La spada di d'Artagnan

The Moonraker is directed by David MacDonald and adapted to screenplay by Robert Hall, Wilfred Eades and Alistair Bell from the Arthur Watkin play. It stars George Baker, Sylvia Syms, Marius Goring, Peter Arne, Clive Morton, Richard Leech, Iris Russell and Paul Whitsun-Jones. Music is by Laurie Johnson and cinematography by Mutz Greenbaum.

With the English Civil War just finished, Oliver Cromwell (John Le Mesurier) aims to capture Charles Stuart (Gary Raymond) to stop him replacing his executed father on the throne. However, a Royalist hero known as The Moonraker (Baker) plots to smuggle Stuart to France before Cromwell and his Roundhead followers enact their plans.

A British swashbuckler full of derring-do heroics, sword fights, boo- hiss villains and gorgeous Technicolor photography. Why then is The Moonraker little known or under seen? Perhaps it comes down to availability on home formats over the years? Or TV rights preventing it from being shown elsewhere other than good old Blighty? Either way it's a shame and fans of swashbucklers should definitely consider seeking this one out.

The name Moonraker in this parlance is put to a smuggler who would hide his goods in the village pond and then go back at midnight to rake said goods out. Here the " Moonraking" involves smuggling important human beings out of harms way. The Moonraker in question is Earl Anthony of Dawlish, a Royalist Cavalier Scarlet Pimpernel type, a bally hero of devilish good looks and courage unbound; I mean why jump through a gap when you can dive through it instead? Cue under cover disguise, bluffings between hero and villains, simmering romance and a base station inn where many shenanigans unfold. It's not based on historical facts, it's a work of fiction, but much thought has gone into the period design, collectively impressive in architecture, weapons and clothing. How nice to actually see an English Civil War based buckling of the swash!

Location work is spread about the place, where even though much of the second half of film is based inside the crafty Royalist supporting inn, there's still some lovely exteriors to enjoy. The makers missed a trick by not homaging the lead character by doing some work at beautiful Dawlish in Devon, but Wiltshire, Dorset and Kent prove to be appealing places for scenes. Ronnie Hilton's theme song over the opening credits is a bit off the pace of the movie, in that it doesn't quite fit as a starting point, but the song itself proves to play well as part of the narrative.

Cast are mixed but nobody stinks the film out, Baker is no Flynn, Power or Granger, but he makes for a very likable handsome hero and he is very comfortable performing the excellently choreographed fight sequences. Syms looks radiant and gorgeous, even if the character doesn't call for her to thesp greatly. While elsewhere the most fun performance comes from Whitsun-Jones as Parfitt, a big rotund Royalist full of bluster and bravado, when asked his occupation he bellows "gentleman", you hear him and believe him and he will later on in the film get "one" of those great cinematic moments.

The Moonraker, hooray! If you be a swashbuckling fan then you owe it to yourself to put this on your list of must sees! 7.5/10

American style period film set in the time of the English Republic, although somewhat more violent and without the hearty laughing.

George Baker is Moonraker, a soldier of fortune taking the son of Charles I across to France. John LeMesurier briefly plays the role of Cromwell, and Marius Goring a roundhead general.

The fight scenes are well choreographed, but the film is otherwise carelessly made with many shots of vehicular tracks and even an asphalt road (I mean come on, they were far from ubiquitous at the time). There is an American boy to enable a release in USA.

THE MOONRAKER (not to be confused with the Roger Moore James Bond film) is a late '50s swashbuckler set during the time of the English Civil War. Charles I is dead, and Charles II is on the run from Cromwell's troops after being defeated at the Battle of Worcester. Into this simmering mix comes George Baker's Moonraker, a dashing hero who fights for all that's right and proper.

The genre is ripe for parody (anyone who's seen THE FLASHING BLADE ought to agree) and, indeed, THE MOONRAKER is a dated film, twee sometimes in its pleasantries. Nonetheless, it proves to be an amusing enough little film, punctuated with enough intrigue and rapier fights to keep it moving merrily along. The scriptwriters have an ear for historical dialogue so that the cast members have a lot of fun slinging it back and forth.

Baker never really made it as a leading man but he's not bad here, and at least looks the part with his broad chest and dominant height - there's nothing worse than a feminine 'girly man' in this type of role. Sylvia Sims is as alluring as ever as his love interest, and Paul Whitsun-Jones bags a particularly fine comic relief role as the overbearing Parfitt. Eagle-eyed viewers may spot Brit favourites Patrick Troughton and John Le Mesurier (as Cromwell, no less!) in brief roles.

The tale takes place in October 1651 , after the battles of Moor , Preston , Naseby (1845) and Worcester at the end of the Civil War , the main purport of Oliver Cromwell's (John Le Mesurier) Commonwealth is to catch Charles Stuart (Gary Raymond's film debut) . The future king's escape depends on the intrepid Earl of Dawlish (George Baker) , who as the Moonraker has already spirited away many Royalists . Dawlish journeys to the Windwhistle Inn on the south coast to prepare the getaway to France , where he meets Anne Wyndham (Silvia Syms) , girlfriend of a top Roundhead officer called Beaumont (Marius Goring) who along with other underlings as Edmund Tyler (Peter Arne) and Captain Wilcox (Patrick Troughton) pursue mercilessly to the hidden Royalist rebel . £500 REWARD! The Moonraker must be captured... DEAD OR ALIVE!

A breathtaking and overblown adventure with historical elements , including great swordplay , colorful cinematography and evocative score. Spectacular historical swashbuckling with fine acting , wonderful locations , glamorous gowns and attention to period detail . In the movie there are historic events , adventure , drama , and a love story between George Baker as The Moonraker and Sylvia Syms as Anne Wyndham who , unfortunately , results to be the fiancée of a villian Roundhead . All Actors , both , main and support cast give nice performances . Great acting by secondary players , such as : Marius Goring , Peter Arne , Gary Raymond , Clive Morton , Richard Leech , John Le Mesurier , Patrick Troughton and a young Michael Anderson Jr. The film is appropriately atmospheric with brilliant cinematography by Mutz Greenbaum and well based on real deeds . First-class production design and sets by Robert Jones are outstanding .The film includes a lively and thrilling musical score by Laurie Johnson and was competently directed by David MacDonald.

Based on historical events which created the only England Republic . The movie deals with take over from Republican government in England . Facing off between Olivier Cromwell and King determined to rid England of a tyrannical rule and an absolutist King : Charles I , it resulted in beheading of the King . There was created two factions : the Roundheads (Cromwell congressmen) and Cavaliers or Royalists (King's nobility) , both sides had generals of considerable skill and undaunted courage as Thomas Farfaix . Cromwell defeated King's army in battles of Moor , Preston and Naseby (1645). Later on , in 1653 , he was named Lord protector of the Republic "Commomwealth" . He imposed a dictatorship ruled by Puritans and vanquished the Irish and Scottish army . Cromwell was a Puritan leader who , according to several historians carried out near genocide in Ireland . He also battled Holland and Spain . Cromwell developed a law of navigation for the British navy . He early died by fever's illness . Richard Cromwell succeeded his father as President but he was rapidly dismissed . Duration Republic was 1648 to 1660 . Charles II went back to British kingdom and the regicides (those who had condemned Charles I to death) were arrested and hanged , drawn and quartered at Charing Cross . The Cromwell's body was disinterred, and his remains were hung from a scaffold.

In this English Civil War action drama the one thing more incongruous during the opening sequence than Ronnie Hilton crooning a 1950's style ballad is the sight of George Baker in costume galloping about on horseback. Get over that and it's plane sailing and you can believe anything. Well I enjoyed it anyway, it shows an aspect of the Interregnum which has been relatively neglected, much like the film itself.

It's the tale of Lord Protector Cromwell briefly played by John Le Mesurier and his army searching high and low for (prospective King) Charles Stuart, who is being protected by the Moonraker, a Loyalist Royalist played by the indefatigable Baker who is trying to get him safely to France. Was a time when brother was against brother over politics and religion, and rabidly too - in fact not like nowadays at all! Careless talk cost lives and no one was to be trusted, a rule not well adhered to in here though. Posh-speaking Baker falls gallantly in love with puritan Sylvia Sims; with the young and healthy as usual the rule is love conquers all. The production values and colour are excellent, the acting OK, the fight scenes bearable when not risible, the soundtrack music occasionally wobbles on the copy I've got but not too distracting and overall 'tis a very pleasant little tale well told, albeit on a low budget. Additionally there's a seemingly endless procession of British "faces" padding out the cast – Peter Arne, George Woodbridge, Marius Goring to name but a few.

If possible though because much stamina is required of the viewer what I would really recommend is to first watch the much applauded 2013 British film A Field In England which also has the English Civil War as its backdrop and then compare it to this. The more artistic and worthy film should hopefully be obvious and put this earlier British effort firmly into context. This is (literally) escapist entertainment which admirably helps keep the real world at bay for ninety minutes.