Swashbuckler

For other uses, see Swashbuckler (disambiguation).

"Swashbucklers" redirects here. For the football team, see Louisiana Swashbucklers.

"Swashbuckle" redirects here. For the thrash metal band, see Swashbuckle (band).

D'Artagnan and the three musketeers

Swashbuckler or swasher is a term that emerged in the 16th century and has been used for rough, noisy and boastful swordsmen ever since. A possible explanation for this term is that it derives from a fighting style using a side-sword with a buckler in the off-hand, which was applied with much "swashing and making a noise on the buckler". Later the name "swashbuckler" (like Gunslinger) became common for an archetype and the accordant special film genre.In Italy the genre was known as Capa e spada.

The swashbuckler as an archetype

The word "swashbuckler", generally describes a protagonist who is heroic and idealistic to the bone and who rescues damsels in distress. His opponent is typical characterised as the dastardly villain. There is a long list of swashbucklers who combine outstanding courage, swordfighting skill, resourcefulness, chivalry and a distinctive sense of honor and justice, as for example The Three Musketeers, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Robin Hood and Zorro.

Historic backgrounds

Usually swashbuckling romances are set in Europe from the late Renaissance up through the Age of Reason and the Napoleonic Wars. In these eras, progress in metallurgy prompted the production of agile and resilient flexible blades, meant to inflict fatal piercing wounds, thus emphasizing a lively and flashy fencing style. While the earlier cleaving swings of heftier blades, intending to either break or shatter solid armour, required a lot of free space, the updated art of fencing could be performed on theatre stages as part of plays. Soon actors were taught to fence in an entertaining, dramatic manner. Eventually fencing became an established part of a classical formation for actors.

Consequently, when movie theatres mushroomed, ambitious actors took the chance to present their accordant skills on the screen. Since silent movies were no proper medium for long dialogues, the classic stories about heroes who would defend their honour with sword in hand were simplified and sheer action would gain priority. This was the birth of a new kind of film hero: the swashbuckler.

Two of the most famous instructors for swashbuckling swordplay are Bob Anderson and William Hobbs.

Film

Classic swashbucklers

The genre has, apart from swordplay, always been characterized by influences that can be traced back to the chivalry tales of Medieval Europe, such as the legends of Robin Hood and the King Arthur. It soon created its own drafts based on classic examples like The Three Musketeers (1921), Scaramouche (1923) and The Scarlet Pimpernel (1934). Some films did also use motifs of pirate stories. Often these films were adaptations of classic historic novels published by well-known authors such as Alexandre Dumas, Rafael Sabatini, Baroness Emma Orczy, Sir Walter Scott, Johnston McCulley, and Edmond Rostand. Swashbucklers are one of the most flamboyant Hollywood film genres, unlike cinema verite or modern realistic filmmaking. The genre attracted large audiences who relished the blend of escapist adventure, historic romance, and daring stunts in cinemas before it became a fixture on TV screens.

As a first variation of the classic swashbuckler there have also been female swashbucklers. Maureen O'Hara in Against All Flags and Jean Peters in Anne of the Indies were very early action film heroines.

Modern swashbucklers

Eventually the typical swashbuckler motifs were used up because they had so often been shown on TV screens. Late films such as The Princess Bride, Pirates of the Caribbean and The Mask of Zorro had to modify the classic archetype to attract a big audience. The modifications of the swashbuckler archetype went so far he even became the villain in 1995's Rob Roy film. Tim Roth plays an accomplished fencer who is overly ambitious and elegant. The final fight between Roth's character Archibald Cunningham and the protagonist demonstrates the differences between a so-called swashbuckler and a man who applies a previous combat style while swinging a heavier blade.

Television

Television followed the films especially in the UK with The Adventures of Robin Hood, Sword of Freedom, The Buccaneers, and Willam Tell between 1955 and 1960. US TV produced two series of Zorro in 1957 and 1990. Following the film The Mask of Zorro a TV series about a female swashbuckler, the Queen of Swords, aired in 2000.

Games

The concept of the Swashbuckler was also taken up by various types of games, with offerings in computer, board, and role-playing games.

External links

• Swashbuckler fans' website