In my opinion, anyway. Others will come up with other great movie sword fights. From “The Mark Of Zorro (1940)”, this shows skill with no over the top gymnastics like in the modern Antonio Banderas version (which I thought was pretty good). Movies now feel they have to go to the extreme to keep people’s attention. I think Rathbone was already a good fencer, don’t know about Tyrone Power who is excellent here.

Zorro 1935 - Tyrone Power & Basil Rathbone [final duel] - YouTube

I haven't seen the movie so I can't comment on it as a whole, but this clip popped up in my YouTube feed some time ago and I thought it was really well done.

Of that era, Basil Rathbone and Errol Flynn were probably the best swordsman, both trained in classic theater exercises. Basil was most often the bad guy and Errol the good guy. Any swashbuckler movie with Errol Flynn from Robin Hood to Captain Blood is going to have a spectacular sword fight.

I love the candle gag!

__________________
Rule of law, not a man.

Old movies use good plots and good acting. Now it's all computer-generated special effects and so-so acting in a rehash of an old movie.

I checked if Tyrone Power ever fenced before this film and it said he did have training in it back in his theater days. Basil Rathbone said of him in Zorro, “Power was the most agile man I’ve ever faced before the camera.”. This guy addresses those who said a stand in for Power was used in most of the Zorro fight.

The Power Defense by matthew c. hoffman | Crossed Swords

I don't think we can talk about movie sword fights without this classic:

The high-water mark.

__________________
Music/Sports/Beer fan

Runner up.

__________________
Music/Sports/Beer fan

Basil Rathbone was a serious competitive fencer and Tyrone Power had fencing experience of his own, so their collective experience went beyond mere theatrical swordplay. Back in the bronze age, I was an Olympic hopeful with the sabre and a fight choreographer in the theatre, so I always appreciated this Zorro scene.

Rathbone hated working with Errol Flynn on The Adventures of Robin Hood. Flynn never showed up for rehearsal on time and hardly ever showed up for fight practice at all. When he did he was usually drunk. Flynn relied solely on his athletic ability to carry him through the scene and Rathbone wasn't at all impressed.

Other good ones are Richard Lesters Three Musketeers and Four Musketeers from the 70's. William Hobbs was the leading fight director of the era and those are some of his best work. Hobbs also choreographed The Duelists, mentioned upthread, an excellent movie.

Wyatt,

Anything you post I have to like. Appreciate all your posts. Great holsters too.

__________________
Rather be outdoors

I read that Basil Rathbone was the fencing champion of the British Army during WWI. I think he was the greatest movie villain ever.

__________________
6/23/2022

He was great as Sherlock Holmes.

Working as a lonely motel night auditor during college (back when everything was paper and TV was what you could get on your antenna), he & Nigel Bruce kept me company as I posted charges at 1:00 AM.

I love Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce. To me, they are Holmes and Watson. I know some purists are not happy with Watson being a bit of a bumbler in this version, but he is unquestionably brave and very loyal to Holmes.

As for swordfights, I agree the Power/Rathbone is the best ever filmed.

I do enjoy this one from Rob Roy. Tim Roth's character is a nasty little fop and rapist, but he can swing that sword. I also like how they are both breathing like race horses at the end.

__________________
Rule of law, not a man.

Douglas Fairbanks sr, and his son Douglas Fairbanks jr, both accomplished swordsmen.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wyatt Burp In my opinion, anyway. Others will come up with other great movie sword fights. From “The Mark Of Zorro (1940)”, this shows skill with no over the top gymnastics like in the modern Antonio Banderas version (which I thought was pretty good). Movies now feel they have to go to the extreme to keep people’s attention. I think Rathbone was already a good fencer, don’t know about Tyrone Power who is excellent here. Zorro 1935 - Tyrone Power & Basil Rathbone [final duel] - YouTube

Was not this movie released in 1940?

Okay, to rebuttal. If we are discussing motion picture sword duels as complex dances, perhaps the sword duel between André Moreau and the Marquis de Maynes in 1952's "Scaramouche" was superior.

If we are discussing a sword fight not a sword duel, the nastiest, most vicious fight, complete with Foley sound of steel on steel rather than less realistic sound of duralumin that does not ring on impacts, occurs near the beginning of 1990's "Treasure Island." (This is far and away the movie version closest to the novel.) Billy Bones and Black Dog fight in the Admiral Benbow Inn. I find it difficult to accept that no one was injured.

Growing up, we had to watch this movie anytime it was on. My mom was a big Tyrone Power fan. That candle cutting scene was always a favorite.
We got the New York stations where I grew up. 2 channels, WPIX and WNEW played alot of old movies. My mom was reliving her childhood, and we grew up watching the great old black and white classics from the 30's and 40's.

Basil Rathbone supposedly said that Tyrone Power could fence Erroll Flynn into a shoe box.

As for Indiana Jones, shows the result of bringing a knife to a gun fight.

The actor paying the Arab swordsman was Terry Richards, who died in 2014. According to the Wikipedia article:
Richards' BBC obit and article here.
From that article:

That's interesting because I'd always heard that scene was improvised. The story I've heard was that because of Ford's illness, during a take he took out his gun and shot it instead of engaging in the fight scene. Richards wasn't expecting it, but went with it and collapsed like he'd been shot.