Le chevalier Tempête

I'd fond memories of watching this English dubbed international mainly French co-production 12 parter on the BBC during 1969 and repeat showings in the early '70's. Well those memories are still intact after just watching the complete DVD version, although my over-riding wonder is: how on Earth did I follow all the plot twists and turns when I was 10?

The BBC version gallops along to music to stir the blood - except as far I was I ever concerned I never had to fight for what I wanted and all that I believed, and I never thought it right to fight for what I wanted to live the life I led. Maybe it's best to have fought and lost than not have fought at all though, I certainly hold that as an axiom in relation to ebay! The story revolves around a Franco-Spanish war in 1630, and the Spanish attempts to take the pivotal French garrison town of Casal. I feel a detailed knowledge of the intricacies of Latin politics would be useful, my reading of Dumas had to suffice. Thoiras in charge of Casal is constantly feted as a leader to die for, imho he wasn't worth it, shivering in his protective dungeon all that time. The gentleman Chevalier Recci and his servant Guillot gallop over the lovely countryside and swash their way in and out of trouble and skirmishes with the Spanish - naturally Recci falls in love with a high born lady, Isobel along the way. Many other adventures and characters are encountered, it would be difficult to list them all! The last logical (to the story) part to me was #11 - the last actual part (#12) was on the DVD in the original French, and the story slowed to a canter and then a trot - maybe not surprisingly I couldn't remember that episode.

It was exciting enough to a 10 yo, and still held my attention as a 47 yo, recommended harmless nostalgic fun for the non-critical.

Ah yes THE FLASHING BLADE a French show I can remember very well from my childhood away back in the early 1970s . It has a very memorable stirring theme tune that has the lyrics " It's right to fight for what you want and all that you believe .... and truth and love and happiness are well worth fighting for " and how very French that all sounds . No doubt the theme tune is very popular in the Foreign Legion .

Despite my claim that I can remember the show very well I am unable to tell you all the ins and out of the plot , in fact I may be correct in saying that if I saw it again the plot would be totally forgotten as the story progresses . It's set during a war between France and Spain and a French castle is under siege by those nasty Spaniards and it's up to a couple of heroic French pretty boys to save the day . This plot lasts for a total of 13 episodes so make up your own mind as to how tightly plotted it all is . And ignore the polemical view that all French men are dashing and handsome , that all French women are total beautiful and that all Spaniards are cruel , evil , have beards and are absolutely rubbish in a battle because this is a French show and the French were never good at objectivity . Best aspect of this show ? The fight scenes

THE FLASHING BLADE was broadcast in its original format once in the early 70s and again a few years later which is the last time I saw it ( So if you've viewed it for the first time last week and found it sucks don't blame me for misleading you . I loved this show as a child ) , but round about 1988 a BBC children's show used it again except this time it had been massively re-edited and redubbed . For example the hero found himself being thrown into a cell where he meets the heroine for the first time

Hero ( On spotting heroine ) Hhhmmm . Sexy ( Hero walks over to Heroine and puts his hand on her shoulder ) Well hi there baby . I'm an incredibly handsome guy and I was wondering what your name was ?

Heroine ( Disgusted ) Get lost creep !

I didn't know wither to laugh or cry . Tell a lie , I laughed till my sides hurt

Loved this show and watched all the repeats. We saw a few European children's shows in the 1960s and 1970s. They were great fun. Yes, I can still sing the theme song. Not really sure about the history, politics and what the cardinal was doing. Great action scenes, handsome, brave protagonist, comedy sidekick & damsel in distress. Love a bit of swash and buckle. Never knew why the Beeb only showed the final episode once. Thst was very frustrating when watching the repeats. I kept thinking i imagined it. I have it on DVD (yes I still have one). I should take a nostalgic trip down memory lane. I believe that final episode is on it. (For years I thought I imagined it.)

I have just been very lucky to find a Video with the 1st 4 episodes of this French series.....it is fantastic, the production, the costumes, even the dubbing is good....

It is on a par to the old "swashbucklers" of Flynn and Fairbanks, if anyone has any of the 9 episodes l would love to hear from them....

A must see if you enjoy this type of entertainment...

Vic

This used to be shown nearly every six weeks summer holidays in England back in the 70s.

It might be old but I think it is great. From the stirring and uplifting theme tune to the quite lavish costumes and battle scenes it does have a fairly epic feel. It was also quite well dubbed into English which I think is much better than subtitles.

Never recognised any of the actors because it was a foreign series but they all do a capable job and there is enough action to keep things moving along at a good pace.

This seems to have had quite a high budget judging by the costumes, number of extras and overall professional look and it was certainly good, entertaining viewing in those long ago summer holidays of the 70s.