By the Sword (1991)

By the Sword (1991) (DVD) (*)

Out of Stock

Language Selections:
English ( Dolby Digital Stereo )
Spanish ( Dolby Digital Stereo )
Spanish ( Subtitles )

Product Origin/Format:
Spain ( PAL/Region 0 )

Running Time:
83 min

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen (1.78:1)

Special Features:
Documentary
Interactive Menu
Scene Access
Trailer(s)
Booklet

Movie filmed in 1991 and produced in:
United States ( USA, Canada )

Directed By:
Jeremy Kagan

Written By:
James Donadio
John McDonald

Actors:
F. Murray Abraham ..... Maximilian 'Max' Suba
Eric Roberts ..... Alexander Villard
Mia Sara ..... Erin Clavelli
Christopher Rydell ..... Jim Trebor
Elaine Kagan ..... Rachel
Brett Cullen ..... Danny Gallagher
Doug Wert ..... Hobbs
Sherry Hursey ..... Tanos
Stoney Jackson ..... Johnson
Caroline Barclay ..... Tatiana
Peter Cohl ..... Calder
Stephen Polk ..... Williams
Ennalls Berl ..... Dana
Dharvi Darrell ..... Landlady
Eve Kagan ..... Daughter

Synopsis:

Villard (Eric Roberts) is an expert swordsman who runs a fencing school; he first learned the sport from his father, who was killed in a match when Villard was a young man. One day, an older gentleman (F. Murray Abraham) who looks down on his luck appears at Villard's fencing studio; he introduces himself as Suba and asks for a job teaching fencing. Villard, dubious about the ragged-looking man's credentials, instead offers him a job as a janitor, which he accepts. However, in time Villard discovers Suba really does know fencing, and finds that Suba has a secret -- he is in fact the man who killed his father, out of prison and looking for some sort of redemption. Villard, however, is more interested in revenge for his father's death. The supporting cast includes Mia Sara, Christopher Rydell, and Elaine Kagan.

Roberts plays Alexander Villard, a former fencing champion who runs a highly competitive fencing school. One of his students describes him as 'a freak who thinks he's living in the fourteenth century'. Abraham plays Max Suba, an ex-convict who introduces himself as a fencing instructor. Villard initially gives him a job as a janitor. With time, Suba recovers his lost form and shows that he can fence. Villard has Suba spar with an ambitious student to demonstrate a point. Villard is 'arrogant but not unkind', and eventually gives Suba a chance to teach, assigning him the beginning students. While Villard takes a ruthless approach, encouraging a student to injure an opponent to win, Suba takes a subtler approach, encouraging students to turn their own weaknesses into strengths. Following this advice, one of Suba's beginning level students scores against Villard's prize fencer during an in-school competition. Flashbacks further develop the conflict by revealing how Suba had killed Villard's father in a fencing duel. The film climaxes in a dramatic duel between Villard and Suba.

A mysterious man, Suba, gets himself a job at a fencing academy, and as he learns the way of the students, the school, and its maestro, they learn that there's more to him than meets the eye. He gains (or regains?) his fencing skills and his philosophy of teaching clashes with the maestro's. As they are thrown into conflict, Suba and the maestro's past appear to be linked. And the resolution of their mysterious relationship may be a duel to the death.

This product was added to our catalog on Thursday 19 June, 2014.