Basil Rathbone was twice the British Army Fencing Champ. He taught Errol Flynn and Tyrone Power the art of fencing and both actors went on to do their own stunts in ROBIN HOOD, CAPTAIN BLOOD, MARK OF ZORRO.
Patrick of Seattle
I've always loved Rathbone's performances, and his voice and elocution were marvelous. He was the perfect Sherlock Holmes, even resembling the engravings accompanying the stories in "The Strand" eerily. If his career were time-transplanted to today, he would be a megastar, but he just wasn't enough of a pretty-boy for the time in which he lived and worked. He was also a WWI hero, as was his Sherlock Holmes co-star, Nigel Bruce.
According to Rene Auberjonois, in an interview on his quoted on his (Aberjonois') website, he was told by one of the old-time fencing masters that Rathbone was the greatest of all the swashbuckling fencers, not new information, but certainly backing up the original post. Aberjoinois relates he was told that most actors can remember one or two fencing moves at a time, but that Rathbone could remember seventy or more.
I really like Basil Rathbone. He was a great villain. I especially love watching his fencing scenes. However, I can't agree with you on his being the perfect Sherlock Holmes. IMO, Jeremy Brett was the perfect Sherlock Holmes. A few years ago, dh got some Jeremy Brett Sherlock Holmes videos from the library. I watched some of them, but I didn't like the way JB portrayed SH. I didn't think he was a very good actor. Then I decided to read the original SH stories. My opinion changed by the time I finished them. I realized that Jeremy Brett was a great actor and the perfect SH. Basil Rathbone's portrayal of SH was not very like the character in the book -- although it was much better than Nigel Bruce's Dr Watson. I don't care much for the Basil Rathbone SH series because of the bumbling idiot, Dr Watson.
shareWe've strayed from the original topic, but forgive me for pointing out that you say you don't care for Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes because of Nigel Bruce's performances. That's a bit like saying you don't like the French because of the English.
In saying that Rathbone was the perfect Holmes, I take into account that he did not direct, produce, nor write the scripts for the movies that he starred in, so his performance can only be judged by his interpretation of the material he was given. I agree that Brett was wonderful as Holmes, and although I love Nigel Bruce, I also agree that his Watson was not the Watson of the stories (which I have also read in their entirity). I think, however Rathbone was flawless in delivering the lines given him to portray Holmes, and given the opportunities Brett had, his Holmes would have been even better.
The first couple of movies starring Rathbone as Holmes were fairly close to the original material, but, like the Fleming novels and Sean Connery's Bond movies, they get further and further from the apart as more are filmed, even bringing Holmes into the World War II era. That was just absurd.
Not to be a party-pooper, but Basil Rathbone was NOT a champion fencer. In his autobiography, "In And Out Of Character," he writes he studied stage fencing as part of his training at the Old Vic. He did venture into competitive fencing for a short time, but didn't take to it. He was very gifted at stage fencing and looked better than any other actor who ever lived.
Baz' duels in ROMEO AND JULIET, CAPTAIN BLOOD, ROBIN HOOD, THE TOWER OF LONDON and THE MARK OF ZORRO were staged by fencing master, Fred Cavens (there's a photo of them practicing in the autobiography - it may even be on-line). In all of his films until the comedic duel in THE COURT JESTER when he was a man in his 50's, Rathbone did his own stunts.
An actor who was a fencing champion was Cornell Wilde, who was selected to the, I believe, 1936 Olympics saber team.
My granddaughter (a sophomore in HS) had to watch two film versions of the Zorro story and then compare the two in a paper. She chose this version and the Mask of Zorro (the Anthony Hopkins' version). We talked about the films. She was pleasantly surprised by the 1940 version. What really impressed her was the sword fight between Basil Rathbone and Tyrone Power. When I mentioned that Rathbone was the premiere swordsman in Hollywood & that Power was taught by him, she said it showed in that scene. It was more exciting than fencing she's seen in other films.
shareI did *not* say that I "don't care for Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes because of Nigel Bruce's performances." I said, "Basil Rathbone's portrayal of SH was not very like the character in the book..." That was in response to your statement that he was the perfect Sherlock Holmes. I also said, "I don't care much for the Basil Rathbone SH series because of the bumbling idiot, Dr Watson." Notice the word "series" in that statement. So, your interpretation of my statements was way off.
I think Basil Rathbone was a very good actor. I don't think Basil Rathbone had read the original Sherlock Holmes stories, so that's why I don't think his portrayal of SH was like the book character. And even if he had read the stories and had wanted to make the movie character more in line with the story character, perhaps he would not have been allowed to do that. So, I somewhat agree with you on judging his interpretation of SH. I don't have any criticisms of Basil Rathbone's acting abilities. I really don’t even have criticisms of his SH except that it’s not like the story character. If Dr. Watson in that series had not been a bumbling idiot, I would thoroughly enjoy the series and would watch all that I could. BR still put on a great performance in everything I’ve ever seen him in.
The productions Brett did as Holmes were the best filmed Holmes, and Brett was great. However, Rathbone was hampered in many of his Holmes movies by silly updated stories, not to mention a buffoonish Watson. If he had had the advantage of the writing and Watson that Brett had, Rathbone would have been perfect.
shareBasil Rathbone always looked the best sword fighter in his films. It seems unrealistic that he is suppose to have only won one of his screen fights. In 'Romeo and Juliet' (1936) I believe.
sharePeople, Basil Rathbone was not the best fencer in Hollywood's golden age, Cornell Wilde was. Wilde was selected for the 1936 American Olympic Saber Team (he bowed out to pursue an acting career). But actually, even he was not the best fencer in Hollywood history. That honor belongs to Aldo Nady, who was a multiple World Champion Italian fencer, who appeared in a few supporting roles in Hollywood films, most notably TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT.
shareI saw Cornel Wilde the other week in 'Sons of the Musketeers.' Great swordplay. And Maureen O'Hara did some mean fencing in that film as well. It looks as though she did all her own work on screen. I didn't seen any stunt double during her swordplay.
shareNever seen it, ganglehog. Thanks for the tip. I'm going to search for it now. The only film I saw Wilde fence in was FOREVER AMBER, which has a pretty decent (and actually, very realistic) duel to the death.
O'Hara is an another swashbuckler with Tyrone Power, THE BLACK SWAN, but she does no fencing in that one.
I'll look out for 'Forever Amber' to see more Cornel Wilde fencing. I saw him in 'Leave Her To Heaven' recently. He's not so good in non-action roles like that one.
Maureen O'Hara is a feisty lady on screen. I hope you see her as a lady pirate in 'Under All Flags.' She has some great dialogue as well as action in that film.
Tyrone Power was taught fencing by his mother at the age of 7.
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