Das Geheimnis des Scaramouche

This 60s French-Spanish co-production has all the flaws of the genre: an opportunistic approach lacking a vision. It feels very routinely shot by a sloppy operator. The main cast does an OK job even though it verges on the wooden side quite often.

This mediocre movie would deserve a kinder approach if the story had tried better to stay away from Sabatini's. As such the story is much weaker while at heart the plot is almost the same. I understand that it was difficult to stem away from George Sydney's magnificent 1952 rendition since this MGM gem does everything right and is all at once a swashbuckling, romantic and comic and dramatic delight.

The Commedia dell' Arte character is a buoyant man of murky origins and it takes a lot of talent to invent something different than the Hollywood-Sabatini one. That is definitely asking too much from opportunistic European producers who are satisfied aplenty with shooting a story set in Paris at the very distinctive Burgos Cathedral.

I remember I enjoyed this movie when I was 8 and was really impressed and moved by the scene at the cemetery, but now I see this scene is one gigantic directorial failure, mixing buffoonery, fantasy, grief, vengeance and remorse. No wonder these co-productions didn't mind about craftsmanship but only about shooting the bits together.

Robert Lafleur (Scaramouche) is an actor in 18th century France who spends most of his time, including when he should be on stage, light-heartedly having love affairs and generally enjoying life. One day, a marquis visits him and asks him questions about the birth mark on his shoulder. To cut a long story short, Robert Lafleur is not who he always believed to be, but before taking his rightful place, he has to charm quite a few ladies, save his lady-love from the villains, appear in various disguises, fight some duels and thoroughly enchant the viewer in this utterly enjoyable cloak and dagger movie.

Gérard Barray is the perfect Scaramouche, always a twinkle in his eye and a laugh on his lips!

"He was born with a gift of laughter and a sense that the world was mad." (what the author Rafael Sabatini wrote about Scaramouche)

First thing to bear in mind is that ,although the director brings Scaramouche back to his native Italy,it 's not another adaptation of Sabatini's novel,as were both American films ,Rex Ingram 's and George Sidney's ,the latter perhaps lauded beyond its station.The screenplay seems rather a cross between two great successes of the French cinema of the late fifties/early sixties, "Le Bossu" (the usurper subject)and "Le Capitaine Fracasse" (the comedians ,in which Gerard Barray was cast as the villain ).

Gerard Barray was Jean Marais 's alter ego ,the one they cast when the latter was not at hand ;a poor man's Jean Marais nohow:Barray was a good thespian ,who performed on stage ;he displayed plenty of go,of humor ,of Joie De Vivre and had no cause to be jealous of Stewart Granger when it came to wielding the sword;he was certainly better than his material (swashbucklers,cheap spy thrillers,Commisssaire San Antonio.....)and by the late sixties ,he had fallen into oblivion.He made a conspicuous comeback as Duvernois,in Amenabar's "Abre Los Ojos" in the nineties.Michèle Girardon worked with Bunuel ("La Mort En Ce Jardin") and Hawks ("Hatari")but she is rather bland .One can prefer the Italian Ava Gardner Gianna Maria Canale ,with whom Barray had already made "Le Chevalier De Pardaillan" (1961)There's a good chemistry between them and she has the best line in the whole movie ("my castle looks like a tavern compared to yours"),and when she waves farewell to the new duke ,she seems to say farewell to her youth (4 years older than the hero)and to her career (which would end in the mid-sixties).Alberto De Mendoza is a delightful infamous villain.

This is no masterpiece,but a very entertaining yarn ,extremely eventful and melodramatic,including betrayals ,damsel in distress,an usurper,plenty of duels (still impressive today) and even a very good use of pantomime,to reveal the truth about the villain's crimes ,a la Hamlet; the masks are a smart narrative device .What does it matter if Notre Dame De Paris is actually a Spanish cathedral?On the other hand ,the Château De Chenonceaux is genuine .

Score by Georges Gavarentz;his collaborator Charles Aznavour wrote the song of the movie "Les Comédiens" which was a big hit in France and is still very known over here whereas the movie attached to it is virtually forgotten ;too bad Aznavour did not sing this tune over the cast and credits himself .

This is an European version titled The mask of Scaramouche (1963) competently made by Antonio Isasi Isasmendi with fine cast as Gerard Barray , Michelle Girardon , Gian Maria Canale and Alberto De Mendoza . Swashbuckler set in 18th Century is a decent rendition from the famous novel with budget enough , impressive swordplay and breathtaking scenarios . Rafael Sabatini' exciting story of love and adventure freely adapted by various screenwriters as Lluís Josep Comerón , Jacques Robert , Guido Malatesta , Jorge Illa and Antonio Isasi-Isasmendi himself . The picture contains overwhelming action , intrigue , romantic adventure , mayhem and a lot of fencing .

It displays an evocative and romantic musical score by Gregorio García Segura . Lush production design by Enrique Alarcón is wonderfully reflected on the luxurious interiors and exteriors filmed in Spain . Colorful cinematography in brilliant Eastmancolor by Alejandro Ulloa . Shot on location in Burgos's Cathedral, Burgos, Castilla y León , posing as Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, and Casa de Campo, Madrid . The motion picture was compellingly directed by Antonio Isasi Isasmendi . He was a good Spanish filmmaker , becoming one of the most successful Spanish directors in the 1960's and 70s . He made movies under the banner of his own production company and after directing other successes . Antonio was an expert in thrillers as Las Vegas 500 millones , el perro, Summertime Killer , Istambul 65 ,La mentira tiene cabellos rojos , Sentancia contra una mujer , El aire de un crimen , but also handled rollicking swashbucklers like The Adventures of Scaramouche. Rating : 7/10 .Better than average . It is a very good film thanks to fabulous scenarios , luxurious exteriors and interiors , glamorous gowns and being lavishly financed by producers from Spain/Italy/France .

This classy story was subsequently remade on several versions , firstly take on this classic is the following : Scaramouche (1923) by Rex Ingram with Ramon Novarro , Alice Terry , and Lewis Stone who played the 'heavy' - the Marquis de la Tour d'Azyr - in this old retelling and he came back to play the elderly character of "Georges de Valmorin" in this new version Scaramouche (1952) . And Adventures and lovers of Scaramouche (1970) by Enzo G Castellari with Michael Sarrazin , Úrsula Andress , Sal Borghese , Aldo Maccione and Michael Forest . And , finally , La grande aventura di Scaramouche (original title) 1972 by Piero Pierotti with Christian HayFreyberg , Erna Schurer and Milly Vitale

Great french movie with great Gerard Barray as Scaramouche in it. The movie proves that Mr Barray is one of the greatest actors. I think that there will never be better actors for historical movies all over the world than Jean Marais, Gerard Philipe and Gerard Barray.