# best Fencing Movie? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 28, 2011, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fencing-movie/576278 "2011-03-28T16:37:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fencing-movie/576278/1 "2011-03-28T16:37:19Z")
I just signed up for Fencing lessons. In honor of that, I have been re-watching lots of movies with fencing. While a great many movies have swordfights, many of them are fairly mediocre Hollywood fencing moves taught to the actors (I’m looking at you, _Lord Of The Rings_). i am not looking for a list of all movies with fencing, that would be a long list. I’m looking for movies with outstanding swordsmanship. Actual technique, sweaty realism and good history. My short list: _Scaramouche_ 1952 _By The Sword_ 1991 _The Duellists_ 1977 _Cyrano De’Bergerac_ 1950 _The Seven Samurai_ 1954 _The Three/Four Musketeers_ 1973 _Rob Roy_ 1995 _Twilight Samurai_ 2002 What say you? ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fencing-movie/576278/2 "2011-03-28T16:42:31Z")
_Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon_ (2000)- can’t speak for the history (if there’s even supposed to be any) but great swordplay _Kingdom of Heaven_ (2005)- the history would get you a D+ in history class but by Hollywood standards that’s an A-. I mention it because of the short but historically factual sword lesson between Godfrey (Liam Neeson) and Balian (Orlando Bloom). ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fencing-movie/576278/3 "2011-03-28T16:43:02Z")
> [@BMalion](#): > > What say you? I have a fondness for the [fight scene in The Princess Bride](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7zvffHu_wo). ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fencing-movie/576278/4 "2011-03-28T16:48:23Z")
The duel between Danny Kaye and Basil Rathbone in _The Court Jester_ is a classic. I also like the swordplay between Tony Curtis and Ross Martin in _The Great Race_. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fencing-movie/576278/5 "2011-03-28T16:50:33Z")
If memory serves, Romeo and Juliet. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fencing-movie/576278/6 "2011-03-28T16:51:01Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > If memory serves, Romeo and Juliet. And _Hamlet_. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fencing-movie/576278/7 "2011-03-28T16:52:11Z")
> [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](#): > > I have a fondness for the [fight scene in The Princess Bride](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7zvffHu_wo). From what I understand, while its a fun movie (one of my favorite) the fencing was very sub-par [Quote=Sampiro] Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (2000)- can’t speak for the history (if there’s even supposed to be any) but great swordplay [/quote] Again, fun movie (i own it) but lots of effect shots and wire work. More fantasy than actual swordsmanship. Kingdom of Heaven (2005)- the history would get you a D+ in history class but by Hollywood standards that’s an A-. I mention it because of the short but historically factual sword lesson between Godfrey (Liam Neeson) and Balian (Orlando Bloom). Same. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fencing-movie/576278/8 "2011-03-28T16:55:02Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > The duel between Danny Kaye and Basil Rathbone in _The Court Jester_ is a classic. > I also like the swordplay between Tony Curtis and Ross Martin in _The Great Race_. two of my favorite! I’d forgotten those. in an interview, the fencing coach for that movie related how Danny Kaye never had a lesson in his life but was such a gifted mimic that by the end of the shoot he’d learned a lot of fencing. But, to be honest _The Great Race_ fencing scene, although loads of fun, was hardly realistic. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fencing-movie/576278/9 "2011-03-28T17:03:40Z")
Video: [Swordfights of Errol Flynn](http://vimeo.com/1937576)- taken from several movies ---
**Author:** ![mack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mack)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fencing-movie/576278/10 "2011-03-28T17:18:54Z")
\*\*Die Another Day \*\*has a fencing duel run amok. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fencing-movie/576278/11 "2011-03-28T17:46:09Z")
> [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](#): > > I have a fondness for the [fight scene in The Princess Bride](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7zvffHu_wo). > [@BMalion](#): > > From what I understand, while its a fun movie (one of my favorite) the fencing was very sub-par A bit of [director’s commentary](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9J1vC-4wTs&feature=related). From what I’ve heard, the [pre-fight](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhRUe-gz690)between the black night and whoever in the Holy Grail had a \*bit \*of accuracy to it. Clearly not what followed (only the rabbit scene was accurate), but the initial beat-the-hell-out-of-each-other bit. Not movie-like standoff clang-clang-clang, but knees, hilt’s to the back of the head, and whatnot. Again, a _bit_ of accuracy. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fencing-movie/576278/12 "2011-03-28T18:01:54Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > A bit of [director’s commentary](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9J1vC-4wTs&feature=related). Wow…I’ve owned the movie for years, but never watched the commentary. I’d definitely missed out. ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fencing-movie/576278/13 "2011-03-28T18:08:25Z")
I don’t know much about actual fencing but I was always told that Basil Rathbone was a brilliant real life fencer and that his sword fights in movies like _The Mark of Zorro_ (1940) are both accurate and skillful. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fencing-movie/576278/14 "2011-03-28T18:10:06Z")
How about “The Mark Of Zorro” (1940)? I’ve always liked the fight between Tyrone Power and Basil Rathbone. Do those of you who know think it’s realistic? Edit: Wow. NAP1138 beat me by two minutes. Great minds think alike, and what not, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fencing-movie/576278/15 "2011-03-28T18:11:00Z")
Yeah, I read much the same thing in a couple books and remember hearing commentary on (the real, true) AMC about him as well. One of the commentators noted that Rathbone was not only a great fencer, he also had the ability to make his opponents look like they were not just wildly flailing about. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fencing-movie/576278/16 "2011-03-28T18:24:47Z")
_The Prisoner of Zenda_, 1937, Ronald Colman as Rudolf Rassendyll pretending to be King Rudolf vs. Douglas Fairbanks Jr. as Rupert of Hentzau. Watch it [now](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vns3TQWvhOU&playnext=1&list=PL83A972AC1A5A9862). ---
**Author:** ![WreckingCrew](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wreckingcrew/32/4080_2.png) [@WreckingCrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WreckingCrew)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fencing-movie/576278/17 "2011-03-28T18:29:20Z")
Basil Rathbone is renown for his fencing skill. His work with Flynn in Captain Blood and Robin Hood are both great. Come to think it, he does a damn good job as the bad guy in Mark of Zorro too as i see above. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fencing-movie/576278/18 "2011-03-28T19:03:02Z")
Ok, to reiterate, not just a list of cool swordfights, but a list of realistic, authentic, swordfights. One more mention of Eryll Flynn I’ll plotz! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fencing-movie/576278/19 "2011-03-28T19:04:19Z")
> [@WreckingCrew](#): > > Basil Rathbone is renown for his fencing skill. His work with Flynn in Captain Blood and Robin Hood are both great. Come to think it, he does a damn good job as the bad guy in Mark of Zorro too as i see above. Just watched that yestrday, I agree. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fencing-movie/576278/20 "2011-03-28T19:11:40Z")
> [@Sigmagirl](#): > > _The Prisoner of Zenda_, 1937, Ronald Colman as Rudolf Rassendyll pretending to be King Rudolf vs. Douglas Fairbanks Jr. as Rupert of Hentzau. Watch it [now](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vns3TQWvhOU&playnext=1&list=PL83A972AC1A5A9862). You know, call me crazy, but I always prefered the Stewart Granger 1952 version. Love James Mason. It was that swordfight that prompted him (Stewart) to train so well for _Scaramouche_, in which he did almost all of his own fencing and stunts. anecdote time: Once, when Stewart Granger and Erryll Flynn were talking, Stewart said “You know, I’m the better fencer.” to which Erryl replied “Yes but my hips are slimmer.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-fencing-movie/576278.md?page=2)