Screen Directors Playhouse: Sword of Villon (1956)
** 1/2 (out of 4)
I think it's rather clear that this entry in the Hal Roach series was meant to try and bring star Errol Flynn back to his popular days. By this time Flynn was certainly on the downside of his career and sadly he was just three years away from his death but this actually turned out to be a pretty good swan song to some sorts. In the film Flynn plays Francois Villon, a real Frenchman who learns that his King is about to be murdered, which could set off a war between the English and French. With the assistance of a woman Villon must try and thwart the plot. There are some very good things in this film but there are also a couple weak ones. The biggest problem is that the film tries to have an epic feel but it's obvious that they're shooting on small sets and there are several times that things just seem way too tight for their own good. Another problem is that the screenplay really isn't all that interesting as we get a basic murder plot, weak dialogue and nothing is every all that exciting. What makes the film worth watching is the performance of Flynn. He's certainly far from his days as Robin Hood but I thought the 47-year-old did a nice job in the role and he still had that charm that everyone remembers him for. The scenes with the sword fights were nicely staged and we at least get to see the star doing this type of role one last time. Flynn's career would take a nose dive from this point on but this short at least gives viewers a chance to remember him for something other than the controversy that was surrounding him at this point in time.
** 1/2 (out of 4)
I think it's rather clear that this entry in the Hal Roach series was meant to try and bring star Errol Flynn back to his popular days. By this time Flynn was certainly on the downside of his career and sadly he was just three years away from his death but this actually turned out to be a pretty good swan song to some sorts. In the film Flynn plays Francois Villon, a real Frenchman who learns that his King is about to be murdered, which could set off a war between the English and French. With the assistance of a woman Villon must try and thwart the plot. There are some very good things in this film but there are also a couple weak ones. The biggest problem is that the film tries to have an epic feel but it's obvious that they're shooting on small sets and there are several times that things just seem way too tight for their own good. Another problem is that the screenplay really isn't all that interesting as we get a basic murder plot, weak dialogue and nothing is every all that exciting. What makes the film worth watching is the performance of Flynn. He's certainly far from his days as Robin Hood but I thought the 47-year-old did a nice job in the role and he still had that charm that everyone remembers him for. The scenes with the sword fights were nicely staged and we at least get to see the star doing this type of role one last time. Flynn's career would take a nose dive from this point on but this short at least gives viewers a chance to remember him for something other than the controversy that was surrounding him at this point in time.