A swashbuckler is a genre of European adventure literature that focuses on a heroic protagonist stock character who is skilled in swordplay, acrobatics, guile and possesses chivalrous ideals. A "swashbuckler" protagonist is heroic, daring, and idealistic: he rescues damsels in distress, protects the downtrodden, and uses duels to defend his honor or that of a lady or to avenge a comrade.
William Joseph Schallert was an American character actor who appeared in dozens of television shows and films over a career spanning more than 60 years. He is known for his roles on Richard Diamond, Private Detective (1957-1959), Death Valley Days (1955-1962), and The Patty Duke Show (1963-1966).
George Montgomery was an American actor, best known for his work in Western films and television. He was also a painter, director, producer, writer, sculptor, furniture craftsman, and stuntman. He was a boyfriend of Hedy Lamarr.
Invasion, U.S.A. is a 1952 American drama film based on a story by Robert Smith and Franz Spencer and directed by Alfred E. Green. The film stars Gerald Mohr, Peggie Castle and Dan O'Herlihy. Invasion, U.S.A. is set in the Cold War and portrays the invasion of the United States by an unnamed communist enemy which likely refers to the Soviet Union. It is typical of the Red Scare film genre, common throughout the 1950s.
Edward Small was a film producer from the late 1920s through 1970, who was enormously prolific over a 50-year career. He is best known for the movies The Count of Monte Cristo (1934), The Man in the Iron Mask (1939), The Corsican Brothers (1941), Brewster's Millions (1945), Raw Deal (1948), Black Magic (1949), Witness for the Prosecution (1957) and Solomon and Sheba (1959).
Captive Women is a 1952 American black-and-white post-apocalyptic science-fiction film. It stars Robert Clarke and Margaret Field. The film has a running time of 64 minutes. It deals with the effects of a nuclear war and how life would be afterwards.
The Son of Monte Cristo is a 1940 American black-and-white swashbuckling adventure film from United Artists, produced by Edward Small, directed by Rowland V. Lee, that stars Louis Hayward, Joan Bennett, and George Sanders. The Small production uses the same sets and many of the same cast and production crew as his previous year's production of The Man in the Iron Mask. Hayward returned to star in Small's The Return of Monte Cristo (1946).
The Count of Monte Cristo is a 1934 American adventure film directed by Rowland V. Lee and starring Robert Donat and Elissa Landi. Based on the 1844 novel The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, the story concerns a man who is unjustly imprisoned for 20 years for innocently delivering a letter entrusted to him. When he finally escapes, he seeks revenge against the greedy men who conspired to put him in prison.
Swashbuckler films are a subgenre of the action film genre, often characterised by swordfighting and adventurous heroic characters, known as swashbucklers. Real historical events often feature prominently in the plot, morality is often clear-cut, heroic characters are clearly heroic and even villains tend to have a code of honour. There is often a damsel in distress and a romantic element.
The Man from Planet X is a 1951 independently made American black-and-white science fiction horror film, produced by Jack Pollexfen and Aubrey Wisberg, directed by Edgar G. Ulmer, that stars Robert Clarke, Margaret Field, and William Schallert. The film was distributed by United Artists.
Catherine McLeod was an American actress who made over 60 television and movie appearances between 1944 and 1976. She memorably portrayed the one woman whom James Garner's character Bret Maverick wanted to marry on the 1957 ABC/Warner Brothers television series Maverick, in the episode "Rage for Vengeance."
Screen Directors Playhouse is an American radio and television anthology series which brought leading Hollywood actors to the NBC microphones beginning in 1949. The radio program broadcast adaptations of films, with original directors of the films sometimes involved in the productions, although their participation was usually limited to introducing the radio adaptations and taking a brief "curtain call" with the cast and host at the end of the program. During the 1955–56 season, the series was seen on television, focusing on original teleplays and several adaptations of famous short stories.
At Sword's Point, also known as The Sons of the Three Musketeers, is a 1952 American historical action adventure film directed by Lewis Allen and starring Cornel Wilde and Maureen O'Hara. It was shot in Technicolor by RKO Radio Pictures. The film was completed in 1949, but was not released until 1952.
Kidnapped is a 1948 drama directed by William Beaudine, starring Roddy McDowall, Sue England and Dan O'Herlihy based on the 1886 novel of the same name by Robert Louis Stevenson. The former child star McDowall plays David Balfour in the story about a young man cheated out of his birthright by his wicked, covetous uncle Ebenezer.
Flat Top is a 1952 American drama war film filmed in Cinecolor, directed by Lesley Selander and starring Sterling Hayden, with early appearances from Phyllis Coates, Jack Larson, Richard Carlson, and William Schallert. The film earned William Austin an Academy Award nomination for Best Film Editing in 1953.
Davy Crockett, Indian Scout is a 1950 American Western film directed by Lew Landers and starring George Montgomery and Ellen Drew. Wartime hero Johnny McKee had a small role in the film, as did Jim Thorpe. The film was shot at the Motion Picture Centre, with filming commencing June 1948. Much of the footage was taken from the 1940 movie Kit Carson, starring Jon Hall, Dana Andrews, and Clayton Moore.
Marjorie Stapp was an American actress who was mainly in low-budget pictures.
Flaming Gold is a 1933 American pre-Code drama film directed by Ralph Ince and written by Malcolm Stuart Boylan and John F. Goodrich. The film stars William Boyd, Pat O'Brien, Mae Clarke, Rollo Lloyd and Helen Ware. The film was released on September 29, 1933, by RKO Pictures.
Queen for a Day is a 1951 American comedy film directed by Arthur Lubin and written by Seton I. Miller. The film stars Jack Bailey, Jim Morgan, Fort Pearson, Melanie York, Cynthia Corley, Kay Wiley and Helen Mowery. The film was released on July 7, 1951 by United Artists.
The Sword of Monte Cristo is a 1951 American adventure film written and directed by Maurice Geraghty. The film stars George Montgomery, Rita Corday, Berry Kroeger, William Conrad, Rhys Williams and Steve Brodie. It is loosely based on the 1844 novel The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. The film was released on March 3, 1951, by 20th Century Fox.
