Movie review - "The Swordsman of Siena" (1962) *** (warning spoilers)

Stewart Granger was getting a little old to play the dashing hero by now but he still has charisma, presence and charm and can swash a fair buckle. His old school stardom also stands as a blessed relief in a cast of mostly no names, including an atrociously dubbed young female lead. (These MGM co-financed Italian shot swashbucklers always seemed to star a young woman who was a shocking actor - I remember one in Seven Seas to Calais.)

This has a pretty good story (Alec Coppel co-wrote it): Granger plays an English mercenary travelling through Europe trying to raise money to buy a property at home. He goes to work for the Spaniards who are occupying Tuscanny - but over time comes to sympathise with the people he is oppressing. Female interest is provided by a pair of Tuscan sisters, the younger who is a dreamy idiot who idolises Granger in a manner similar to Jean Simmons in Adam and Evelyn, and is constantly disappointed by him (she's the one who gives the really bad performance). And her sister who seems to be happily collaborating.

There are two great shocks in this - the dopey sister is killed around two thirds of the way through and the elder slutty is revealed to be actually on the side of the rebels. Neither of these I saw coming. 

 

On the less strong side it climaxes in a race, which is different, but doesn't quite make sense how it's used to keep the populace in line. Awkward dubbing, impressive production design, erratic support performances, some neat sword fights and a bit of torture thrown in.