Truly Dreadful Film

A Brilliant Conflict

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

There is just so much movie here. For some it may be too much. But in the same secretly sarcastic way most telemarketers say the phrase, the title of this one is particularly apt.

I loved this movie, and therefore I had to read the book. That led to a whole set of sequels and a prequel which I'm still reading as there aren't any English translations and I have to read other stuff too. What a splendid story the original book is! How frustrating that not one of the four DVD's I've managed to get so far of this story can include the whole story as in the book. The Marais version gets the essence perfectly although Marais is just a little too old and a bit stilted with the heroine - but otherwise he looks the part. However, the financial drama with which le Bossu bankrupts Gonzague is completely omitted. Auteuil in this version is also a bit too old and not right at all visually as Lagardere has fair hair but the financial stuff is portrayed excellently. However, it changes the lovely Spanish sequence in the book and instead uses a sequence in the Prequel (re the hero's childhood) which is very entertaining in the movie, but the heroine is far too "modern" throughout. A TV version from awhile back has the best representation of the story, well cast, is this my favourite of the 4 I've seen, it includes characters omitted from the other versions, but it also completely omits the financial drama (unless this was in the TV version which was cut I heard for the DVDs). A recent TV version gives us something of Spain thought it's not quite right, however the hero does pursue those ambush hirelings as per the book and the heroine's friend Fleur has a good part. This version changes the ending so that the hero marries the dead duc's wife instead of the daughter - I suppose trying to avoid the question of incest. I prefer the original as per the book.This incest issue is noted in some other reviews. If people have only seen this movie, I can understand them being concerned. You do need to read the original book, in which Lagardere is in exile with the duc's daughter for many years, brings her up properly with maid and educates her and so on, there's nothing dodgy at all going on, she knows he's not her father but instead her guardian, and he's often away (pursuing the hirelings in the ambush). It's only when she's grown up that she falls for him, and he falls for her.They aren't related at all!! What's the problem? But yes, in this Auteuil movie, they are so close as father and daughter and she only finds out he isn't her father when she's 16 and then pretty well the next day demands he kiss her as a lover and assumes they will marry. His protests get him nowhere as she pretty well seduces him in the final frames! It does seem incestuous.Nonetheless, a great fun movie and full marks too to the duels and most especially to Vincent Perez as the fun-loving Duc who does decide to marry the lady he gets pregnant - more because he's thrilled at having a son than for the lady, I think. What a surprise when the hero discovers the child is a girl. You can't help laughing at his confusion over how to bring up a girl! Ros

--Slight Spoilers-- "On Guard" is the fifth French cinematic adaptation of Paul Feval's novel "Le Bossu" (The Hunchback), which was first published in 1858. While seemingly unknown in the U.S., the book and its chief protagonist, Lagardere are well-known in France. In fact, Lagadere's challenge to the traitorous Count Gonzague--"If you won't come to Lagadere, Lagadere will come to you!"--is a French proverbial saying now and most of its citizens appear to have some working knowledge of the tale. I believe that the director's supposition of some foreknowledge of the story is what leads to some bewildering twists for viewers that lack that orientation. This film covers a lot of territory in its little more than two hour running time and moves at a very sprightly pace. Some things whoosh by in the narrative, while others are implied to have been discussed off-camera by the involved parties. The result, however, is that there appear to be plot holes in the story for the uninformed. Why didn't the Duke De Nevers send back assistance to aid Legardere? Why didn't the Duke inform his father-in-law that there had been attempts made on his life? Why didn't Lagadere and Aurore discuss the slaying of a swordsman in a duel and the implications that the act had for them both? And most pointedly, what is the explanation of Aurore's behavior upon discovering that she is Lagardere's ward, and not his daughter?Despite these criticisms, this is a good old fashioned revenge, reward, romance and restoration yarn. It received numerous nominations for film awards and deserved them. The acting is quite good, despite the aforementioned script problems, and Daniel Auteuil, Fabrice Luchini, Marie Gillian and Vincent Perez give lively performances. Auteuil, despite being too old to play either the younger or older versions of Lagardere almost makes you forget it. Vincent Perez as the slightly comedic, and foppish De Nevers, strikes the right tone for the tale. Luchini as the slightly mad and gleefully evil, Gonzague is a satisfying villain. Gillian as the tomboyish, guileless innocent that events revolve around, hits all of the right notes, even if we cannot fully discern the melody that she is playing. The sets, art direction and the costuming are all first rate.In the end, if you just relax and go with this story and resist trying to apply contemporary values to a story set in the 17th century, you are in for a pleasant ride. Sit back and enjoy. This is the best swashbuckler that I have seen in recent years. I only wish that the novel was available in an English translation to fill in the blanks. Incidentally, Feval's son found fame and notoriety by writing prequels and sequels to this yarn, crafted around the Lagardere character. Other swashbuckling tales that featured D'Artagnan and Cyrano De Bergereac as the protagonists were also written by the son. Alas, none of these tales are currently available in English translations.

I eagerly rented this DVD because I'm such an admirer of the workof Daniel Auteuil. I enjoy a good swashbuckling yarn and this onehas all the elements in place. A terrific basic plot, with most of thecontrivances well covered up, a marvelous and stylish cast,beautiful scenery, splendid costumes, exciting sword fights, andmost of all--Daniel Auteuil at the top of his considerable form. Thisgreat actor can do it all. So why did De Broca saddle the moviewith that icky kiss between a 16 year old girl and the man she hasknown most of her life as her father? There is somethingperversely French going on here, and don't tell me I'm a prude. Auteuil is de Nevers' servant and he give him a sacred mission--tosee that his daughter is safe. Once de Never's insecure brother,superbly played with a low-key insanity by Fabrice Lucini, arranges for his death and abducts his wife, Lagardere (Auteuil)escapes with de Nevers' infant daughter and joins an itinerantcommedia dell'arte troupe and raises Aurore as his own daughter. He teaches her how to fight with a sword. But as the child beginsto grow into a woman, there are sly indications that they mighthave stronger feelings for each other, or rather, she is moreupfront about her crush on him. He chooses to ignore it. Since we are in the world of Alexandre Dumas, the meticulous wayin which Lagardere engineers the revenge of de Nevers, restoringAurore to her mother and her fortune, is both ingenious and a lot offun. By in the last 30 seconds, the movie slipped badly intosomething approaching incest when Aurore plans an intense kisson Lagardere as the movie concludes. Eeeewwww! Lagardere issupposed to be a hero not a pedophile. Auteuil, who has agedwell, is near 50 here, and the lovely Aurore, played by Anne Gillaineis definitely looking well below 20. I was totally creeped out. Up to that moment, this is as enjoyable and fast-paced anadventure film as any I've seen and is without all the ridiculouscomputer-generated nonsense that mar to many contemporaryfilms. In the end, it is the always marvelous Daniel Auteuil that youremember. Without that ending, however, this could have been aclassic.

This was buried away on channel 4 at 2.00 a.m. one morning and I taped it out of passing interest, only to be mesmerised when I watched it a few days later. So much so that I had to watch it all the way through without even a break for a cup of tea. It's easy to say, in hindsight, that the storyline is predictable, but I didn't find that at the time and, believe me, you can't see the twists coming when you watch it. In fact the film builds great moments of tension.The sword fight scenes, which I would normally fast forward, were really intense and believable. This is good old fashioned story telling with glorious scenery and the requisite number of nail biting moments.