Your Favourite Brit Swashbuckler Films

[billy farmer]

I thought i would start a new Thread to see what Brit Movie Members favourite Brit Swashbuckler films are and what other Brit Swashbuckler films they like.

I have always been a big fan of Swashbuckler films and have got many Swashbuckler films in my film collection, some of my favourite Brit Swashbuckler films are Captain Horatio Hornblower R.N. (1951), The Moonraker (1958), Sword Of Sherwood Forest (1960), Fury At Smugglers' Bay (1961), Captain Clegg (1962), H.M.S. Defiant (1962), The Scarlet Blade (1963), The Devil-Ship Pirates (1964) and A Challenge For Robin Hood (1967).

All of the films i have listed above feature many of my favourite Actors and Actresses including Gregory Peck, George Baker, Richard Greene, Peter Cushing, Nigel Green, Liz Fraser, Dirk Bogarde, Jack Hedley, Suzan Farmer, Christopher Lee, Andrew Keir and Barrie Ingham.

Disney made some Swashbuckler films in the United Kingdom including two of my favourites - Treasure Island (1950) and The Story Of Robin Hood And His Merrie Men (1952), many British stars appeared in both films including Richard Todd (another one of my favourite Actors), Richard Todd played Robin Hood in The Story Of Robin Hood And His Merrie Men.

Robert Taylor (an Actor who i have always liked) appeared in three Swashbuckler films that i like that were made in the United Kingdom - Ivanhoe (1952), Knights Of The Round Table (1953) and Quentin Durward (1955), parts of Quentin Durward were also made in France, many British stars appeared in the three films including George Sanders (another one of my favourite Actors) and George Cole (another one of my favourite Actors), George Sanders appeared in Ivanhoe and George Cole appeared in Quentin Durward.

Errol Flynn (another one of my favourite Actors) appeared in two Swashbuckler films that i like that were made in the United Kingdom - The Master Of Ballantrae (1953) and The Dark Avenger (1955), according to imdb Italy was also a filming location for The Master Of Ballantrae, many British stars appeared in both films including Richard O'Sullivan (another one of my favourite Actors), Richard appeared in The Dark Avenger.

Below are some screencaps of George Baker as Earl Anthony (Lord Dawlish) in The Moonraker (1958).

[torinfan]

"Blackbeard the Pirate" with Robert Newton as Blackbeard

[JamesM]

"Blackbeard the Pirate" with Robert Newton as Blackbeard

I don't think that counts as it isn't British. If the topic included American films the topic would be over in a flash as the clear winner would be a film featuring an Australian in Green tights.

I think Billy has mentioned all the early pre-1970s ones.

[alan french]

Hi,
The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men.
Captain Clegg.
Quentin Durward.
Knights of the Round Table.
But it is years since I have seen them. If seeing them again I might change my mind. But I am biased toward The Story of Robin Hood later re-released as Robin Hood and His Merrie Men for personal reasons. James Hayter played Friar Tuck. He lived for some years in the same town as me. Hemel Hempstead. I did meet him on more than one occasion. The first is quite comical but would be suitable for the thread Who have you met that is nice. But it might be too long. But he was reasonably well known in the town. In fact, at one time, in between acting jobs, he was an agent for bubble gum machines.

But many British swashbuckling productions, have not been completely British. The Robin Hood film mentioned was made by Walt Disney. My favourite Robin Hood film is the Hollywood version with Errol Flynn. This does have some British influence in the cast and of course the storyline is based on ye olde world English ballads. Robert Newton who portrayed Blackbeard and Long John Silver was British even if he was in a Hollywood film. In fact it is open to debate how much British influence is in the Hollywood made swashbuckling films, and how much American influence is in the British productions when I think of it. They say music is a universal language. Perhaps film making can also bring us together.

Alan French.

[alan french]

Hi,
Just noticed the comment about the Australian in green tights. Oddly enough, in the British Robin Hood film, Peter Finch, who played the Sherrif of Nottingham, was Australian. Also, some of the English characters were portrayed by Scots. Although I used to think Errol Flynn was Irish, I heard that he was Tasmanian. I am sure someone will correct me. But they are all officially British.

Alan French.

[CaptainWaggett]

Robin Hood with Patrick Bergin was approximately nine times better than the bloated Hollywood affair with Kevin Costner released at the same time, even if it didn't have Alan Rickman.

Of pre-1970s films, Under the Red Robe is jolly good

[billy farmer]

Robin Hood with Patrick Bergin was approximately nine times better than the bloated Hollywood affair with Kevin Costner released at the same time, even if it didn't have Alan Rickman.

I forgot to mention the Robin Hood film which starred Patrick Bergin as Robin, probably because i like mostly old Swashbuckler films, i did like the Robin Hood film with Patrick Bergin, i thought it was a very good version of the Robin Hood legend, has the film ever been released on region 2 DVD.

[billy farmer]

One of my favourite Brit Swashbuckler films is H.M.S. Defiant, i bought a copy of the film on DVD this year and enjoyed watching it very much, i had not seen the film in a long time, Dirk Bogarde (one of my favourite Actors) gave a great performance as the horrible Lieutenant Scott-Padget, Alec Guinness also gave a great performance as the humane Captain Crawford, there were also great performances from the rest of the cast which included Anthony Quayle, Nigel Stock, Maurice Denham and a very young Johnny Briggs, below is a H.M.S. Defiant Poster.

[A Pemberton]

Robin Hood with Patrick Bergin was approximately nine times better than the bloated Hollywood affair with Kevin Costner:

So we have a mathematical formula for measuring "better" films ?,

I,to my surprise have never seen HMS Defiant ,obviously not as good as the Australian but the cast alone should guarantee a good swash of a buckle,is it the best of the British swashbucklers?

[CaptainWaggett]

So we have a mathematical formula for measuring "better" films ?,

I,to my surprise have never seen HMS Defiant ,obviously not as good as the Australian but the cast alone should guarantee a good swash of a buckle,is it the best of the British swashbucklers?

Yes, there is. The Lady Vanishes is 6 and a half times better than Young and Innocent but only 57% better than 39 Steps

I don't remember any swashbuckling in HMS Defiant. Isn't it mostly flogging and weevils?

[billy farmer]

The trailer for one of my favourite Hammer Swashbuckler films - The Devil-Ship Pirates (1964).



Below are some screencaps of Andrew Keir as Tom and Suzan Farmer as Angela Smeeton in The Devil-Ship Pirates (1964).

[CaptainWaggett]

[batman]

[wadsy]

Pirates of Tortuga, if only for an early appearance by Robert Stephens and also one of the few performances by John Richardson where his voice wasn't dubbed!

[billy farmer]

One of my favourite Robin Hood films (which i watched last night) - Sword Of Sherwood Forest (1960), Richard Greene (my favourite TV Robin Hood) played the legendary outlaw, Nigel Green (one of my favourite Actors) played Little John and Peter Cushing (another one of my favourite Actors) played the Sheriff of Nottingham.

[didi-5]

I really want to mention Swashbuckler aka The Scarlet Buccaneer, but I don't think it is British. It does have Robert Shaw in the lead though and he makes a very fine pirate, all those years after he first buckled his swash as Dan Tempest ...

[billy farmer]

Another one of my favourite Hammer Swashbuckler films is The Scarlet Blade (1963), Jack Hedley (one of my favourite Actors) played Edward Beverley (The Scarlet Blade), and there are great performances from Lionel Jeffries as Colonel Judd and Oliver Reed as Captain Tom Sylvester, there are also great performances from the rest of the cast which includes Suzan Farmer (one of my favourite Actresses), June Thorburn, Duncan Lamont, Clifford Elkin and Michael Ripper, below are some screencaps of Jack Hedley as Edward Beverley and June Thorburn as Claire Judd in The Scarlet Blade (1963) also featuring Clifford Elkin as Philip Beverley.

[Elaine]

One of my favourite Brit Swashbuckler films is H.M.S. Defiant, i bought a copy of the film on DVD this year and enjoyed watching it very much, i had not seen the film in a long time, Dirk Bogarde (one of my favourite Actors) gave a great performance as the horrible Lieutenant Scott-Padget, Alec Guinness also gave a great performance as the humane Captain Crawford, there were also great performances from the rest of the cast which included Anthony Quayle, Nigel Stock, Maurice Denham and a very young Johnny Briggs, below is a H.M.S. Defiant Poster.

I love this film as well. It is a better movie than it is given gredit for. Great British cast, none better.

[Elaine]

Another one of my favourite Hammer Swashbuckler films is The Scarlet Blade (1963).

You seem to have the same favourite actors as me Billy. I love all of the films you have mentioned. When I was a lot younger, I used to drool if Errol Flynn in Robin hood was on the tv. In fact, I own all of those films. For a girl[then] I had a very male outlook on the films I watched then. Much more fun than girly ones.
[IMG]ht

[Elaine]

Yes, there is. The Lady Vanishes is 6 and a half times better than Young and Innocent but only 57% better than 39 Steps

I don't remember any swashbuckling in HMS Defiant. Isn't it mostly flogging and weevils?

Yes CaptainWaggett, plenty of flogging and weevils in HMS Defiant. Ho ho ho and a bottle of rum. One of the things I most remember about this film, apart from the obvious, a sneaky mention of Dirk here, is Alec Guiness having his arm chopped off. Then having hot tar applied to the stump. They weren't wimps back then.