In 18th-century France, a young man masquerades as an actor to avenge his friend's murder.
Stunts
Stewart Granger did most of his own fencing—eight minutes, one take ambition.
Costume
Wardrobe budget could've fed a small revolutionary army.
Cinematography
MGM's saturated Technicolor makes betrayal look gorgeous.
Director
George Sidney
Stewart Granger
Andre Moreau
Eleanor Parker
Lenore
Janet Leigh
Aline de Gavrillac de Bourbon
Mel Ferrer
Noel, Marquis de Maynes
Henry Wilcoxon
Chevalier de Chabrillaine
Nina Foch
Marie Antoinette
Richard Anderson
Philippe de Valmorin (Marcus Brutus)
Robert Coote
Gaston Binet
Lewis Stone
Georges de Valmorin
Elisabeth Risdon
Isabelle de Valmorin
Howard Freeman
Michael Vanneau
Curtis Cooksey
Fabian
John Dehner
Doutreval
John Litel
Dr. Dubuque
Jonathan Cott
Sergeant
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The climactic duel was shot in a single continuous eight-minute take—unheard of for 1952, and still one of cinema's longest sword fights.
This was MGM's apology to audiences for delaying their next biblical epic; they basically said 'here, have attractive people in wigs stabbing each other.'
US
