Countdown list of Sword Fights, Part 1 – from so-so to quite good
23. Justin Chambers vs. Tim Roth in "The Musketeers" (2001). Brings Eastern styled fight choreography into Dumas tale, which didn‘t work as good as the producers thought. The Endfight surely was meant to create a jaw-dropping highlight, but it‘s mostly repetitive as well as ridiculous. Half the time we just get tiny cgi-figures instead of the actors, balancing on ladders and performing stunts, that violate the known laws of gravity.
22. Kevin Costner vs. Alan Rickman in "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves" (1991). A fight for and in view of the heroine, but it didn‘t work for me. Whatever the ideas of the stunt coordinator were: the show is quickly ruined, due to Elizabeth Mastrantonios constant yelling for Robiiiiiiiin!
21. Robert Chapin vs. Jim Pirri in "Ring of Steel" (1994). Former Fencing Champion is thrown into an illegal gladiator fighting competition. At least this one bloodless show fight is better than what you‘d expect from a cheap direct-to-video production.
20. Daniel Olbrychski vs. Tadeusz Lomnicki in "The Deluge" ("Potop", 1974). Epic 17th century history film from Poland. The exciting Sabre duel is exceptionally staged on muddy ground and the combatants make it out in heavy rain.
19. Cary Elwes vs. Mandy Patinkin in "The Princess Bride" (1987). The film has a large fan community and many out there claim this duel being the best ever filmed. From a more realistic POV: The Choreography is nice to look at and competently performed. However, it‘s a family friendly film for Kids and Parents in the first place. Not the slightest element of danger included here, and viewed as a parody I found it mildly amusing only.
18. Alain Delon vs. Stanley Baker in "Zorro" (1975). Strange Italian mix of classic swashbuckler with elements of Italo western and ballyhoo thrown in. The final duel has an impressive 10 minutes length. Most of it is done well, just some kind of stop-and-go-feeling emerges, when the opponents move from one location to another.
17. F. Murray Abraham vs. Eric Roberts in "By the Sword" (1991). Quite unique, as it deals with modern day sports fencing, which is often not very exciting to look at. But it‘s different here, as a suspenseful and really dangerous fight emerges, when a fencing master is challenged by a mysterious stranger.
16. Jim Caviezel vs. Guy Pearce in "The Count of Monte Cristo" (2002). Atmospheric camera work, but the opponents do too much running, stumbling and seeking-the-weapon here, as if classic sword-wielding wouldn‘t unfold enough suspense.