This is a fun combination of sword-play, love stories, stage performances and filled with villainy and heroism. Under the reign of Louis XIII, in Gascogne, the last descendant of a noble and ruined family, the Baron de Sigognac (Jean Marais), is bored in his ruined castle where he lives with his servant Pierre. The tired Baron Philippe de Sigognac, meets one day a troupe of traveling actors (Sacha Pitoëff , Philippe Noiret, Geneviève Grad, Louis de Funès..) and join them . One day some wandering comedians knock on his door and ask for shelter for that night. Attracted by Isabelle (Geneviève Grad), and by the enthusiasm of his acting companions, he leaves his aristocratic life to the theatrical adventure. Along the way, Marais has to confront an evil man, Duc de Vallombreuse (Gérard Barray), who has also set his sights on Isabelle and even kidnaps her.
A delightful naive adventure, as the film is fairly entertaining and, as can be expected from a grade-A French production of the sixties, handsomely mounted but it mainly survives nowadays on its high quotient of nostalgia. Captain Fracassa is a rousing, moving, stirring tale, above average , and adding action as well as thrills with a great sense of wonder, including attractive scenarios. It is an amusing Swashbuckler with plenty of action , thrills , colorful cinematography by cameraman Marcel Grignon , wonderful camera work , luxurious costumes , catching score; all meld together under Pierre Gaspard-Huit 's competent direction . Although the story has been told before, tight filmmaking and splendid acting win out. The picture is fast-moving , exciting and thrilling right up with climatic final confrontation between good guys and bad guys. Highlighting the continuous confrontations between Jeana Marais and Gérard Barray, the latter was a notorious swordsman too. Based on the novel by Theophile Gautier, which had already been screened seven times before. Then filmmaker Pierre Gaspard decided to create his own adaptation of this classic adventure novel. For this, Pierre decided to give the main role to the French actor who became known in the film Beauty and the Beast (1946) directed by his lover Jean Cocteau. As Jean Marais is nice as a friendly Baron who after meeting some stage actors joins the troupe and that's why he decides to leave his castle. Enjoyable acting acting by Jean Marais , he gives a charming acting and manages to use his fists, swords and to do some acrobatics . Marais was a prestigious actor being special relevancy his relation to Jean Cocteau, as they remained close friends until Cocteau's death. Cocteau had a major influence on life and career of Jean Marais who appeared in almost every one of Cocteau's films. Together they made such classics as Beauty and the Beast (1946) , Orfeo (1950) and testament of Orfeo (1960) , to name a few . This was not the actor's first foray into swashbuckling cinema, as he had played in "The Intrepid Latour" (1959), or The Count of Montecristo (1954). He also starred several adventure movies mostly directed by Andre Hunebelle such as 1962 Mysteries of Paris , 1961 The miracle of the wolves , 1960 The captain and 1959 The hunchback . During the 1960s and 1970s, Marais went on to star in several popular comedies, such as the Fantomas (1964) trilogy -along with Louis de Funes- by director André Hunebelle . Lavish spectacle and good casting overcomes the somewhat sluggish storytelling that combines a number of familiar faces. Main cast is franky excellent as well as the support cast with full of prestigious French and Italian actors, such as: Anna Maria Ferrero, Riccardo Garrone, Danielle Godet, Sacha Pitoëff, Philippe Noiret, Jean Rochefort and Louis de Funès
It is worth highlighting the soundtrack by Georges Van Parys, responsible for the scores of important films, such as "Paris, Underworld", Fanfan the invincible¨ ¨The golden age¨ or ¨Diabolique¨. This French spectacle was compellingly directed by Pierre Gaspard-Huit (Les lavandières du Portugal, Gibraltar, Amoríos , Sophie et le crime , Little B. B.). In any case, this satisfactory viewing has brought back fond childhood memories of similar costume pictures and has certainly whetted my appetite for more.
