If you’re a fan of sword-fighting action, Scaramouche is just the sort of film that can be counted on to hold your attention from the beginning to the moment when the credits roll. Released in 1952, the Stewart Granger-led period piece is easily one of the most underappreciated films in the genre.

When it comes to the subject of the greatest sword fights in movie history, Scaramouche is a very under-the-radar movie, and obviously doesn’t have the name recognition of more recent genre favorites, such as the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise or The Princess Bride.

It’s also overshadowed by many of the swashbuckler adventure movies from its own era, such as the films of Tyrone Power and Errol Flynn. However, Scaramouche is not a movie to be overlooked; its action sequences are among the most spectacular sword fights ever put to the big screen.

Scaramouche Is A Sword-Fighting Revenge Movie That Mixes Action And Comedy Surprisingly Well

Set in 18th-century France, Scaramouche is a 1952 swashbuckler movie that stars Stewart Granger as Andre Moreau, a smooth-talking ne’er-do-well whose best friend is killed in a sword duel at the beginning of the movie over a supposedly treasonous pamphlet he authored.

Scaramouche instantly makes Andre the type of unlikely hero you can root for, showing him try and fail in almost humiliating fashion as he tries to avenge his friend in combat. But he’s quickly shown to be no match for his opponent, an arrogant French officer and an expert in fencing, the Marquis de Mayne.

His crushing defeat and the death of his friend set the stage for Andre to go on a difficult journey where he must acquire the skills needed to beat Scaramouche’s villain in a fair fight. Over the course of the story, he and his rival have multiple run-ins, but their final showdown is reserved for the ending.

Considering that Scaramouche spends nearly the whole film building up to their fight, there was naturally a risk of the story becoming stale or dragging out too long, but the movie cleverly avoids that. After all, it becomes apparent early that lacking the necessary training to defeat the Marquis isn’t the only obstacle standing in his way.

There’s also the matter of Andre’s two love interests, who scheme to keep the two enemies from crossing paths. This lends itself well to the movie’s occasional shifts toward a fun, comedic tone. As a revenge film, humor may seem out of place in Scaramouche, but it balances the serious nature of Andre’s goal and humor perfectly, smartly pushing aside all traces of comedy when Andre’s hated rival enters his crosshairs.

Scaramouche Has An Impressive Total Of Seven Sword Fights

Through humorous interactions with his two love interests, various encounters between the hero and the villain sprinkled throughout the story, and a few surprising turns of events, Scaramouche never struggles to entertain during the lead-up to the inevitable duel, and instead succeeds in building up excitement for it.

The sheer number of sword fights is one of the ways in which Scaramouche maintains a consistent level of entertainment. Over the course of the story, it offers seven sword duels, each being distinct in one way or another. But certain interruptions prevent any of the fights between the Marquis and Andre from having a definitive conclusion – until the final battle, of course.

The amount of fighting and choreography that went into this 1952 Hollywood film is incredibly impressive, and was made possible by the casting choices and the level of preparation that went into the action sequences.

Mel Ferrer, the actor who played the Marquis, recalled in a special feature on Scaramouche’s DVD release that his background as a ballet dancer and Granger’s already-developed skills in fencing helped aid the choreography of the fight scenes. Evidently, much time was taken to ensure each battle was beautifully sH๏τ.

Scaramouche’s Ending Has One Of The Best Sword Duels In Movie History

Scaramouche isn’t light on action at all, filling its story with a handful of entertaining sword fights. However, none compares to the one that takes place at the end of the movie when a fully prepared Andre has his long-awaited confrontation with the Marquis de Mayne.

Saving its best for last, Scaramouche wraps up with a perfectly timed sword duel between Andre and the Marquis in a crowded theater. And given the amount of time used to set it up, Scaramouche doesn’t allow its final fight to pᴀss by quickly, instead opting for a thrilling, six-minute sword fight.

At no one does the intensity of the fight let up, as Scaramouche employs a mulтιтude of factors to keep it from being just a standard fencing fight. The two fight all over the theater, enabling Scaramouche to take the fight to the stage, the stairs, the seats, onto the balcony, and even outside the theater.

It doesn’t keep either character glued to the ground either, using a bit of acrobatics to heighten the action even further. All things considered, Scaramouche was way ahead of its time.