La espada de Montecristo

This Edward L. Alperson quickie (set in France during the reign of Louis Napoleon but as usual full of American accents) is historically interesting as the first film to be "Presented in SupercineColor" (as the credits proudly proclaim) but also full of other pleasant surprises.

In addition to the surprisingly agile camerawork, the agile swashbuckling hero is a heroine. Although the hero is officially George Montgomery as Captain Renault ("the famous hero of the Crimean War") the swordplay is actually carried out by a female Zorro played by Rita Corday. By day Lady Christianne in white, by night the Masked Cavalier in black (and always in glossy red lipstick), sword in hand and with her hat at a rakish angle, she leaps about like Douglas Fairbanks.

One of the heavies she crosses swords with is a very heavy heavy William Conrad, while the supporting cast also includes 'Out of the Past's Steve Brodie, 'Gun Crazy's Berry Kroger, Lillian Bronson as Alfred to Christianne's Batwoman; and there's even a brief appearance by former Captive Wild Woman Aquanetta as "little Spanish dove" Felice.

David Bond is Napoleon III, Emperor of France, and mighty sick of it. Everyone wants him off his Imperial throne, and the restoration of the Republic. Particularly in Normandy, where Paula Corday has adopted a Zorro-like persona to fight with the rebels. She has also promised that the treasure of Monte Cristo will be spent on freeing the French, just as soon as she gets it from her freedom-loving uncle, Duke Robert Warwick.

With all these people, noble and common against him, Bond has only two supports. One is the army, particularly Captain George Montgomery. The other is Minister Berry Kroeger, who talked him into proclaiming the Second Empire. But Kroeger doesn't give a rap about anything but finding Monte Cristo's fortune for himself.

It's supposedly an adaptation from Dumas. I admit I have not read everything the fellow wrote, but I can't identify what this is from, except people fighting over money in old-timey gear. Miss Corday is quite the beautiful redhead, and Montgomery is stalwart to the point of not thinking. There's also a chance to watch stout William Conrad fence with Miss Corday for a few seconds before he falls off a cliff.

It's all nonsense, but attractively shot nonsense. Kudos to the unnamed Second Unit director for the fight scenes.

French history is given a rough ride ! The marquis and his daughter,par excellence aristocrats,not only are fighting for freedom but also , that crowns it ,the return of the Republic! Napoleon the Third's minister is his own brother (?), a greedy wicked man named Laroche(?)

Adapted from Alexandre Dumas ,the credits read ,but only the proper noun of the title and ,at a pinch ,the hole they dig between the two dungeons were borrowed from the French writer.

Whereas Edmond Dantès took place in the nineteenth century , one learns that his treasure was preserved even during the Revolution (1789) ;and he died well before this sword tale happens.

If you forget history , all about history , this is an average swashbuckler ,with a touch of feminism (the mysterious masked rider is a woman) , a riddle written on the sword which indicates the place where the treasure is concealed: a treasure which ,should we believe the heroine ,could put an end to poverty and make French people live happily ever after ...The score features snatches of the French national anthem ,"La Marseillaise" .

A sword which provides the key to a fabulous treasure becomes the centre of a struggle to overthrow the Emperor of France. The country's conniving chief minister will stop at nothing to gain possession of the sword. But he is challenged by an officer loyal to Emperor Louis Napoleon. Aiding the officer is a beautiful countess, leading a double-life as a masked vigilante.

With The Sword of Monte Cristo you get secret passages, thrilling sword fights, horseback chases, treachery, narrow escapes, nice costumes and great set pieces, not to forget a masked hero bouncing around, wielding a fair sword, sending the soldiers around the bend by being one step ahead of them, but the twist is that it's Paula Corday, Lady Christianne, an elegant aristocrat, who wants to free France from tyranny and feels that as the heir of the sword engraved with a map leading to the treasure of Monte Cristo could do wonders in the cause. The villain LaRoche - played by Berry Kroeber- is one conniving toe rag and he wants the sword and is willing to torture Lady Christianne's uncle for it.

The Sword of Monte Cristo is a brisk and exciting little swashbuckler with plenty of sword fights, an energetic plot that holds many challenges for the protagonists - Paula Corday and George Montgomery.

Having a female lead was interesting and refreshing, unfortunately the plot wasn't. Pretty bog-standard stuff, and the fights weren't too exciting either. Although the colour was lush and well used.

3/10: Poor storyline and average acting