bkoganbing
Usually when films are held up like At Sword's Point are for two years that usually means they're stinkers. I've certainly seen better in the swashbuckling genre. My own opinion is that for whatever reason it was held up RKO decided it might have been to take advantage of the leads being out in big mega hits in 1952, Cornel Wilde in The Greatest Show On Earth and Maureen O'Hara in The Quiet Man. At Sword's Point shows France in the years of Louis XIV's minority having some big trouble. It certainly had its problems in those years, but the realm was led by a most capable regent in Cardinal Mazarin and the Queen Mother Anne Of Austria. Mazarin's role has been completely eliminated and Louis has a sister instead of a brother.Anne who is dying of a weak heart is being pressured by the grasping and fictional Duc DeLavalle played by Robert Douglas to marry princess Nancy Gates and steal the throne. The Queen Mother is played proudly and regally by Gladys Cooper. Cooper wishes those guys who saved her bacon back in the day were still around. Well Athos, Porthos, Aramis, and D'Artagnan may not be, but their kids have all been taught the Musketeer fighting skills and it's time for a new generation of Musketeers to battle for the honor of the throne.The kids are Cornel Wilde as D'Artagnan, Alan Hale,Jr. as Porthos, Dan O'Herlihy as young Aramis and Athos was blessed with a daughter in Maureen O'Hara who keeps up with the boys in terms of fighting skills.One hopes that some kid studying French history doesn't take a short cut and watch this film to learn about France in 1650s. But as a swashbuckler it's not a bad film with heroes and villains cut from some whole cloth. The original Three Musketeers certainly had characters far more complex than these.And hopefully RKO got its money's worth with At Sword's Point in the wake of The Quiet Man and The Greatest Show On Earth.
gordonl56
AT SWORD'S POINT – 1952 This fun to watch adventure film is another take on "The Three Musketeers" tale.It is several decades past the time setting for the first story. Queen Anne, Gladys Cooper, is being pressured by the evil Duc de Lavalle (Robert Douglas) to marry off her daughter, Nancy Gates to him. Anne knows that Douglas is a power hungry swine who just wants to rule France. He is also trying to find the location of the next in line, the young boy, Peter Miles.Queen Anne has sent messengers to the King of Spain for help, but Douglas's men catch, and murder said riders. So she sends for her loyal Musketeers of years before. There is however a slight problem with this idea. The original men are all dead, or bedridden. Their children, Cornel Wilde, Dan O'Herlihy, Alan Hale JR and Maureen O'Hara however answer the call.Plenty of swordplay, escapes from the bad guys and thrilling rescues abound in this quick pace romp.I found it Interesting to see Miss O'Hara handling a sword with the rest. It looks like she must have taken more than a few lessons. Needless to say the new Musketeers save the day and dispatch the evil Douglas and his crew.Director Lewis Allen must have had a blast making this one. Allen, was better known for helming some dark film noir, such as, DESERT FURY, SO EVIL MY LOVE, A BULLET FOR JOEY, ILLEGAL, CHICAGO DEADLINE, APPOINTMENT WITH DANGER and SUDDENLY.
Nazi_Fighter_David
Is "At Sword's Point," a great adventure film? Well, perhaps not. But it is a great spoof of adventure, and, as a piece of entertainment, it needs no defending.The sons of the three musketeers rally round their aging Queen of France (Gladys Cooper) to prevent her daughter's marriage to the ambitious Duc De Lavalle (Robert Douglas) and to protect the throne of Young Louis XIV (Peter Miles) from the villainous nobleman...Caught between beautiful sets, fancy costumes and clashing swords, our reddish-brown haired heroine (Maureen O'Hara) - as Claire, the daughter of Athos, who joins the offspring of the other musketeers - found enough opportunity for romance with the handsome and dynamic Cornel Wilde (expert fencer as D'Artagnan). Maureen's proficiency with the sword gets our attention but not her ability to manage the soft dialogue...The supporting cast - the tall, distinguished looking Dan O'Herlihy as Aramis & Alan Hales Jr. as Porthos - add a major assets to the picture, photographed in vivid Technicolor... A hilarious duel climaxes this likable swashbuckling adventure...
blakduke
i have this movie in my home library, both as a purchased film and having taped from amc. the fencing sequences are some of the best on film. i do not think enough has been said of robert douglass. his fencing skills must have been superb since he fought with all of the best duelists in hollywood, errol flynn, cornel wilde,burt lancaster to name a few. all good leading men need a bad guy, and r.d. was very good at being bad.
AD
