Spotlight

Spotlight Date: 17-June-07
Spoiler Rating: Medium

Scaramouche (1952)

I'll say this for the French Revolution: it gave authors a great canvas on which to paint memorable characters. Without Madame la Guillotine, Sydney Carton would never have attained a far, far better rest, nor would Percy Blakeney have pimped his, er, nel in the service of mercy. And without the era of liberté, égalité, and fraternité, not to mention duels at the slightest affront, "Scaramouche" would never have galloped on-screen. Perish the thought! This movie is a treasure trove of all the swashbuckling, romancing, and villain-besting one could wish for.

The hero of the piece is André Moreau, a bastard gentleman smartly played by Stewart Granger. Having been raised by a good family in ignorance of his lineage, André enjoys life's privileges without any of its responsibilities. For example, he feels no compunction in thwarting the wedding of his old flame, an actress named Lenore (Eleanor Parker), so he can repossess her. He does know when to get serious, however, as happens when his lifelong friend (Richard Anderson of "Bionic Man" fame) is murdered for writing pamphlets decrying Louis XVI and the nobility. This prompts André to give up the pursuits of the dashing scalawag (for the most part) and seek revenge against the marquis who did the deed.

Inevitably this marquis (Mel Ferrer) is an arrogant peckerhead and the finest swordsman in France. Also inevitably, he is attached to the beautiful Aline de Gavrillac (Janet Leigh) whom André meets upon the road and falls in love with at first sight. Such twisted paths he must take to reach his ends! Thinking Aline unobtainable, he continues to make wild love to Lenore, who provides him cover to hide from the authorities aware of his vendetta. André takes up the mask of the famed harlequin Scaramouche (go ahead, try not to sing "Bohemian Rhapsody"), buying time in Paris while preparing himself for the final showdown.

When it comes — mon dieu! — it is probably the greatest swordfight on film. Slashing and lunging across the seats, balconies, and stage of a sumptuous theater, Granger establishes himself as one of few actors who could ever make zebra-striped tights look manly. And the fighting looks real, with slips and turns and sweat on both men's brows. It's a fitting finale for "Scaramouche," which lands a lusty blow for classic fun.

Copyright © 2007 The Jujube (M. I. Kim). All rights reserved.