by the show was the utter de-magicking of Merlin. Perhaps it was a purely practical decision. After all, it would cost far less to depict him doing stage magic and astronomy (and sending messages via carrier pigeon) than to depict him working wizardry of the supernatural sort. Besides, it allows for Sir Lancelot to be the smart knight who is in the know about Merlin's supposed sorcery. Perhaps it was a requirement by certain censors that the show demonstrate educational value, which would preclude spell-flinging in favor of the implementation of the discoveries of Archimedes or the prediction of eclipses. Regardless of the reason behind making Merlin a natural philosopher with a fondness for magic tricks instead of the wisest and mightiest wizard in the world, I find any excuse weak when the knights speak of actually fighting dragons (as they do in a later episode).

The budget for The Adventures of Sir Lancelot was probably modest as may be surmised by the re-use of sets for different locales, the re-use of actors for different characters (e.g. Derren Nesbitt played 14 different characters in as many episodes), and a castle gate that required mounted knights to duck their heads when passing through it. The combat scenes are neither elaborate nor convincing, which serves the dual purpose of being inexpensive and inoffensive. There are never more than a few villagers or knights or bandits or monks on the screen at one time, and the aforementioned dragons are never more than alluded to in conversation.

To be clear, The Adventures of Sir Lancelot is not a romantic epic; it is an episodic adventure series with nominal educational value primarily aimed (I assume) at schoolchildren. It is not without its charms for an older audience, but for those with a taste for more than mere nostalgia, I would hold up one episode in particular for appreciation: "The Thieves." In this episode, first Sir Lancelot and then King Arthur are confronted with the question of, to put it simply, criminal reform. In order to investigate the truth of the allegation that current methods make it impossible for a former criminal to take up an honest life, King Arthur and Sir Lancelot disguise themselves as commoners and see, for the first time, how the underprivileged survive. This is also the one and only time that King Arthur is depicted not solely in his capacity as a ruler, but as a human being. It is a poignant story well acted, and if more of the episodes were like this one, The Adventures of Sir Lancelot would have had an enviable and long-lasting reputation as a television classic of rare quality.

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

Overall Rating: Fair
Swashbuckling Rank: Fair

Written by: various
Directed by: various
Performed by: William Russell, Cyril Smith, Robert Leigh-Hunt, Robert Scroggins, David Morrell, Derren Nesbitt, Jane Hylton, et al.

The Curse of Capistrano

The Curse of Capistrano by Johnston McCulley is the first story of Señor Zorro, originally appearing in the pulp magazine All-Story Weekly in 1919. It was rapidly adapted to film by Douglas Fairbanks in The Mark of Zorro (1920), which provided the alternate title for its source when it was released as a novel. Zorro is arguably North America's first fictional swashbuckling hero, influenced by both the legends of Robin Hood and The Scarlet Pimpernel (a novel penned by Baroness Emma Orczy in 1905 from the play written by her and her husband, Henry George Mantagu MacLean Barstow in 1903). The novels and movies of Zorro would, in turn, beget an entire genre of adventure fiction from The Shadow to The Green Hornet to Superman and, of course, Batman.

Apart from its profound influence on popular culture, The Curse of Capistrano (or The Mark of Zorro if you prefer) is simply a damned fine romantic adventure story with all of the elements necessary for a good swashbuckling tale. It maintains an elegant balance of the legendary and the human, the melodramatic and the comedic, the daring and the whimsical. The pacing is superb, the characters have substance, and there are moments when one can almost feel the swell of music in one's soul. This is a novel that did not disappoint this lifelong fan of Zorro. I recommend it in friendship to those with the heart of Zorro.

Happy Halloween from Captain Kronos

Image from the film Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter.

How to Create a Swashbuckler in Zorro: The Roleplaying Game

Zorro: The Roleplaying Game, published by Gallant Knight Games in 2020, "gives you all the tools and information you need to experience the swashbuckling, dramatic, and cinematic action of the legends and stories of Zorro!"

The burb on the back cover continues;

Players will be able to work alongside Zorro as part of Zorro's Legion, or even take on the role of the legendary hero! The book is rife with details about Zorro's adventures in Alta California, as well as providing rules to emulate the legendary actions of this masked hero of the people.

Featuring two full adventures, a solo adventure, numerous adventure seeds, 15 templates for characters, character creation, and a full bestiary of foes and animals, this high-paced game is powered by the newest edition of the D6 System from legendary publisher West End Games!

Zorro: The Roleplaying Game offers two ways to create a player character: templates and full customization. In the first method, the player selects a template complete with attributes, equipment, background, and personality. The player provides the character's name and description and distributes 7D (seven six-sided dice) amongst the character's skills. Templates include:

• Faithful Friar/Sister
• Enterprising Local
• Brave Doña/Don
• Brash Soldado
• Sniveling Don/Doña
• Sneaky Sister/Friar
• Thieving Scum
• Rabble-Rousing Rebel
• Clever Horse-Trainer
• Nervous Bandit
• Scheming Scholar
• Stalwart Doctor
• Military Maestro
• Experienced Cavalier
• Charming Musician

Creating a customized character involves more steps, but is a simple process. Distribute 12D amongst the five attributes. No attribute may be lower than 1D nor higher than 4D. Distribute 7D amongst the character's skills. No skill may be higher than 2D. Defense numbers are then calculated: Dodge equals Perception x 5; Parry equals Agility x 5. Name the character, describe the character, compose a brief background, and select equipment.

Both methods are equally valid, but for the purpose of this article I shall choose full customization.

Compadres, please meet my first character for Zorro: The Roleplaying Game:

Name: Gustavo Lobo

Idealistic Poet

Agility 3D
      Melee 1D
Brawn 2D
Knowledge 3D
      Languages 1D
      Scholar 1D
Perception 2D
      Driving/Riding/Piloting 1D
      Investigation 1D
Charm 2D
      Persuasion 1D
      Willpower 1D

Dodge 10
Parry 15

Languages: Spanish, Nahuatl

Equipment: Fancy clothes, journal, sword, 100 dinero

Background: Gustavo Lobo is the son of a don and doña. He was educated in Spain where he acquired a love of literature, philosophy, and duelling. Upon his return to the New World, he embarked on a journey across Mexico where he learned the language and some of the surviving literature of the Aztecs. Equally motivated by art and justice, he has devoted himself to fighting oppression, preserving culture, and inspiring others.

Appearance: He is a man in his twenties with lively eyes and dark hair (already tinged with gray) that tends to flare out at the sides like a flame. He is of medium build and average height with broad shoulders.

Zorro: The Roleplaying Game has an intuitive, streamlined approach to character creation and an action resolution system to match. The skill system is focused on the likely activities of swashbuckling heroes and their enemies, which prevents the rules from being ungainly. I think it's a well-executed refinement of the D6 System, and I hope they use it to good advantage in adapting other swashbuckling genres. I can't wait to run this game.

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

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

'Tis International Talk Like a Pirate Day, which I nearly missed on account of being marooned on this metaphorical desert isle where nary a message of piratical origins has reached this wretched soul for longer than I can recollect. When have I last crossed cutlasses, fired a cannon, or buried any treasure? I cannot say, but it has been far too long, arr, far too long. I hope this message, tucked in an empty rum bottle, finds ye well, and I well hope ye can find me here whilst I'm still amongst the living and not a pile of sun-bleached bones.

Flashing Blades Overview Over There

I am always happy to find others writing about swashbuckling role-playing games, so I would like to direct my readers to [Obscure Games] Flashing Blades, an overview of Flashing Blades in The Ongoing Campaign by faoladh.

The Sign of Zorro (1958) Somewhat Reviewed

Before I watched The Sign of Zorro (1958), I knew there had been a Zorro television show starring the same actor, Guy Williams. The show, which first aired in 1957, was one of my mother's favorites, and although I have not yet had the pleasure of watching it, I was grateful that I could at least watch this movie. I found the movie exceedingly entertaining, but I began to notice that it seemed like two or more movies had been fused together, much like a re-edited serial. Sure enough, I learned afterward that it had been re-edited from eight different episodes of Zorro. As much as it pleases me to have found a way to enjoy the television show in some capacity, it saddens me that I currently have no means of watching the show itself in its entirety, and any review of The Sign of Zorro is less a complete review of a movie than an incomplete review of the series.

Nonetheless, I will say this much about The Sign of Zorro and whatever I can glean from Zorro: It is a far more thoughtful, exciting, and humorous adaptation than I expected, and Guy Williams was superb at imbuing his portrayal with subtlety and complexity. His Zorro is genuinely interesting and not a mere cliché.

If Zorro is ever made available again in any format (preferably Blu-ray), I will happily watch it and report my findings here in Theoretical Swashbuckling. In the meantime, The Sign of Zorro, currently available on Disney+, is a delight for any fan of Zorro.

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

Overall Rating: Good
Swashbuckling Rank: Great

Written by: Norman Foster, Lowell S. Hawley, Bob Wehling, John Meredyth Lucas, and Ian Hay (uncredited)
Based on: The Curse of Capistrano by Johnston McCulley
Directed by: Lewis R. Foster and Norman Foster
Performed by: Guy Williams, Gene Sheldon, Henry Calvin, George J. Lewis, et al.

The Legend of Zorro (2005) Reviewed

The Legend of Zorro (2005) is another example of the sequel that ought never to have been made. I ought to enjoy writing a review that eviscerates a film so deserving of it, for bad reviews are invariably more enjoyable both to write and to read, but in this case, I am merely tired. I am tired of seeing capable actors lowering themselves to reciting lines as if they were bored [redacted]. I am tired of screenplays that are nothing more than toothpick sculptures built to support a few over-budgeted stunts and script-doctored catch phrases with a bit of family-safe sentimental tinsel draped over it. I am also tired of unconvincing and uninteresting villains, which is a flaw that was present in its predecessor, The Mask of Zorro (1998), but which is even more egregious in this film. Without going into painful, fruitless detail, I will merely state that this is a disappointing and yawn-inducing film that seems better suited for the small screen with commercial interruptions, extended snack breaks, and serving as background noise as one makes unnecessary telephone calls or works on a crossword puzzle. If my attention had been more profitably engaged in such activities, I might not have detested this film quite as much.

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

Overall Rating: Mediocre
Swashbuckling Rank: Mediocre


[Originally posted in Cuparius.com on 21 August 2006.]


Addendum

Written by: Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman
Story by: Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, Ted Elliott, and Terry Rossio
Based on: The Curse of Capistrano by Johnston McCulley
Directed by: Martin Campbell
Performed by: Antonio Banderas, Catherine Zeta-Jones, et al.

The Mask of Zorro (1998) Reviewed

The Mask of Zorro from 1998 could almost have been entitled, The Unofficially Adopted Son of Zorro. It doesn't quite have the same ring, but that is essentially what it is. Anthony Hopkins plays Don Diego this time, carrying out what he believes will be his last adventure as Zorro, hero to the people. Without giving away too much of the plot, the film eventually jumps ahead in time, and we get to see the training of the Zorro who will replace him, Alejandro Murietta, played by Antonio Banderas.

Hopkins and Banderas are both quite good as the two Zorros. Their characters have greater weight than those in earlier Zorro films, and although stunt doubles undoubtedly performed the more difficult stunts, they convey a convincing air of capability and confidence. As with earlier incarnations, there is a sufficient amount of humor and plenty of exciting swordplay. The training of the younger Zorro, in particular, provides some of the most memorable dialogue and action of the entire film.

I referred to Banderas' character as the "unofficially adopted son" of Zorro, since he becomes Don Diego's pupil, but in this film Don Diego actually has a daughter, Elena, played by Catherine Zeta-Jones. Elena is a challenging love interest for Alejandro, as she believes she is the daughter of Don Rafael Montero, Zorro's archenemy (played by Stuart Wilson). Zeta-Jones is an excellent choice for the role, and this time the leading lady knows how wield a sword, which is a pleasing change of pace.

The downside is that the villains are not as interesting as the heroes, and that's a pity. There is no one with the intensity and aura of danger that Basil Rathbone possessed in The Mark of Zorro (1940). There isn't even a villain with the comic relief factor. No, the villains are boring, and that is the major flaw of the film. As a consequence, its action-packed climax is rather tedious, clichéd, and fails to live up to the expectations raised by its beginning and middle. It is the weakness of the villains that makes this a lopsided film — a good film, but nonetheless lopsided.

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

Overall Rating: Good
Swashbuckling Rank: Great


[Originally posted in Cuparius.com on 5 August 2006.]


Addendum

Written by: Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio
Based on: The Curse of Capistrano by Johnston McCulley
Directed by: Martin Campbell
Performed by: Antonio Banderas, Anthony Hopkins, Catherine Zeta-Jones, et al.

The Mark of Zorro (1940) Reviewed

The Mark of Zorro from 1940 probably has the best fencing scenes of any Zorro film before or since. With Tyrone Power as Don Diego Vega/Zorro, and Basil Rathbone as the film's leading villain, Captain Esteban Pasquale, this should come as no surprise, as they constituted two-thirds of the trinity of Hollywood's greatest swordsmen at the time (Errol Flynn being the third). The climactic scene of the film is a breathtaking display of swordsmanship and drama as the two enemies duel, and it stands as one of the greatest single scenes in the history of swashbuckling films. In the tradition of its greatest forebearers, stunt doubles were neither used nor required in the fencing scenes.

In some ways, the film is standard Hollywood fare, although not offensively so. It manages to be inventive and spirited, despite a reliance on certain predictable conventions. Eugene Pallette, playing Fray Felipe, unfortunately reprises his role as Friar Tuck from 1938's The Adventures of Robin Hood, which is perhaps the worst of the film's imperfections. J. Edward Bromberg's portrayal of the corrupt Don Luis Quintero, the despotic Alcalde, is a bit on the clownish side, but manages to be adequate.

The romantic scenes are a great improvement over the film's silent predecessor, with Linda Darnell giving a fine performance as Lolita Quintero; the stunts are impressive without being over-the-top; and the banter is witty, but not distractingly so. All in all, it is an excellent bit of escapism, and the fencing is unforgettable.

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

Overall Rating: Good
Swashbuckling Rank: Great


[Originally posted in Cuparius.com on 5 August 2006.]


Addendum

Written by: John Taintor Foote, Garrett Fort, and Bess Meredyth
Based on: The Curse of Capistrano by Johnston McCulley
Directed by: Rouben Mamoulian
Performed by: Tyrone Power, Basil Rathbone, Linda Darnell, et al.