It is set around the 17th century in the Appennines around San Marino above Ancona in a rustic landscape with an impressive castle, where the duchess lives who is to be married in grand style, and the beginning of the film is all about the festivities of this sumptuos wedding, when the bridegroom suddenly is shot dead, and the wedding is transmuted into a funeral. Who was the killer? That's the mystery, but apparently he must have been that mysterious character who constantly appears again and again from nowhere to fight it out with her other suitors. It is a dashing romantic entertainment, the swordfights are many and of high quality, actually on par with Errol Flynn, the tempo is high all the way, the colours splendid, so this is a great Italian costume entertainment with a romantic touch. Being from 1957 it feels somewhat outdated today, but it is full of original and rustic charm.
Review of Il cavaliere dalla spada nera
