El espadachín

William Snyder was the cameraman on this Scottish swashbuckler with the clever framing eye of B director Joseph H Lewis (Gun Crazy) at the helm and the use of rich Technicolor. The result offers some of the most beautiful exterior footage ever filmed, with California mountains filling in for Scotland.Several striking moments: A full busted Ellen Drew introduced in her coach, and later her saddled on a horse just before riding to meet her lover. Though the American actors put on phony accents, the visual charms in this little programmer overcome any such quibbles.

Joseph H lewis was mostly known for his masterpiece GUN CRAZY and several westerns, plus SO DARK THE NIGHT, another gem. This swashbuckler is often forgotten but is far better, if not one of the best from Columbia Pictures, which was a specialist for this kind of films, with nearly - if not always - every time George Mc Ready as the unavoidable villain. The future black listed Larry Parks gives here one of his best performances; he was very good in this kind of stuff. Yes, Joseph H Lewis, for whom it is not the speciality, it is a success in terms of quality. Adventure, romance, action, splendid settings and photography.

It's 1948. Three years after WW2. The American public has not yet been drawn to the glass nipple of TV. Costume dramas do great at the box office. Larry Parks is a few years away from his blacklisting and character assassination and stars in a Scottish swash buckler with lots of swash. It's fun and entertaining. A story with clan wars, colorful kilts and lots of swordplay. Parks was no Flynn, mind you and we probably wouldn't even know him but for his Jolson roles, but this film was great entertainment. What else could you get for $.32, which was what a ticket cost for a kid in 1948. Parks was married to Betty Garrett of musical fame and the Leverne and Shirley TV comedy. It should be mentioned that she stuck by Parks all through those dark years and cared for him while he was dying of a chronic heart condition. No video, at this writing, but if it shows up on the late show, check it out.

This equals the best of all those Errol Flynn and de Havilland romantic films of spectacularly romantic settings, and although the actors are none of the dominating Hollywood film stars, they do well enough, and James Macready as the villain never played more dirty. The main asset of the film is not the plot or the actors but the overwhelmingly marvellous outdoor scenery mainly with horses racing through one of the most beautiful landscapes ever displayed on film. Larry Parks is dashing enough, and Ellen Drew actually cuts a lovelier figure than de Havilland, while Ray Collins as an old fighter and Edgar Buchanan as an old die-hard also grace the film. Hugo Friedhofer's music finishes the touch of a magnificent entertainment all the way through, a feast for the eyes and a delight for the romantic mind.

Revisiting this swashbuckler Columbia picture from far off 1948 bringing good memories of this forgotten genre, despite the leading character Larry Parks hasn't any dexterity with blade as well as his main opponent the stereotyped villain George Macready, so it brought many damages for the movie reputation, the plot is rather commonplace in 18th century at Scottland two opposite clans the Glowan & MacArden in a long feuding, a sort of Romeo & Juliet affair, in other hand Ellen Drew fulfills the required attribute to play the leading lady somewhat makes up for a change.

To enhance the preposition the screenwriter Wilfrid H. Pettitt inserts some colorful characters on humor oriented as the priceless wary Angus (Edgar Buchanan) and the boozer old Andrew (Billy Bevan) living in lonesome shack on the woods to appease the menacing atmosphere between opposing clans, the producers pick up on California a similar valley to portrait the old Scottish to built up a front of old fortress from Middle Ages for emulate a perfect scenario.

As said above the weak point were those fake sword fighting, some using stunts fighter along the movie, it undermines deeply the offering, the final showdown is another far-fetched outcome, too much brainless and unreasonable break up a prearranged peace settled in few days ago, anyway the movies survives, I've find a restored colorful print available at all-weather friend Youtube, worthwhile a look for nostalgic reasons!!

Thanks for reading.

Resume:

First watch: 1995 / How many: 2 / Source: TV-Youtube / Rating: 6.25.