I fear that other reviewers have failed to recognize this movie for what it is: a fine example of a 1950s Saturday afternoon double feature film. The principal actors are obviously enjoying themselves, and we should too. Yes, there's lots of filler, yes much is predicable. That's why I just relaxed and enjoyed it. Here's an analogy from another movie: Errol Flynn is in Queen Elizabeth's castle. An enormous piece of dark cloth hangs on a bare stone wall near the top of a steep stone stairway. The cloth serves no purpose that an Elizabethan interior decorator would accept. A few scenes later, Mr. Flynn is about to descend these stairs when he sees three miscreants with drawn swords waiting for him. What does Mr. Flynn do? Why he grabs hold of that cloth, swings down upon those extras, and
Besides, as a student of history I learned several things about France after Napoleon's defeat. Day and night switched back and forth unpredictably. As one was pursued by horsemen this might happen several times during a single pursuit. Small orchestras accompanied these horsemen but never interfered with the pursuit. (This, of course, was also true in the Old West, but Restoration France's orchestras were slightly larger.) Clothing never got dirty, even though one wore it day after day. Expensive seeming scarlet (a.k.a. scarlett) cloaks were so readily available that at least six of them could be lent to local villagers who sought to imitate our hero. As is still sadly true, men (well, one man our hero) pursued women who never would become properly submissive wives and whose conversation would cease to be interesting after a very few years. Men who had pistols usually forwent their use in order to fight each other with dueling swords. (For some reason this wise practice didn't continue in the Old West, despite that one almost never hit anyone no matter how many shots one fired at them from Old West pistols, whereas with a trusty sword )
Internet Archive offers this film free. As a still-loyal member of ABCDEFGHI, I recommend it for late-evening viewing. ("What's this alphabet stuff?" American Boys Concerned to Defend Errol Flynn's Good Honorable Intentions, that's what!)
Besides, as a student of history I learned several things about France after Napoleon's defeat. Day and night switched back and forth unpredictably. As one was pursued by horsemen this might happen several times during a single pursuit. Small orchestras accompanied these horsemen but never interfered with the pursuit. (This, of course, was also true in the Old West, but Restoration France's orchestras were slightly larger.) Clothing never got dirty, even though one wore it day after day. Expensive seeming scarlet (a.k.a. scarlett) cloaks were so readily available that at least six of them could be lent to local villagers who sought to imitate our hero. As is still sadly true, men (well, one man our hero) pursued women who never would become properly submissive wives and whose conversation would cease to be interesting after a very few years. Men who had pistols usually forwent their use in order to fight each other with dueling swords. (For some reason this wise practice didn't continue in the Old West, despite that one almost never hit anyone no matter how many shots one fired at them from Old West pistols, whereas with a trusty sword )
Internet Archive offers this film free. As a still-loyal member of ABCDEFGHI, I recommend it for late-evening viewing. ("What's this alphabet stuff?" American Boys Concerned to Defend Errol Flynn's Good Honorable Intentions, that's what!)