At Sword's Point (1952)

I like the storyline of this show,it attract me so much

Don't listen to the Hype. It's awful

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

"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.

Of all the films I saw as a lad this is the one that made the biggest impression, a good old fashioned hero and heroine and a his-sable villain tons of sword fighting a spot of torture (just the thing for a bloodthirsty schoolboy) and the obligatory happy ending.Seeing the film sixty years later it holds up remarkably well. Cornel Wilde was the best swashbuckler of all,far superior to Errol Flynn.Firstly Wilde was an Olympic class fencer and secondly unlike Flynn he kept in fantastic shape.Technicolor could have been made for Maureen O'Hara with her red hair and lovely complexion.Never more than a discreet show of cleavage,she didn't need it.A dab hand with a rapier but no lady when dispatching baddies.Dan O'Herilhy as Aramis Jnr plays the best friend of the hero with a good grace and has a couple of nice scenes as does Alan Hale Jnr as Porthos Jnr.The scene where he goes berserk in the torture chamber is a highlight,it certainly made a big impression on me as a ten year old.Robert Douglas specialised in villains.Here as the Duc de la Valle he is on top form as a thoroughly nasty piece of work.Like Basil Rathbone he was a world class fencer but on screen they never won a sword fight.Rathbone was even defeated by a hypnotised Danny Kaye in The Court Jester.Gladys Cooper as Queen Anne adds a touch of class.The rest of the cast fit in nicely.As for the plot La Valle wants the throne of France by marrying the Queen's daughter and bumping off the boy King.The sons of the Musketeers ride to the rescue.A scene from The Rogues of Sherwood Forest is inserted into the action,perhaps Robin Hood and his merry men are helping out.It is not meant to be taken too seriously,sit back and enjoy,what more could you ask for,superb fencing scenes,Wilde and Douglas's climatic duel is a humdinger.A spot of torture with Wilde being branded with a hot iron but never mind he gets Maureen at the end as compensation.Villains thwarted wrongs righted and all in glorious Technicolor.A quick word of praise for the director Lewis Allen for making a potential sows ear into a silk purse and all on a budget that wouldn't pay Errol Flynn's bar bill.A wonderful wonderful film,10 out of 10,OK?

At first I was a little wary of watching this, after seeing Miss O'Hara in some clunkers like Forbidden Street, The Black Swan, and Sentimental Journey. But I was pleasantly surprised by its tongue-in-check attitude and the naturalness to it given by its capable stars, in this continuing saga of the three (or four) musketeers' children grown up to defend their country and queen. Gladys Cooper is great as the Queen and gives the film some regard it may not have without such a good actress. And, Robert Douglas is excellent as a duke (our villain) who wants to ascend to the throne by marrying the Queen's daughter and getting rid of others in his way. While I never gave Cornel Wilde much consideration before, he was quite good, and much of the film's dialogue was good without being corny. One line I really appreciated was when Maureen says in response to a man who doesn't fight or duel with a lady that "when I fight, I'm no lady." If you want a good old-fashioned b-picture that gives its heart to a Dumas classic, but really is no classic itself compared to Lana Turner and Gene Kelly's "The Three Musketeers," then this short adventure is for you.

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.