O Espadachim do Rei

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.

"A Moonraker is a smuggler. One who dumps his contraband in the bottom of a lake then rakes it out by moonlight." (Definitely not to be confused with the James Bond escapade).

I believe this film is now in the public domain as I saw it as an "afternoon matinée" on my local school cable channel, where I usually see titles from the $1 bin.

While the movie was historically interesting, the action less enjoyable than Errol Flynn's Robin Hood and the staging and dialog delivery seemed slow and mechanical to me. If you are a fan of Elizabethan costume dramas, this will be a pleasant diversion for you.

Earl Anthony (aka The Moonraker) is a gentleman swordsman who is the thorn in the side of Oliver Cromwell and his battle to rid Britain of the royalists. The Moonraker is feared among Cromwell's men and has been responsible for the escape of over 30 royalists to France. When Anthony tries to lead Prince Charles Stuart to safety after a defeat at the hands of Cromwell, they are recognised and forced to evade capture – but can they get passage to France in time?

Contrary to my wife's beliefs, I didn't watch this film in the mistaken belief that Roger Moore was going to burst onto the screen at any moment, but at times I wished he had. The film is a old fashioned swashbuckler done without too much in the way of individual flair. The plot is easy to predict and it is much more wordy that I had expected, with much of the second half being confined to an Inn. That said it still is enjoyable and is worth watching for what it is.

The fights are a little dull and there is nothing to suggest that Anthony is worthy of his fearsome reputation but the sense of period is good. The film drifts between romance and action with an uneasy lilt to it, but the romance works well as it has the darker edge of being forbidden.

The characters are all a little flat with the odd exception. Baker doesn't manage to bring anything to the role of Moonraker except the normal leading man strong jaw and big chest. The support cast are all colleagues or `evil' bad guys, the love interest is OK but is won over a little too easily. A horrid bit of miscasting is Le Mesurier as Cromwell. We all know what type of roles he is famous for playing and the end result here is that Cromwell comes off as one of them and not a real threat.

Overall I enjoyed this film even though it didn't really distinguish itself in any specific way. As part of the genre it is par for the course and will please those who like this type of thing.

This swashbuckler following in the footsteps of the TV version of 'Robin Hood' and not to be confused with the James Bond adventure (although Fleming's novel had already been published), 'The Moonraker' is embellished by the addition of Technicolor, which enables George Baker (first seen galloping through Stonehenge) to cut a dash in purple.

Sylvia Syms gives off her usual glow as the film's damsel in distress, Marius Goring, Peter Arne and Patrick Troughton are as creepy-looking a bunch of heavies as you'll ever see and you're treated to the memorable if fleeting sight of John Le Mesurier as Oliver Cromwell.

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