Rating: 
Summary: Lush period peice with top-5 swordplay
Review: Stewart Granger shines as a scoundrel with a heart in this 18th century period peice set in France. The highlight is the long, complex sword duel between Granger and his arch enemy in a theater - easily one of the top 5 sword fights in movie history.
Rating: 
Summary: Crème de la crème of swashbucklers
Review: This lavish and witty adventure was based (very loosely) on the once-popular novel by Rafael Sabatini. It had been filmed before as a silent, much more faithful to the original. This Technicolor "talkie" takes liberties -- and has a lot more fun, despite its themes of revenge and hopeless love. There's even a Napoleonic sight gag in the final shot. The cast is ideal: Stewart Granger is rugged yet suave as the cynical hero and Mel Ferrer is appropriately icy as his aristocratic nemesis. (Ferrer is dressed in whites and silvers, Granger in warm colors.) Granger is loved by both Janet Leigh and Eleanor Parker, the former a sweet Bourbon, the latter a sexy coquette. To complicate matters, Miss Leigh is adored by both Granger and Ferrer. (One contemporary critic sighed: "It's quite a plot!") The third female is Nina Foch, the most elegant Marie Antoinette you'll ever see. Unfortunately, her role was partially cut in the final editing. The picture moves on several levels. At !the beginning, Granger's character André Moreau ("Born with a gift of laughter and a sense that the world was mad", to quote Sabatini's famous first sentence) is a careless man who knows nothing about politics and cannot use a sword. In seeking vengeance for his friend's death, however, he joins the forces of liberté, égalité, fraternité; and, studying with masters, he becomes the most dangerous swordsman in France. Hiding from the authorities, he takes up with a seedy group of traveling players and, under his influence, it becomes a brilliant commedia dell'arte success (hence the title).The climatic duel takes place in a glittering Parisian theatre, the antagonists moving from the boxes, down a broad staircase, through the crowded auditorium, and onto the stage itself. All this to a dashing Victor Young score. One viewer has called "Scaramouche" a no-music musical. Actually, M~G~M originally meant this remake to be a musical starring Gene Kelly. The director George Sidney alternated between musicals and "straight" films. It isn't flawless: One of Ferrer's victims gets the fatal thrust twice in the opening sequence, once in long shot, then in close up. And don't dwell too long on the "surprise" ending (a variation of Sabatini's) or you may wonder why the marquis has to be introduced to the queen's protégée at the beginning. He would have known her or at least her name for years.
Rating:
Summary: Crème de la crème of swashbucklers
Review: This lavish and witty adventure was based (very loosely) on the once-popular novel by Rafael Sabatini. It had been filmed before as a silent, much more faithful to the original. This Technicolor "talkie" takes liberties -- and has a lot more fun, despite its themes of revenge and hopeless love. There's even a Napoleonic sight gag in the final shot. The cast is ideal: Stewart Granger is rugged yet suave as the cynical hero and Mel Ferrer is appropriately icy as his aristocratic nemesis. (Ferrer is dressed in whites and silvers, Granger in warm colors.) Granger is loved by both Janet Leigh and Eleanor Parker, the former a sweet Bourbon, the latter a sexy coquette. To complicate matters, Miss Leigh is adored by both Granger and Ferrer. (One contemporary critic sighed: "It's quite a plot!") The third female is Nina Foch, the most elegant Marie Antoinette you'll ever see. Unfortunately, her role was partially cut in the final editing. The picture moves on several levels. At !the beginning, Granger's character André Moreau ("Born with a gift of laughter and a sense that the world was mad", to quote Sabatini's famous first sentence) is a careless man who knows nothing about politics and cannot use a sword. In seeking vengeance for his friend's death, however, he joins the forces of liberté, égalité, fraternité; and, studying with masters, he becomes the most dangerous swordsman in France. Hiding from the authorities, he takes up with a seedy group of traveling players and, under his influence, it becomes a brilliant commedia dell'arte success (hence the title).The climatic duel takes place in a glittering Parisian theatre, the antagonists moving from the boxes, down a broad staircase, through the crowded auditorium, and onto the stage itself. All this to a dashing Victor Young score. One viewer has called "Scaramouche" a no-music musical. Actually, M~G~M originally meant this remake to be a musical starring Gene Kelly. The director George Sidney alternated between musicals and "straight" films. It isn't flawless: One of Ferrer's victims gets the fatal thrust twice in the opening sequence, once in long shot, then in close up. And don't dwell too long on the "surprise" ending (a variation of Sabatini's) or you may wonder why the marquis has to be introduced to the queen's protégée at the beginning. He would have known her or at least her name for years.
Rating:
Summary: You won't have a better time...
Review: This movie is, indeed, a great use of one's time.. The duel at the end is truly the best I've seen, a great no-music musical.. But the movie goes much beyond this.. It is witty, the dialogue is nice to hear, colorful and therefore nice to look at; DeMayne is a great suave villain.. I can't see this movie enough... A couple of weeks ago I was willing to see only the duel once again, but ended up watching the whole movie again... For the modern filmmakers, THIS is entertainment.. Watch and learn...
Rating:
Summary: Simply the Best
Review: This picture has the best sword fight showed at a screen play, this is the best picture of Stewart Granger, don't miss it.
Rating:
Summary: En Garde! They Don't Make 'em Like THIS Anymore!
Review: WHAT A GLORIOUS MOVIE! I've loved it since I was a kid, and somewhere between 20-30 viewings haven't dimmed its lustre for me, especially in the sparkling DVD presentation - I never fail to have my spirits lifted by the end of this grand adventure. Eleanor Parker and Janet Leigh never looked lovelier than in Charles Rosher's glorious Technicolor photography, and Stewart Granger and Mel Ferrer make a fine sparring duo. This is one of Granger's best performances - he makes Andre Moreau eminently likeable, while Ferrer is properly smarmy as his noble nemesis. And boy, do sparks fly between Granger and Parker in their romantic scenes! Parker is wonderful throughout - this is some of her best screen work. Supporting performances by Robert Coote, Henry Wilcoxen and Lewis Stone are also excellent (Stone appeared in Rex Ingram's spectacular 1923 version, playing what was essentially the Ferrer role).
The film's climactic 7-minute sword fight is justly famous and spectacularly staged and photogaphed, but there is much else to enjoy - the Commedia dell'arte sketches are amusingly played, and throughout the film is one of Victor Young's most gorgeously melodious scores, with beautiful themes for the main characters and an incredibly beautiful 'revelation' theme which precedes and ends the famous sword-fight (which itself has no musical underscoring at all). That his magnificent SCARAMOUCHE score didn't even receive an Oscar NOMINATION is a gross oversight!
There's hardly a French accent in sight, and the story has been considerably simplified from the original Sabatini novel and Ingram's film, though the basic plot-line and character motivations remain the same - in fact, the French Revolution sub-plot has been dropped almost entirely, though the film's trailer and production shots in circulation hint that it was originally given more screen-time.
The DVD extra's (2 trailers, an interview with Ferrer) are good, but I really wanted more - perhaps interviews with the 2 leading ladies as well - but believe me, I'm not complaining - this film took forever to get to VHS video and, given the studios resistance to spending much $$$ to get older films in shape for DVD, we're lucky they've honored us with this one already!
This one's a DON'T-MISS!!!!!
Rating:
Summary: "On your word as a fraud and a fake?"
Review: What a great movie! Lesser known than many other great swashbucklers, "Scaramouche" is nonetheless a top-notch production in every way. Stewart Granger stars as the quick-witted Andre Moreau, a charming drifter who after the murder of his best friend dedicates his life to the destruction of the murderer, the cold-blooded Marquis de Maynes (Mel Ferrer). Along the way he fights many duels, romances sweet Janet Leigh AND fiery Eleanor Parker, and has several close shaves. "Scaramouche" features a solid script, beautiful sets, lush costumes and gorgeous cinematography. The cast is excellent, with Mel Ferrer in particular giving shading and nuance to the role of the villain. The last 20 minutes of the film feature a long, spectacular sword fight that is a must-see for fans of the genre. I highly recommend "Scaramouche" to any film buff and especially to those who love adventure films.
GRADE: A (As a side note, I have also read the novel on which this movie is based, and I found it very entertaining. The movie differs from the book in several key areas, so if you have yet to read the novel, don't worry, the movie won't spoil it for you.)
Rating: 
Summary: An underated swashbuckler with a grand-finale swordfight
Review: When I was a kid, several of my favorites were Roblin Hood, with Errol Flynn fencing with Basil Rathbone, and the Mark of Zorro, with Tyrone Power fencing with Basil Rathbone. Scaramouche easily joins these with Stewart Granger fencing with Mel Ferrer in a climactic scene set in a theater. With a beautiful young Janet Leigh, and Eleanor Parker as an actress with a heart of gold, it is indeed a good swashbuckler.
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