Can we take a serious moment and appreciate Ross Martin's acting here? He starts cocky and sleazy. Then he shifts into serious mode when it becomes clear Mr. Leslie is an accomplished swordsman. Then he gets pissed when Leslie matches him with not only the foil but the saber as well. Then he gets shaken up as he realizes he's slowly losing the fight.
As a retired fencing coach I can tell you this, the fencing was quite believable and well staged. The two actors must have recieved many hours of instruction and practice, both performed very well!
Agreed! I fenced a long time ago, but immediately recognized legitimate attacks and parries. Tightly choreographed, but had to be for a couple of actors without safety gear.
@@JacksonC62 From what source did you glean this bit of knowledge? I've read many comments that make this claim and my requests for the source have always gone unanswered.
@@ronveri2838 Robin Hood (Errol Flynn dueling Basil Rathbone) is a serious classic. Never saw Prince Valiant but The Vikings (Tony Curtis & Kirk Douglas) isn't bad for the era.
@@ronveri2838 I remember it well. I was 7 years old and already in an ecstasy of hero-worship over the Hal Foster comic strip so when the movie was released I HAD to see it and my parents took me. In subsequent viewings I've been disappointed at how badly the script weakened Aleta's character but that first time when I was a second-grader was magical.
It's so hilarious because it doesn't fit to the serious swordfight before. It's more an ending we are used to at the end of a coyote vs roadrunner episode. Maybe it is even a reference to the series because at the end the coyote mostly becomes victim of his own tricks and of gravity.
Totally agree. One of the best duels in cinema history. Right up there with Basil Rathbone vs Tyrone Power in The Mark of Zorro, and Basil Rathbone vs Errol Flynn in The Adventures of Robin Hood!
This duel is far more realistic than the cgi stuff being used now that actually looks more & more unrealistic. It looks more like animation than real life. I’m not sure why but todays cgi is very poor compared to when I first saw it being used in the film The Matrix over 20 years ago.
Far from cheesy, it was a brilliant and exciting duel. The fact that it occurred in the middle of an hilarious comedy makes it’s very unique… 6 years after this film was made Tony Curtis starred alongside Roger Moore in a tv series called the Persuaders. Though it was only 6 years later Tony Curtis looked 20 years older than he did in the Great Race…
@@fjccommish Not so much awful, as just fairly basic. The cut'n'thrust of what they were doing was pretty standard for film at the time. What was good about it was the speed (as well as the change of sound going from foil to saber); I don't recall another screen sword fight done at the speed they display here until "The Princess Bride", some 25 years later.
@@Travlr013 Not only basic, but awful. I had this discussion with an "expert" on swords and medieval weapons. I asked him how many times he had fought with a sword when death was on the line. Answer - never. Then he's not an expert with a sword.
@@fjccommish Keep in mind that this is "stage-fighting", and the idea is to NOT hurt the other person, if at all possible (cue notation about Kevin Nash in "The Punisher"). To the general audience, this will look just fine. Better than fine, in fact, given the speed of the execution. As someone who has practised medieval rapier combat (yes, I have studied my Agrippa, although I prefer DeGrassi and learned lots from Silver and Marozzo) I note the more Olympic style in the fight here. They make the correct point about many more slashing attacks with the saber, which was correct due to the style of blade. It's one of the reasons why I liked the Rathbone/Power fight in "The Mark of Zorro" due to its heavy use of thrusting attacks. Again, this wasn't master-class stage-fighting, but due to the speed of the basic forms being done, it was a more than passable show. And very entertaining. Almost as much fun as "The Court Jester", which was a much worse technical performance, but an awful lot of fun to watch....
I saw it new in 1965 & loved it! Can you believe this 4 star movie's rating was reduced to 2 l/2 stars, 10 years later, but has since been upgraded to 3 l/2 stars?
That's because Hollywood believes that comedies now need to be " raunchy " bordering into the obscene. They forget how successful comedians like Charles Chaplin , Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd, Jerry Lewis , Chevy Chase and Jim Carrey doing slapstick comedy. I'm not a betting person , but if l were , l would bet that a lot of people would "die" from laughing out loud from watching a Jerry Lewis movie The Bellboy, The ( original ) Nutty Proffesor, and The Big Mouth.
@@NelsonStJames ...yes!... ...this scene is a benchmark for students of stage combat... ...and for how you film and present a movie swordfight... ...intense acting in an intense action scene, intended as contrast and dramatic counterpoint to the comedy of this film...
I was 7 or so when I saw this in the theater with my parents. It was a _long_ movie for somebody that young, a _lot_ of it went over my head. But there's 2 scenes I always remembered. Jack Lemmon losing half of his frozen mustache, and this scene when Ross dives into the boat. The whole audience lost their sh*t, after such a "serious" long and scary swordfight.
@@maxbrazil3712 Let me guess. After watching Miss Natalie Wood's pond bathing scene, you left the Theater thinking, "That's why I want to be a Cavalryman!" LOL
@Odysseus Rex We'd better be very, VERY, careful! Both of those ladies, had one thing in common. They had one Robert Wagner in their lives! I personally don't want that guy going all "Prince Valiant", and coming after ME with a "Singing Sword" in his hands!
Great sword fight even though it was from a comedy. I'm sure original audiences didn't expect to see a foil/sabre duel in a comedy epic. Of course the greatest duel ever filmed and THE one that all others are to be measured against is the great foil duel between Stewart Granger and Mel Ferrer in Scaramouch!
...the climactic duel scene in Scaramouch is considered a benchmark for students of stage combat... ...this scene from "The Great Race" is another such benchmark...
I have to disagree about the Scaramouche. It was too reliant upon sound effects and overly theatrical. Oh and they weren't foils in that fight; they were small swords. A much better fight was the climactic exchange in The Mark of Zorro between Tyrone Power (though mostly a double who just happened to be the fight choreographer's son 😏) and Basil Rathbone. It had just enough dramatic flair and all the moves made sense to the moment. In the aforementioned fight, movements were put in obviously for spectacle with no other explanation or reason. That is a fight choreographer's hazard which needs to be avoided. As I always tell my actor/combatants, the fight must tell a story! The Scaramouche fight meandered from its tale too much. Now the fencing lesson scenes earlier in that film were excellent!
@@maxbrazil3712 I just added "Scaramouche", to my TH-cam movies & TV collection! Now, I have to get my Android equipped 99.5 Sony Bravia XBR-100Z9D, to watch it on!
Ross Martin was born to a Polish Jewish family in what as then Poland and now part of Ukraine. His family immigrated to America and stodgy in The Bronx. Martin spoke Polish, Yiddish, and some Russian before learning English and later added French, Spanish, and Italian. I am sure he surprised laughter every time he was called von Stuppe by Bernie Scehartz stage name Tony Curtiss likewise.
Cheesy, yes, but its an homage to the Prisoner of Zenda fight between Ronald Colman and Douglas Fairbanks jr -- the shadow scenes, the window leap, all copied. And it has that wonderful line "I prefer a man's weapon, how are you with a sabre?" That's worth a million bucks right there!
I was actually surprised at all of the comments here. I'm 65 and have never met anyone outside of my family who's ever heard of this movie. Whenever it was on TV we had to watch it. And then when it appeared on VHS we bought a copy. My Dad's been gone for close to 30 years but every time I watch The Great Race, I can still hear him laughing when "The Great Leslie escaped with a Friar" and Professor Fate replies, "Leslie ran off with a chicken?" And seeing lovely Natalie Wood in underwear and covered with real pies was almost too much for this young lad to bear! 😮
How have I lived my life so far without knowing that this existed? Fantastic! I miss the time when movies used real stunts and skilled performances to entertain. CGI today and AI video tomorrow makes everything look like a cartoon
I really like the part when they used a foil and were testing each other out. The way they did it is often seen in professional fights and it makes even more sense in a fight to the death when a single opening can mean life or death.
It was written with humor and everlasting love, although the dive into the boat is a moment of outrageous & delicious cheesiness. This was one of the first movies I remember seeing at a very young age. Natalie Wood bathing in the pond was a profound moment of sexual awakening. "The Great Race" is in my Top 10 Favorite movies.
I fenced competitively in college and earned a credential to teach Italian foil, epee and sabre; this is an exceptional scene with both actors displaying classic form and movement very well indeed. Fencing isn’t a practical form of defense, but rather a sport. However it is very theatrical, combined with two charming actors, an incredible set, it is wonderfully entertaining
I have probably watched this movie more than a hundred times. Yet today is the day I noticed Tony Curtis suddenly acquires a glove when he picks up the saber.
I've loved this movie for years and watched it many times. Wonderful, lighthearted entertainment. Given the content of most of the movies we are presented with in this day and age, watching a movie like the Great Race is a breath of fresh air.
This was still back during the studio days of Hollywood and Tony Curtis and many other studio Actors were required to do other things than acting. But in those days the Studios trained their stable of Actors in Dance, Gun Handling, Sword fighting, Horseback riding, and other skills. Curtis proved to be agile and athletic thus he was an natural. He had starred in a few other action type movies prior to this so he was just not a petty face. He was around 40 when he did this movie and he is in petty good shape.
It’s not Wesley and Inigo, or even Rassendyll and Hentzau, but it’s pretty good. And that last gag is superb. The stuntman really did dive into a specially built boat.
@@odysseusrex5908 The danger come slipping too close or too back and getting hit in the face or equipment failure. The tip of one blade gets broken on a thrust and it will go right in the other person.
Why does the description say "cheesy" sword fight? These actors looked like they busted their butts to learn this scene. Seems pretty skillful to me and very realistic-looking.
I'd like to see an update of the original "Wacky Races" with some additional racers. There has been a new Wacky Races show that has been shown outside the U. S. but it only features Dick Dastardly, Penelope Pitstop, Peter Perfect, and one new racer (I don't remember his name) but it just wasn't the same as the original. There was also a pilot for "Wacky Races Forever" featuring the sons and daughters of the original racers (such as Penelope Pitstop and Peter Perfect), and some of the classics such as Professor Pat Pending (who has gone from an eccentric scientist to a mad scientist). The pilot was available on TH-cam and I liked it.
This duel, and of Miss Natalie Wood, being abducted during her 'swim', by a very, very, lucky(?) Cavalryman, was the main reason I bought "The Great Race", on blu-ray!
That wasn't too cheesy, that's how real sword fighting mostly is with little subtleties and nuances. The most ridiculous thing was the boat at the end.
@@samsignorelli Shut up dummy! At the point which you are talking about it it is Hollywood and is fine and yet is still realistic. Dont try and create other smaller sub arguments within what I said when my comment was already the sub argument. Anything beyond that just becomes ridiculous.
@@steveklick dude...I AM a fencer (mostly sabre, but I've fenced all three weapons, and currently teach sabre), and no fight ever goes that long without a hit being landed (unless you're an epeeist playing the non-combativity game). You claimed this is how most sword fighting goes on....I am telling you, no...it isn't...not even in a REAL fight to the death or 1st blood. Further, I worked around stage combatants for 2 decades...I have seen good stage combat (which this is....both actors knew how to handle their weapons AND act at the same time), and this DOES serve the prime purpose of such actions...to help tell the story through the fight. Is this a good stage combat scene? Yes. Is it a realistic fight? No. The most realistic stage fight in terms of what would happen in real life is the first fight in The Duelkists. Now go unwind your knickers and sit down.
@@samsignorelli First of all I'm not responding to most of what you said because its completely ridiculous and unnecessary. I will leave you with this last little thing which is all that matters at this point and covers the entire scope of what's relevant whether you are a sword fighter or not. So I suppose you have real duals to the death with other fencing masters in castle mansions all the time then? You are an idiot and cannot properly assess things.
@@steveklick And you clearly have no understanding of stage combat. As for the fighting part...I Have fenced competitively and have held a national ranking in sabre, so I DO know what can happen in an actual trading of steel (although no one today would take the chances in a real fight with sharp weapons the way we do in a competitive environment)...an on occasion, that fencing HAS been against Olympians (which didn't end well for me at all). And your experience is....???
7 ปีที่แล้ว +13
That was pretty good. If you can find a copy watch Errol Flynn(Robin Hood) and Basil Rathbone(the Sheriff of Nottingham) in the finale sword duel. Both men did their own fencing in the movie "Robin Hood". It is still one of the best action films ever made.
Man that's one of my favorite movies of all time. I showed it to a bunch of my friends (all in our 20's) and they couldn't get over the fact that it was from 1938, oh man I just wanted to slap them, "movies dont have an expiration date! It's a classic your all savages!"
@@mikegrossberg8624 The Prisoner of Zenda parody vignet (only one of many parodies in that film) was put in and to honor it, they needed a swordfight. Leslie was the one who had to fight the villain to fit the format. I bear the scene, the parody and of course, the entire movie no ill will! In fact, I loved it!!! I have been fencing for nearly 42 years, most of those as a classical fencer. I have also choreographed fights for the stage for about 36 years. I understand the proper marriage of the two. This film really pulled it off!
Saw this in a theater when young and of course I loved the entire movie. This scene stands out as great Hollywood swordplay - choreographed drama punctuated with a header into a rowboat! Buster Keaton likely saw this film and probably smiled at that point.
Did you know? The greatest swordsman in HOLLYWOOD was one BASIL RATHBONE,,, ALTHOUGH most of the fights he had he had to lose to the leading men..... Good up load love them to..❤️🎬💪💯
I do adore how it copies so many elements of the original it's parodying, even having the villain quote the hero of the original. (It's a common saying, to be sure, but when they've copied everything from the shadow play to the sword throw and dive out a window, then attribute the quote to "an English gentleman," it's clearly a reference.)
This is the payoff to the early setup where Leslie is dueling with Natalie Wood in his luxury beach tent and she tells him she won the international women's fencing competition and after he defeats her he says "now if you had won the international men's fencing competition" that was a brilliant seed that was planted now here is what Leslie meant we see how good he really is.
![ตีสิบเดย์ [FULL] | ครอบครัวสะท้านทุ่ง "นางบี & อ้ายสติ๊ก"](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/A1rhYcxxNtA/mqdefault.jpg)
This is actual fencing in a movie, its wonderful. Both actors can actually fence.
Can we take a serious moment and appreciate Ross Martin's acting here? He starts cocky and sleazy. Then he shifts into serious mode when it becomes clear Mr. Leslie is an accomplished swordsman. Then he gets pissed when Leslie matches him with not only the foil but the saber as well. Then he gets shaken up as he realizes he's slowly losing the fight.
As a retired fencing coach I can tell you this, the fencing was quite believable and well staged. The two actors must have recieved many hours of instruction and practice, both performed very well!
Those "Sabres" look an awful lot like foils with basket hilts instead of cup hilts.
@@paulpeterson4216 Nope. Those were standard fencing sabers circa 1965.
Agreed! I fenced a long time ago, but immediately recognized legitimate attacks and parries. Tightly choreographed, but had to be for a couple of actors without safety gear.
@@Hammerli280 So, what you're saying is that standard fencing sabers circa 1965 were foils with basket hilts.
@@paulpeterson4216 Hahaha....I really hope that is self-deprecating sarcasm.
This was not cheesy at all. It was exciting, tense and well acted. Ross was such an underutilized talent. He carries this whole scene.
I love cheese and this movie, so you misunderstood my sentiment.
@@maxbrazil3712 The only 'cheesy' part of the scene, was Von Stuppe's 'fleeing' swan dive into the waiting boat!
It wasn't cheesy it was realistic
@@user-ze3lk1ov5b No it wasn't actual duels last a matter of seconds
@@JacksonC62 From what source did you glean this bit of knowledge? I've read many comments that make this claim and my requests for the source have always gone unanswered.
And that's why "look before you leap" is solid advice.
This is one of the better cinema sword fights and a classic.
Robin Hood was pretty good, and so was Prince Valiant, and the Vikings.
@@ronveri2838 Robin Hood (Errol Flynn dueling Basil Rathbone) is a serious classic. Never saw Prince Valiant but The Vikings (Tony Curtis & Kirk Douglas) isn't bad for the era.
@@jkorshak Prince Valiant.....James Mason and Robert Wagner. 1954....with Janet Leigh.
@@ronveri2838 I remember it well. I was 7 years old and already in an ecstasy of hero-worship over the Hal Foster comic strip so when the movie was released I HAD to see it and my parents took me. In subsequent viewings I've been disappointed at how badly the script weakened Aleta's character but that first time when I was a second-grader was magical.
My all-time favorite swords-on-screen moment is the duel between Tyrone Power and Basil Rathbone in the 1940 remake of The Mark of Zorro.
The ending is perfect! It's a comedy.
That ending tho hahaha
Best part. 😂😂😂
I must admit that I laughed when he hit the boat, which, of course, led to his death 💀. According to his autopsy, he died of a “serious head trauma”.
Should of broke his whole dame back😂
It's so hilarious because it doesn't fit to the serious swordfight before. It's more an ending we are used to at the end of a coyote vs roadrunner episode. Maybe it is even a reference to the series because at the end the coyote mostly becomes victim of his own tricks and of gravity.
This isn't cheesy its actually a good fight compared to todays movies.
Totally agree. One of the best duels in cinema history. Right up there with Basil Rathbone vs Tyrone Power in The Mark of Zorro, and Basil Rathbone vs Errol Flynn in The Adventures of Robin Hood!
And the stunt of jumping on the boat wasn’t bad either …… no CGI… !
@@brucerestau7716 Wait....what about Basil Rathbone and Danny Kaye in "The Court Jester"? 🤣
Ross Martin was always one of my favorite actors. : )
Cheesy? Nope. Curtis and Martin were both trained and experienced swordsmen with great skills.
Aww, i love old movies.
I miss those times when movies wheren't super realistic and/or gritty, but entertaining and fun to watch.
This duel is far more realistic than the cgi stuff being used now that actually looks more & more unrealistic. It looks more like animation than real life.
I’m not sure why but todays cgi is very poor compared to when I first saw it being used in the film
The Matrix over 20 years ago.
Far from cheesy, it was a brilliant and exciting duel.
The fact that it occurred in the middle of an hilarious comedy makes it’s very unique…
6 years after this film was made Tony Curtis starred alongside Roger Moore in a tv series called the Persuaders. Though it was only 6 years later
Tony Curtis looked 20 years older than he did in the Great Race…
Was that a matter of makeup, or riotous living?
@@odysseusrex5908 The latter. Tony admitted in an interview that he was once a heavy cocaine user. That definitely would take its toll.
I will say this the Baron wasn't lying when he said he had a boat waiting.
Ross Martin and Tony Curtis were both expert swordsman as well as fine actors.
Their sword work was awful.
@@fjccommish *meh
@@fjccommish Not so much awful, as just fairly basic. The cut'n'thrust of what they were doing was pretty standard for film at the time. What was good about it was the speed (as well as the change of sound going from foil to saber); I don't recall another screen sword fight done at the speed they display here until "The Princess Bride", some 25 years later.
@@Travlr013 Not only basic, but awful. I had this discussion with an "expert" on swords and medieval weapons. I asked him how many times he had fought with a sword when death was on the line.
Answer - never.
Then he's not an expert with a sword.
@@fjccommish Keep in mind that this is "stage-fighting", and the idea is to NOT hurt the other person, if at all possible (cue notation about Kevin Nash in "The Punisher"). To the general audience, this will look just fine. Better than fine, in fact, given the speed of the execution.
As someone who has practised medieval rapier combat (yes, I have studied my Agrippa, although I prefer DeGrassi and learned lots from Silver and Marozzo) I note the more Olympic style in the fight here. They make the correct point about many more slashing attacks with the saber, which was correct due to the style of blade. It's one of the reasons why I liked the Rathbone/Power fight in "The Mark of Zorro" due to its heavy use of thrusting attacks.
Again, this wasn't master-class stage-fighting, but due to the speed of the basic forms being done, it was a more than passable show. And very entertaining. Almost as much fun as "The Court Jester", which was a much worse technical performance, but an awful lot of fun to watch....
Nothing cheesy about this swordplay. It is excellently and technically precise smallsword and saber work. Foot work and everything.
This needs to be in light sabers. No cheese here at all .. one of the better sword fights ..
That was actually an excellent sword fight but then the ending what outrageous. I almost fell off the couch.
The Great Race. The best " slapstick " comedy ever made by Blake Edwards. My favorite comedy movie EVER!!!!!!!!
I saw it new in 1965 & loved it! Can you believe this 4 star movie's rating was reduced to 2 l/2 stars, 10 years
later, but has since been upgraded to 3 l/2 stars?
That's because Hollywood believes that comedies now need to be " raunchy " bordering into the obscene. They forget how successful comedians like Charles Chaplin , Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd, Jerry Lewis , Chevy Chase and Jim Carrey doing slapstick comedy. I'm not a betting person , but if l were , l would bet that a lot of people would "die" from laughing out loud from watching a Jerry Lewis movie The Bellboy, The ( original ) Nutty Proffesor, and The Big Mouth.
This was one of my favorite movies when i was a child.
It's still one of my favorites. For me this movie still holds up.
@@NelsonStJames ...yes!...
...this scene is a benchmark for students of stage combat...
...and for how you film and present a movie swordfight...
...intense acting in an intense action scene, intended as contrast and dramatic counterpoint to the comedy of this film...
lmao! That ending! Way to ruin an awesome get away. lol!
A perfect homage to _Prisoner of Zenda_...and then he went headfirst into the rowboat...wa-waa--waaa. Tudum-tish!
I was 7 or so when I saw this in the theater with my parents. It was a _long_ movie for somebody that young, a _lot_ of it went over my head. But there's 2 scenes I always remembered. Jack Lemmon losing half of his frozen mustache, and this scene when Ross dives into the boat. The whole audience lost their sh*t, after such a "serious" long and scary swordfight.
Nathalie Wood bathing in the pond was my favorite when I was 10. The sword fight was a close second.
@@maxbrazil3712 Let me guess. After watching Miss Natalie Wood's pond bathing scene, you left the Theater thinking, "That's why I want to be a Cavalryman!" LOL
@@WalterDWormack214 LOL. For me, it was Jill St. John in *Diamonds are Forever.*
@Odysseus Rex We'd better be very, VERY, careful! Both of those ladies, had one thing in common. They had one Robert Wagner in their lives!
I personally don't want that guy going all "Prince Valiant", and coming after ME with a "Singing Sword" in his hands!
@@WalterDWormack214 Well, he's 93 years old, so I'm not worried.
It’s quite a good fencing sequence.
The Sword fight between Danny Kaye and Basil Rathbone in The Court Jester is classic swordsmanship and comedy together
Basil Is Rathbone and Tyrone Power in Zorro was excellent too
@@55Quirll Rathbone/Power is the greatest movie fight ever.
@@samsignorelli Agreed 👍!
The pallet with the poison is in the vessel with the pestle?
@@MarkGoding " The vessel with the pestle has the potion with the lotion, The flagon with the Dragon has the brew that is true" " Get it got it good"
Great sword fight even though it was from a comedy. I'm sure original audiences didn't expect to see a foil/sabre duel in a comedy epic. Of course the greatest duel ever filmed and THE one that all others are to be measured against is the great foil duel between Stewart Granger and Mel Ferrer in Scaramouch!
AMEN BROTHER! Not only a spectacular sword fight but a truly awesome film. I tried to post the sword fight but TH-cam says no.
...the climactic duel scene in Scaramouch is considered a benchmark for students of stage combat...
...this scene from "The Great Race" is another such benchmark...
I have to disagree about the Scaramouche. It was too reliant upon sound effects and overly theatrical. Oh and they weren't foils in that fight; they were small swords. A much better fight was the climactic exchange in The Mark of Zorro between Tyrone Power (though mostly a double who just happened to be the fight choreographer's son 😏) and Basil Rathbone. It had just enough dramatic flair and all the moves made sense to the moment. In the aforementioned fight, movements were put in obviously for spectacle with no other explanation or reason. That is a fight choreographer's hazard which needs to be avoided. As I always tell my actor/combatants, the fight must tell a story! The Scaramouche fight meandered from its tale too much. Now the fencing lesson scenes earlier in that film were excellent!
@@maxbrazil3712 I just added "Scaramouche", to my TH-cam movies & TV collection!
Now, I have to get my Android equipped 99.5 Sony Bravia XBR-100Z9D, to watch it on!
@@robertmcpherson1617 Sometimes you just have to let brainless and wonderful entertainment flow over you.
That ending lmfao xD Of all the shit I did NOT expect!
The boat... The poor boat lol. Man that was funny.
It’s almost-water
Ross Martin was born to a Polish Jewish family in what as then Poland and now part of Ukraine. His family immigrated to America and stodgy in The Bronx. Martin spoke Polish, Yiddish, and some Russian before learning English and later added French, Spanish, and Italian. I am sure he surprised laughter every time he was called von Stuppe by Bernie Scehartz stage name Tony Curtiss likewise.
Cheesy, yes, but its an homage to the Prisoner of Zenda fight between Ronald Colman and Douglas Fairbanks jr -- the shadow scenes, the window leap, all copied. And it has that wonderful line "I prefer a man's weapon, how are you with a sabre?" That's worth a million bucks right there!
& also the version with Granger & Mason.
real skill no CGI
This is the sound of my local Chinese restaurant making a Fried Rice on a Wok
Greatest Sword Fight Ever Filmed. Perfect.
There was a third genius in this scene, perhaps the best of all - Blake Edwards! Crashing into the boat was his signature touch.
"Please excuse me...I have a boat waiting", LOL!!
A nice mix of comedy, drama, and a little bit over the top
I remember watching this film with my cousins. Naturally, we all loved it and tried fencing with tree branches. Great movie!
Brilliant sword fight. One of the best in filmdom. And displays Tony Curtis excellence in the skill.
Ross Martin wasn’t too shabby, either, jcalberta.
Two exceptional actors.
I was actually surprised at all of the comments here. I'm 65 and have never met anyone outside of my family who's ever heard of this movie.
Whenever it was on TV we had to watch it. And then when it appeared on VHS we bought a copy.
My Dad's been gone for close to 30 years but every time I watch The Great Race, I can still hear him laughing when "The Great Leslie escaped with a Friar" and Professor Fate replies, "Leslie ran off with a chicken?"
And seeing lovely Natalie Wood in underwear and covered with real pies was almost too much for this young lad to bear! 😮
I saw it in a theatre when it came out.
I love the line:Those who fight & run away may live to fight another day.
As a former saber fencer, this is quite good.
Both classically trained actors both very well schooled in all types of fencing.
How have I lived my life so far without knowing that this existed? Fantastic! I miss the time when movies used real stunts and skilled performances to entertain. CGI today and AI video tomorrow makes everything look like a cartoon
I really like the part when they used a foil and were testing each other out. The way they did it is often seen in professional fights and it makes even more sense in a fight to the death when a single opening can mean life or death.
Not cheesy not brainless this is awesome
It was written with humor and everlasting love, although the dive into the boat is a moment of outrageous & delicious cheesiness. This was one of the first movies I remember seeing at a very young age. Natalie Wood bathing in the pond was a profound moment of sexual awakening. "The Great Race" is in my Top 10 Favorite movies.
Back then, horsemanship and swordsmanship were assets in an actors potential career. Curtis was a highly skilled actor.
I fenced competitively in college and earned a credential to teach Italian foil, epee and sabre; this is an exceptional scene with both actors displaying classic form and movement very well indeed. Fencing isn’t a practical form of defense, but rather a sport. However it is very theatrical, combined with two charming actors, an incredible set, it is wonderfully entertaining
This was absolutely brilliant!
This scene has no right to go so hard, it looks so epic and tense, but then the ending does a total 180
A parody of the sword fight scene in “The Prisoner Of Zenda”(1952) but tops it with the dive into almost-water.
Imagine if this came up on people’s recommendations one day 😂
It came up on mine.
Done xD
@@vtrvr511 no way no no no way what
Yet another great display of swordsmanship.
My kind of fireplace. A whole tree fits nicely. And a good sword fight too.
Word has it that the log in that fireplace is still burning.
Brilliant Tony Curtis and Ross Martin 👏👏
Tony Curtis (R.I.P.) is in good physical shape for this demanding scene...💪👍
I have probably watched this movie more than a hundred times. Yet today is the day I noticed Tony Curtis suddenly acquires a glove when he picks up the saber.
Me too. I hate it when sharp eyed people notice something I missed. Bravo!
I just noticed where he got the glove . When he takes the sabre from the rack you can see a leather glove tucked in the hand guard of each blade.
@@maxbrazil3712 Omg you’re right!
Awesome! Two memorable legendary actors
Under appreciated sword play showing the skills of Martin and Curtis....and all those pies and cakes lollol
That’s one way of getting in a boat. I do like that shirt the Baron is wearing.
"YOU R ARE MAKING AN ASSUMPTION< ASSUMING I AM THE VICTIM BEFORE WE EVEN FIGHT"
george lucas: *takes notes of dialogue*
There wasn't anything cheesy about that fight. It was done quite well.
Tony Curtis and Ross Martin. All we need now is Robert Conrad!
A fitting ending for a show'boat'er who got reincarnated as a u.s. secret service agent.
I've loved this movie for years and watched it many times. Wonderful, lighthearted entertainment. Given the content of most of the movies we are presented with in this day and age, watching a movie like the Great Race is a breath of fresh air.
Not cheesy. Two of my favorite actors.
This was still back during the studio days of Hollywood and Tony Curtis and many other studio Actors were required to do other things than acting. But in those days the Studios trained their stable of Actors in Dance, Gun Handling, Sword fighting, Horseback riding, and other skills. Curtis proved to be agile and athletic thus he was an natural. He had starred in a few other action type movies prior to this so he was just not a petty face. He was around 40 when he did this movie and he is in petty good shape.
"The Black Shield of Falworth", "The Son of Ali Baba", "The Vikings". Etc.
This was the best boat 🛶 fight ever !
The boat won !!!
It’s not Wesley and Inigo, or even Rassendyll and Hentzau, but it’s pretty good. And that last gag is superb. The stuntman really did dive into a specially built boat.
man just dives straight thru the boat
When men could fight...
Great fight, increadibly dangerous thing to film.
Shawn Swigart Ross Martin was actually trained as a swordsman prior - it was one of his many talents 👍
The blades were not sharp.
@@odysseusrex5908 The danger come slipping too close or too back and getting hit in the face or equipment failure. The tip of one blade gets broken on a thrust and it will go right in the other person.
@@odysseusrex5908 A dull blade point in the eye is still going to sting a bit.
I was wondering what a legitimate Japanese samurai would think when he saw this fight ...
Not much, I assume. They were not skilled in foil a d European sabre fencing.
You can tell Mel Brooks was a fan. The Baron's name in Blazing Saddles and the actual swordfight reminds me of Men in Tights.
Why does the description say "cheesy" sword fight? These actors looked like they busted their butts to learn this scene. Seems pretty skillful to me and very realistic-looking.
you've never trained in fencing - have you
Actually the basis of Wacky Races, Penelope Pitstop, Snidely Whiplash and all the rest... I love, love, LOVE this movie.
I'd like to see an update of the original "Wacky Races" with some additional racers. There has been a new Wacky Races show that has been shown outside the U. S. but it only features Dick Dastardly, Penelope Pitstop, Peter Perfect, and one new racer (I don't remember his name) but it just wasn't the same as the original. There was also a pilot for "Wacky Races Forever" featuring the sons and daughters of the original racers (such as Penelope Pitstop and Peter Perfect), and some of the classics such as Professor Pat Pending (who has gone from an eccentric scientist to a mad scientist). The pilot was available on TH-cam and I liked it.
Tony Curtis and Ross Martin practiced this scene for 8 months prior to filming.
P.S. Notice the size of that fireplace! 🔥
it doesn't show
That's something I just noticed. The Baron is attempting to force Leslie into the Fireplace.
This duel, and of Miss Natalie Wood, being abducted during her 'swim', by a very, very, lucky(?) Cavalryman, was the main reason I bought "The Great Race", on blu-ray!
Cheesy? I'm no expert on fencing, but that was better than most other duels I remember seeing.
If you look very closely, you may notice that The great Lesley and Baron are wearing fencing gloves.
That wasn't too cheesy, that's how real sword fighting mostly is with little subtleties and nuances. The most ridiculous thing was the boat at the end.
Not really....NO fight ever goes on that long. The actions were pretty good, and props to both actors for using Italian grips on the foils.
@@samsignorelli Shut up dummy! At the point which you are talking about it it is Hollywood and is fine and yet is still realistic. Dont try and create other smaller sub arguments within what I said when my comment was already the sub argument. Anything beyond that just becomes ridiculous.
@@steveklick dude...I AM a fencer (mostly sabre, but I've fenced all three weapons, and currently teach sabre), and no fight ever goes that long without a hit being landed (unless you're an epeeist playing the non-combativity game). You claimed this is how most sword fighting goes on....I am telling you, no...it isn't...not even in a REAL fight to the death or 1st blood.
Further, I worked around stage combatants for 2 decades...I have seen good stage combat (which this is....both actors knew how to handle their weapons AND act at the same time), and this DOES serve the prime purpose of such actions...to help tell the story through the fight.
Is this a good stage combat scene? Yes. Is it a realistic fight? No. The most realistic stage fight in terms of what would happen in real life is the first fight in The Duelkists.
Now go unwind your knickers and sit down.
@@samsignorelli First of all I'm not responding to most of what you said because its completely ridiculous and unnecessary. I will leave you with this last little thing which is all that matters at this point and covers the entire scope of what's relevant whether you are a sword fighter or not.
So I suppose you have real duals to the death with other fencing masters in castle mansions all the time then? You are an idiot and cannot properly assess things.
@@steveklick And you clearly have no understanding of stage combat. As for the fighting part...I Have fenced competitively and have held a national ranking in sabre, so I DO know what can happen in an actual trading of steel (although no one today would take the chances in a real fight with sharp weapons the way we do in a competitive environment)...an on occasion, that fencing HAS been against Olympians (which didn't end well for me at all).
And your experience is....???
That was pretty good. If you can find a copy watch Errol Flynn(Robin Hood) and Basil Rathbone(the Sheriff of Nottingham) in the finale sword duel. Both men did their own fencing in the movie "Robin Hood". It is still one of the best action films ever made.
Basil Rathbone played Sir Guy of Gisbourne. Melvin Cooper played the Sheriff.
Man that's one of my favorite movies of all time. I showed it to a bunch of my friends (all in our 20's) and they couldn't get over the fact that it was from 1938, oh man I just wanted to slap them, "movies dont have an expiration date! It's a classic your all savages!"
I think the "cheesy" comment is aimed at the dialog and the way the fight was forced into the film. The action though, was SUPERB!
Since the whole thing was "The Prisoner Of Zenda", HOW can you say the swordfight was FORCED into the film?
@@mikegrossberg8624 The Prisoner of Zenda parody vignet (only one of many parodies in that film) was put in and to honor it, they needed a swordfight. Leslie was the one who had to fight the villain to fit the format. I bear the scene, the parody and of course, the entire movie no ill will! In fact, I loved it!!! I have been fencing for nearly 42 years, most of those as a classical fencer. I have also choreographed fights for the stage for about 36 years. I understand the proper marriage of the two. This film really pulled it off!
This is one of my all time favorites.
The fencing was great. It was the escape that was cheesy.😂
Saw this in a theater when young and of course I loved the entire movie. This scene stands out as great Hollywood swordplay - choreographed drama punctuated with a header into a rowboat! Buster Keaton likely saw this film and probably smiled at that point.
A parody that equals its original in “The Prisoner Of Zenda”
But tops it in the jump into almost-water.
Did you know? The greatest swordsman in HOLLYWOOD was one BASIL RATHBONE,,,
ALTHOUGH most of the fights he had he had to lose to the leading men.....
Good up load love them to..❤️🎬💪💯
Magnífica escena de esgrima.....Un final Grandioso....Excelentes Tony Curtis y Ross Martin...!!!!
That was AMAZING!
The sword fight is only equaled by the pie fight.
A nod to Errol and Basil.
It was a great movie. We need mopre like this.
That ending! 🤣🤣🤣🤣
I do adore how it copies so many elements of the original it's parodying, even having the villain quote the hero of the original. (It's a common saying, to be sure, but when they've copied everything from the shadow play to the sword throw and dive out a window, then attribute the quote to "an English gentleman," it's clearly a reference.)
You had to be Tony Curtis back in the day to pull off white slacks and topless like that.
I love this movie. One of my all time favourites.
Maybe cheesy but I'm impressed it didn't use stunt men.
The ending wtf he survived all that hack and slash but slammed himself on a boat 🤦♀️
Don't forget to give full credit to Henry Mancini. His incidental music here does a lot for the atmosphere.
This is the payoff to the early setup where Leslie is dueling with Natalie Wood in his luxury beach tent and she tells him she won the international women's fencing competition and after he defeats her he says "now if you had won the international men's fencing competition" that was a brilliant seed that was planted now here is what Leslie meant we see how good he really is.