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.
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.