Rating: 
Summary: SWORD PLAY AND SWASHBUCKLING - MGM STYLE
Review: "Scaramouche" is the somewhat convoluted tale of a womanizing rogue (Stewart Granger) who courts a gypsy player (Eleanor Parker) but ultimately falls for the purity and grace of a courtesan (Janet Leigh). Mel Ferrer appears as the villain. There's plenty of sword play, excitement and thrills in this lavishly produced spectacle from MGM.
Warner Home Video has given us an adequate transfer on their DVD. Even though no attempt has been made to minimize or clean up the age inherant artifacts that are present throughout, this transfer has held up remarkably well over time. Colors are well saturated, bold, brilliant and, at times, incredibly life like. Often, however, there is an inconsistancy in the color balancing, not even from scene to scene, but shot to shot. The entire image has a decidedly "warm" look to it. Often flesh tones can appear too orange or too pink. Nevertheless, pixelization, edge enhancement, aliasing and shimmering are all absent from this print, making for a smooth visual presentation.
During some of the darker scenes, black levels, though deep and rich, tend to lose fine detail, but once again, for a bare bones restoration effort, the visual quality holds up remarkably well. The audio is mono but nicely balanced.
EXTRAS: Mel Ferrer remembers the making of the film with a nice and rather thorough look back. You also get the film's theatrical trailer.
BOTTOM LINE: I recommend "Scaramouche" as one of the swashbuckling highlights of the 1950's. Though nobody did this sort of picture better than Errol Flynn, Stewart Granger is an ample substitute and the production values associated with the film set it apart from anything seen on the screen - before or since.
Rating:
Summary: SWORD PLAY AND SWASHBUCKLING - MGM STYLE
Review: "Scaramouche" is the somewhat convoluted tale of a womanizing rogue, Andrea Moreau (Stewart Granger) who courts a gypsy player, Lenore (Eleanor Parker) but ultimately falls for the purity and grace of courtesan, Aline de Gavrillac de Bourbon (Janet Leigh). Mel Ferrer appears as the villain, Noel, the Marquis de Maynes. Andrea's heart is set upon revenge after Noel brutally assassinates his best friend in a dual. But the Marquis has powerful friends who attempt to hunt down Andrea. Masquerading as Scaramouche, the bit player of a traveling theatrical troupe, Andrea draws himself nearer to Noel's confidence, all the while falling in love with Aline, who is at first erroneously mistaken to be Andrea's sister. The swashbuckling climaxes with a death-defying dual inside an opera house (actually an MGM set). Both Granger and Ferrer do their own sword play and stunt work, often teetering three stories above the gathered crowd on the edge of their balconies. There's plenty of sword play, excitement and thrills in this lavishly produced spectacle from MGM which, quite frankly, beats most like-minded contemporary fluff by about a mile and a half.
Warner Home Video has given us an adequate transfer. Even though no attempt has been made to minimize or clean up the age related artifacts that are present throughout, this transfer has held up remarkably well over time. Colors are fully saturated, bold and, at times, incredibly life like. However, there is an inconsistency in the color balancing, not even from scene to scene, but shot to shot. The entire image has a decidedly "warm" look to it which is in keeping with the lushness of its original photography, but several scenes suffer from a mis-registration problem that creates ghostly halos. Nevertheless, pixelization, edge enhancement, aliasing and shimmering are all absent, making for a smooth visual presentation. During the darker scenes, black levels, though deep and rich, tend to lose fine detail, but once again, for a bare bones restoration effort, the visual quality holds up remarkably well. The audio is mono but nicely balanced.
Extras include Mel Ferrer recollecting the making of the film. You also get the film's theatrical trailer. I recommend "Scaramouche" as a swashbuckling highlight of the 1950's. Though nobody did this sort of picture better than perhaps Errol Flynn, Stewart Granger is an ample successor and the production values associated with this film set it apart from anything seen on the screen - before or since.
Rating:
Summary: SWORD PLAY AND SWASHBUCKLING - MGM STYLE
Review: "Scaramouche" is the somewhat convoluted tale of a womanizing rogue, Andrea Moreau (Stewart Granger) who courts a gypsy player, Lenore (Eleanor Parker) but ultimately falls for the purity and grace of courtesan, Aline de Gavrillac de Bourbon (Janet Leigh). Mel Ferrer appears as the villain, Noel, the Marquis de Maynes. Andrea?s heart is set upon revenge after Noel brutally assassinates his best friend in a dual. But the Marquis has powerful friends who attempt to hunt down Andrea. Masquerading as Scaramouche, the bit player of a traveling theatrical troupe, Andrea draws himself nearer to Noel?s confidence, all the while falling in love with Aline, who is at first erroneously mistaken to be Andrea?s sister. The swashbuckling climaxes with a death-defying dual inside an opera house (actually an MGM set). Both Granger and Ferrer do their own sword play and stunt work, often teetering three stories above the gathered crowd on the edge of their balconies. There's plenty of sword play, excitement and thrills in this lavishly produced spectacle from MGM which, quite frankly, beats most like-minded contemporary fluff by about a mile and a half.
Warner Home Video has given us an adequate transfer. Even though no attempt has been made to minimize or clean up the age related artifacts that are present throughout, this transfer has held up remarkably well over time. Colors are fully saturated, bold and, at times, incredibly life like. However, there is an inconsistency in the color balancing, not even from scene to scene, but shot to shot. The entire image has a decidedly "warm" look to it which is in keeping with the lushness of its original photography, but several scenes suffer from a mis-registration problem that creates ghostly halos. Nevertheless, pixelization, edge enhancement, aliasing and shimmering are all absent, making for a smooth visual presentation. During the darker scenes, black levels, though deep and rich, tend to lose fine detail, but once again, for a bare bones restoration effort, the visual quality holds up remarkably well. The audio is mono but nicely balanced.
Extras include Mel Ferrer recollecting the making of the film. You also get the film's theatrical trailer. I recommend "Scaramouche" as a swashbuckling highlight of the 1950's. Though nobody did this sort of picture better than perhaps Errol Flynn, Stewart Granger is an ample successor and the production values associated with this film set it apart from anything seen on the screen - before or since.
Rating: 
Summary: A genuinely intelligent swashbuckler.
Review: Admirers of 'Scaramouche' tend to exult in its action sequences, especially the 'longest ever' sword sequence; these are terrific, but it should be noted that they are also mocked within the film - e.g. the 'duel' between Andre and Lenore in the caravan with pots instead of sabres. What is just as interesting is the way the film takes the familiar swashbuckler trajectory - an essentially decent man is forced outside of society and must overcome a number of obstacles and tests before he is restored - and completely subverted. This is achieved by the use of theatre in the play (director Sidney was raised by travelling players, and the tavern scenes have a vividness rare in Hollywood), both as a source of fragmenting identity, and as a metaphor for the way the working class infiltrated, and eventually overcame the aristocracy (as the troupe move from a provincial tavern to a huge Parisian theatre) - we are on the eve of the French Revolution. The film IS 'lavish', but this is to mistake period detail with the much more fertile 'theatrical' artifice, which reflects the film's themes. Immense fun.
Rating: 
Summary: It is not France.
Review: Film is a`great story but filmed in San Francisco. The out door shots are done in Golden Gate Park.
Rating: 
Summary: Big Dissapointment
Review: Having just finished Sabatini's classic adventure story, I really looked forward to seeing how Hollywood put the story on film. What a dissapointment! Simply, the book is great and the movie is mediocre. It is almost a completely different story. On the positive side, there is a nice sword fight in an Opera House. I would not recommend this movie for anybody who loves the book.
Rating:
Summary: For all romantic, adventure lovers...
Review: I first saw this film over 40 years ago! I was enthralled then and am just impressed all these years later. Based on the exciting Rafael Sabatini novel, the casting is perfect and the action exciting. I was thrilled to be able to get the video and I watch it regularly. I highly recommend it....
Rating:
Summary: Let's hear it for the Dancing Cavalier!
Review: I'm amazed. I guess you really DO learn something new every day!First off, let me say I have always loved this movie. I saw it for the first time when I was probably 6 or 7 (don't ask how long ago). I was utterly terrified and completely enthralled by the climactic swordfight. As I have grown, it has never ceased to excite me, it's the best part of the movie! But I don't fast forward through any of it, I watch it ALL. Second, I'm reading other reviews that this was meant to be a musical starring Gene Kelley -- who just happened to be filming Singing in the Rain, which was a movie about a movie called, "The Dancing Cavalier"... h'mmm... inside joke or what? Watch it. It's great fun. Stewart Granger had a GOOD time being Andre Moreau, and Mel Ferrer never looked more devilishly handsome. I like the little joke with Eleanor Parker at the end, as well! :o)
Rating:
Summary: wonderful tale
Review: It's all about the story. Sabatini used to crank these out - Scaramouche, Captain Blood, The Black Swan - and they were great as books and they have made great movies. This is one of the best. Of course, they have to do some movie shorthand. Stewart Granger (Moreau) has to wind up with Janet Leigh (Aline), so what do they do with Eleanor Parker (Lenore) who has saved his life and has been sharing his adventures through the most of the flick? Watch her skirts getting shorter all through the final duel! I'm not making this up! She starts out floor length and winds up in a tutu! She's obviously not the kind of girl the hero settles down with at the end. Ignore this, or don't. This is still a spectacular movie. The villain is vile. The setting is exciting. The tale is lurid. The acting is delightfully overdone. Sabatini could really spin a yarn and the old Hollywood could really deliver it.
Rating:
Summary: The Movie is Great; The Book, Boring!
Review: Like one of the reviewers, I happen to have also read Sabatini's novel. It is true that the movie did not follow the book closely. But why should it? The novel is a total bore! Get this movie quickly, and see the BEST (I mean it) fencing ever put on a screen. And avoid the book like poison.
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