User reviews

i have this movie in my home library, both as a purchased film and having taped from amc. the fencing sequences are some of the best on film. i do not think enough has been said of robert douglass. his fencing skills must have been superb since he fought with all of the best duelists in hollywood, errol flynn, cornel wilde,burt lancaster to name a few. all good leading men need a bad guy, and r.d. was very good at being bad.

"At Sword's Point" contains homages to "The Three Musketeers" and some common conventions for such films. Placed in 1648, it starts with Queen Anne of France (Gladys Cooper) worried about threats to her throne and her son's succession to the throne. The Duc de Lavalle (Robert Douglas) is stirring up the nobles, who are circling like sharks. The queen has hidden her young son in a monastery to keep him safe from Lavalle. Since Lavalle is unable to find the prince, he resorts to plan B: he will marry Princess Henriette (Nancy Gates). But Henriette despises him and the queen resists all threats. She attempts to contact Spain for assistance, but all her messengers are killed en route by Lavalle. Time is of the essence, because the queen is sick.

She decides to reach out to her trustworthy four musketeers from the past: Athos, Aramis, Porthos and D'Artagnan. If you have not seen "The Three Musketeers" (1935), you should probably watch that film first. By now the musketeers are older men. Each sends his son in his place, except Athos who sends his daughter Claire (Maureen O'Hara), a fine swordswoman.

This story is full of intrigue, swordplay and clever twists, even if it departs from history. Nods to "The Three Musketeers" include the passing of the father's sword to the son. Also, when the musketeers meet, there is swordplay among them to establish their abilities. (It should be noted that the swordplay and stuntwork in this film is quite good. Maureen O'Hara displays an athleticism that few actresses could match.) Moroni Olsen plays the aged Porthos--the same role he played in the 1935 film.

The film uses the common convention of a woman passing as a man--something that just has to be accepted because there is no way anyone would mistake Maureen O'Hara for a man simply because her hair is under a hat and she is wearing men's breeches.

Shot in Technicolor, this film is a colorful addition to the "Three Musketeers" canon. The acting is solid and the action scenes are worth seeing.

This movie is one of my all time favorites! Swashbuckling, funny, adventurous and downright silly at times, it is ALWAYS entertaining to watch.

This is the movie that really made me fall for Maureen O'Hara. Red hair, green eyes, and she swordfights better than any man in this movie! What more could you want?

This movie seems to have brought out the true sense of whimsy in all of the cast. Their grins give them away throughout the movie. They were obviously having a blast. And so do we.

Plugging into a familiar franchise, SONS OF THE MUSKETEERS is perhaps most noticeable for Maureen O'Hara's performance as Claire, daughter of Athos, who adopts masculine attire and joins her fellow junior musketeers (Cornel Wilde, Dan O'Herlihy and Alan Hale Jr.) in writing wrongs. All of them know her true identity, but they are happy to play along in sustaining the illusion that she is actually a man, so that they can enjoy the fun of pranks such as the need for all the musketeers to share a bed together, or to take a shower together.

In truth O'Hara does not really make a convincing man, but this doesn't really seem to matter in a Technicolor adventure full of action, sword-fights and stirring music (by Roy Webb). As with many costume pictures made in the early Fifties (notably MGM's IVANHOE), the action unfolds at a brisk pace, leaving viewers little time to notice obvious implausibilities such as the musketeers speaking in a variety of accents ranging from Hollywood English to broad Nebraska. The supporting cast contains a smattering of Brits - to lend classical "authenticity" including Gladys Cooper (delivering her lines in stentorian tones reminiscent of Queen Victoria), and (in an uncredited role) Holmes Herbert, who for decades made a habit of playing butlers, lords, and miscellaneous nobles, his cut-glass British accent (honed in the theater of the early Twenties) contrasting with the panoply of other speaking voices on offer.

SONS OF THE MUSKETEERS tells a familiar tale, but it does so in a highly breezy and entertaining manner.

Fast paced actioner. Its been a long time since I saw it. I might look at it again sometime. Then again, i might not.

The year is 1648. Cardinal Richelieu is dead. France is falling apart. Aged Queen Anne (Gladys Cooper) is struggling against Duc de Lavalle (Robert Douglas) who is secretly killing her supporters. Her son is in hiding and Lavalle is looking to take control of him. Queen Anne summons the sons of the original Musketeers; D'Artagnan Jr. (Cornel Wilde), Aramis Jr. (Dan O'Herlihy), and Porthos Jr. (Alan Hale Jr.). They are joined by Claire (Maureen O'Hara), daughter of Athos, who can fight as well as most men.

I really hate this title. They should call this Sons of the Musketeers or just Sons of Musketeers. That's the IP. I guess Cornel Wilde is the supposed lead, but Maureen O'Hara is the standout. She has the much better character and has some fun in the first half. The movie needs to make her the star although a woman fighter may not be a good idea back in the 50's. The three guys should be imprisoned and she can come to their rescue. Despite being rather short, the movie is a bit messy.

Sons of the Musketeers is set in France with the elderly French Queen worried about threats to her throne and her son's succession to the throne from the Duc de Lavalle sends out for a call for help from the Musketeers who helped her out many years ago.

The now elderly musketeers send their sons. Athos who sends his daughter Claire (Maureen O'Hara) herself a fine swords-woman who comes in disguised as a man.

The story has plenty of intrigue, backstabbing and swordplay. There is some knockabout comedy such as the sleeping arrangements for the Musketeers junior before Claire does her reveal.

There is plenty of cut and thrust and some nifty stunt work. Even Maureen O'Hara is good with the sword and looks ravishing with her long leathers boots on and full on Technicolour.

The film is not too long but there is still too much sword fighting against overwhelming odds before the musketeers give up, escape, fight against overwhelming odds and Lavalle always seems to have the upper hand until the conclusion of the film. It does look like padding to a flimsy story.

Usually when films are held up like At Sword's Point are for two years that usually means they're stinkers. I've certainly seen better in the swashbuckling genre. My own opinion is that for whatever reason it was held up RKO decided it might have been to take advantage of the leads being out in big mega hits in 1952, Cornel Wilde in The Greatest Show On Earth and Maureen O'Hara in The Quiet Man.

At Sword's Point shows France in the years of Louis XIV's minority having some big trouble. It certainly had its problems in those years, but the realm was led by a most capable regent in Cardinal Mazarin and the Queen Mother Anne Of Austria. Mazarin's role has been completely eliminated and Louis has a sister instead of a brother.

Anne who is dying of a weak heart is being pressured by the grasping and fictional Duc DeLavalle played by Robert Douglas to marry princess Nancy Gates and steal the throne. The Queen Mother is played proudly and regally by Gladys Cooper.

Cooper wishes those guys who saved her bacon back in the day were still around. Well Athos, Porthos, Aramis, and D'Artagnan may not be, but their kids have all been taught the Musketeer fighting skills and it's time for a new generation of Musketeers to battle for the honor of the throne.

The kids are Cornel Wilde as D'Artagnan, Alan Hale,Jr. as Porthos, Dan O'Herlihy as young Aramis and Athos was blessed with a daughter in Maureen O'Hara who keeps up with the boys in terms of fighting skills.

One hopes that some kid studying French history doesn't take a short cut and watch this film to learn about France in 1650s. But as a swashbuckler it's not a bad film with heroes and villains cut from some whole cloth. The original Three Musketeers certainly had characters far more complex than these.

And hopefully RKO got its money's worth with At Sword's Point in the wake of The Quiet Man and The Greatest Show On Earth.

Is "At Sword's Point," a great adventure film?

Well, perhaps not. But it is a great spoof of adventure, and, as a piece of entertainment, it needs no defending.

The sons of the three musketeers rally round their aging Queen of France (Gladys Cooper) to prevent her daughter's marriage to the ambitious Duc De Lavalle (Robert Douglas) and to protect the throne of Young Louis XIV (Peter Miles) from the villainous nobleman...

Caught between beautiful sets, fancy costumes and clashing swords, our reddish-brown haired heroine (Maureen O'Hara) - as Claire, the daughter of Athos, who joins the offspring of the other musketeers - found enough opportunity for romance with the handsome and dynamic Cornel Wilde (expert fencer as D'Artagnan). Maureen's proficiency with the sword gets our attention but not her ability to manage the soft dialogue...

The supporting cast - the tall, distinguished looking Dan O'Herlihy as Aramis & Alan Hales Jr. as Porthos - add a major assets to the picture, photographed in vivid Technicolor...

A hilarious duel climaxes this likable swashbuckling adventure...

This is truly an excellent swashbuckling adventure starring Muareen O'Hara and Cornel Wilde. There are lots of impressive sword fights. Maureen o'Hara is gorgeous funny and fights excellently with a sword. As well as sword fights there is lots of humour and wit in the film. The film centres around the sons and daughter of the musketeers. They must assist queen Anne in her fight against Lavalle.

I recommend this to anyone who is a fan of the three musketeers from 1948 film starring Gene Kelly and Lana Turner. Heaps of fun 10/10 glad they are releasing this on warner archives DVD.

Chris

It was awhile ago that I say this movie. I've been trying to find some place to acquire it for my home library. I think this was a great movie. Extremely well done. I'd recommend it to anyone.

It's set in seventeenth-century France, when the sons of those bold musketeers Porthos, Aramis, and D'Artagnan, and the daughter of Athos, prove that their loyalty is as firmly rooted as that of their fathers in Dumas's immortal story by attempting to save the imperilled throne of France by thwarting the evil schemes of the ruthless Duc de Lavalle.

At Sword's point - or the son of the Musketeers- is a fast-paced, colourful adventure full of swordplay,humour - there's a keen sense of breeziness displayed throughout with nary a dull moment. There's an infectious sense of a feel-good factor. The swordplay is well-staged, and Cornel Wilde comes out best with his fencing display. He was a champion fencer with the U. S. Olympic fencing team and it's certainly evident here. Robert Douglas provides the villainy and he performs effortlessly. Maureen O' Hara is beautiful and strong-minded as ever. The climax fight between Wilde and Douglas is a showstopper.

As a French, I have always been amazed by the fact that the Hollywood industry was so much inspired from French novels, myths and legends, French history as weel. Amazed and please too. This movie reminds me my childhood, no matter the factual mistakes, history mistakes. It is colorful, fast paced, beautifully made and acted. Cornel Wilde is excellent in this role. Errol Flynn could have made it too.

This movie was (very) vaguely inspired by the fourth part of Dumas ' novel " Le Vicomte De Bragelonne", which mostly dealt with the young Sun King.

For a French ,it's absolutely impossible to take the historical context seriously : it's true that there was trouble all over the land ,caused by the nobles who challenged the king's absolute power : it was called "La Fronde" :it's true that the young King had to escape from Paris and to take refuge in Fontainebleau .In 1648,however,the queen mother ,Anne D'autriche , was not dying : she did not have a heart condition and she died in 1666 of breast cancer.During her regence,she had strong support from her minister Mazarin (not mentioned here,as an user has already pointed out),who,in the wake of Richelieu, ruled the country and paved a reliable way for the absolute monarchy (which began when he died in 1661).And Anne D'Autriche had no daughter but two sons ,Louis and Philippe : the latter was gay.

Let's forget history .Lewis Allen's swashbuckler has plenty of go ,and Cornell Wilde and majestic Maureen O'Hara make an attractive pairing ; the villain ,the ambitious Duc De La Valle ,a fictious character ,could be one of those rebellious aristocrats (the own king's uncle ,Gaston D'Orléans, was part of the Fronde); As the three/four musketeers were getting old, it was only natural to replace them by their sons ;but the best idea is to introduce a girl (Athos' s daughter) Not only Miss O'Hara wields the sword with gusto (she was carefully taught;see her first appearance) but she proved herself more than useful than a man: a beautiful woman can replace a princess, turn into a servant and seduce a roughneck soldier (the scene when she is told off by her would be husband and lovers is much fun to watch).The screenplay is action-packed , the colors are superb , the film is rather short so there's never a dull moment.

A voice over warns us when the movie begins : this is what could have happened in France............ if fate had not decided otherwise.Well ,decidedly implausible ,but a good entertainment is guaranteed for all.