Le chevalier de Pardaillan

The swashbucklers were THE genre in the late fifties/early sixties France.While the intellectuals were discovering the nouvelle vague,the kids we were had much fun with those harmless stories of dashing knights,damsels in distress and villains aplenty.

"Le chevalier de Pardaillan" was adapted from Michel Zevaco's series of books which take place during the wars of religion in the second half of the sixteenth century.As Jean Marais was probably not available,Bernard Borderie hired Gerard Barray as the hero and his choice was good cause he had everything that made a courageous Gascon.Italian beauty Gianna Maria Canale was the traitor while very earnest thespian Jean Topart was cast as the duke de Guise .

Borderie was to make a sequel "Hardi Pardaillan" ,and then ditched his hero for a more lucrative heroine Angelique whose adventures spread over five movies.