The Gallant Blade

The Gallant Blade is a 1948 American adventure film directed by Henry Levin and starring Larry Parks as a peasant hero of France in the 17th century after the Thirty Years' War.[1]

The Gallant Blade
Directed by	Henry Levin
Produced by	Irving Starr
Starring	Larry Parks
Music by	George Duning
Cinematography	Charles Lawton Jr. Burnett Guffey
Edited by	Viola Lawrence
Color process	Cinecolor
Production company	Columbia Pictures
Distributed by	Columbia Pictures
Release date	October 23, 1948 (New York City)
Running time	81 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Cast

• Larry Parks as Lt. David Picard
• Marguerite Chapman as Nanon de Lartigues
• Victor Jory as Marshall Mordore
• George Macready as General Cadeau
• Edith King as Madame Chauvignac
• Michael Duane as Paul Brissac
• Onslow Stevens as General de la Garance
• Peter Brocco as Sgt. Jacques
• Tim Huntley as Mayor Lanier
• Ross Ford as Henri

Production

Columbia announced in 1945 they would make The Gallant Blade based on a short story by Alexander Dumas. It was to be a follow up to The Fighting Guardsman.[2] It was part of a boom in swashbuckling pictures in 1945.[3]

The film was not made immediately. In 1947 Irving Starr was announced as producer and Charles Vidor as director. Then Vidor was replaced by Henry Levin. Larry Parks was signed to star. He had just made a swashbuckler for Columbia, The Swordsman, then initiated legal proceedings against the studio in July to get out of this contract with them. Parks had refused payment since then; he agreed to be paid for The Gallant Blade on the proviso it did not affect his legal actions.[4][5]

Filming started 1 December 1947. It was also known as The Gay Blade.[6]

References

1. J. Chapman; M. Glancy; S. Harper, eds. (2007), The New Film History, Springer, pp. 122–123, ISBN 9780230206229
2. Schallert, E. (Jan 30, 1945). "Big build-up planned for burnett subject". Los Angeles Times. ProQuest 165580518.
3. FRED, S. H. (Apr 15, 1945). "HOLLYWOOD ON THE CLEFS". New York Times. ProQuest 107182987.
4. THOMAS F BRADY (Nov 18, 1947). "LARRY PARKS TO DO FILM FOR COLUMBIA". New York Times. ProQuest 108042983.
5. T. F. (Nov 23, 1947). "RKO sets policy of hiring no 'known communists' -- 'all my sons' tailored to the screen -- axe falls at metro". New York Times. ProQuest 107746935.
6. Schallert, E. (Dec 1, 1947). "DRAMA AND FILM". Los Angeles Times. ProQuest 165783522.

External links

• The Gallant Blade at IMDb
• The Gallant Blade at the TCM Movie Database