''The Swordsman'' is a 1948 American

swashbuckler film 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-cu ...

directed by Joseph H. Lewis and starring Larry Parks.

Plot

In 18th-century in Scotland, the McArden and Glowan clans stand a violent and long hostility. Alexander, an attractive member of the McArdens clan, falls in love with the beautiful Barbara Glowan. Quickly, their relationship awakens anger of Barbara's cousin, Robert Glowan, who tries to destroy the enemy family forever. The boyfriend, anxious to marry his lover, intends that the two clans live in peace.

Cast

* Larry Parks as Alexander MacArden aka Donald Frazer * Ellen Drew as Barbara Glowan *

George Macready George Peabody Macready Jr. (August 29, 1899 – July 2, 1973) was an American stage, film, and television actor often cast in roles as polished villains. Early life Macready was born in Providence, Rhode Island on August 29, 1899. He graduate ...

as Robert Glowan *

Edgar Buchanan William Edgar Buchanan II (March 20, 1903 – April 4, 1979) was an American actor with a long career in both film and television. He is most familiar today as Uncle Joe Carson from the ''Petticoat Junction'', ''Green Acres'', and ''The ...

as Angus MacArden * Ray Collins as MacIan, a MacArden * Marc Platt as Murdoch Glowan * Michael Duane as Colin Glowan *

Holmes Herbert Holmes Herbert (born Horace Edward Jenner; 30 July 1882 – 26 December 1956) was an English character actor who appeared in Hollywood films from 1915 to 1952, often as a British gentleman. Early life Born Horace Edward Jenner, (some sour ...

as Lord Glowan * Nedrick Young as Bruce Glowan *

Robert Shayne Robert Shayne (born Robert Shaen Dawe, October 4, 1900 – November 29, 1992) was an American actor whose career lasted for over 60 years. He was best known for portraying Inspector Bill Henderson in the American television series '' Adven ...

as Ronald MacArden *

Billy Bevan Billy Bevan (born William Bevan Harris, 29 September 1887 – 26 November 1957) was an Australian-born vaudevillian, who became an American film actor. He appeared in more than 250 American films between 1916 and 1950. Career Bevan was bo ...

as Old Andrew

Production

The film was based on an original script by Wilfrid Pitit. It was originally called ''Annie Laurie'', then in November 1946, the title was changed to ''The Forge Man'' by which time Larry Parks was set to star and Joseph H Lewis was to direct. The same month,

Hedda Hopper Hedda Hopper (born Elda Furry; May 2, 1885February 1, 1966) was an American gossip columnist and actress. At the height of her influence in the 1940s, her readership was 35 million. A strong supporter of the House Un-American Activities Committ ...

said the movie's title was ''Glencoe'' and that it was filming in secrecy. Filming finished by March 1947.

Reception

The ''New York Times'' called it "a plain old fashioned horse opera" noting many of the situations and dialogue could have come straight from a Western.' The Swordsman,' a Western, of the Scottish Type, With Larry Parks, Ellen Drew, Seen at Capitol By BOSLEY CROWTHER. New York Times 17 Oct 1947: 18.

References

External links

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Review of film
at ''Variety'' American swashbuckler films 1948 films 1940s historical adventure films American historical adventure films Films set in Scotland Films set in the 18th century 1940s English-language films Columbia Pictures films Films directed by Joseph H. Lewis Films scored by Hugo Friedhofer 1940s American films {{adventure-film-stub