By the Sword (film)
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James Donadio
Peter E. Strauss
- F. Murray Abraham
- Eric Roberts
- Mia Sara
- Chris Rydell
| By the Sword | |
|---|---|
 Promotional Poster | |
| Directed by | Jeremy Paul Kagan |
| Written by | John McDonald James Donadio |
| Produced by | Marlon Staggs Peter E. Strauss |
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | Arthur Albert |
| Edited by | David Holden |
| Music by | Bill Conti |
| Distributed by | Hansen Entertainment |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 91 minutes |
| Countries | United States France |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $6,220 |
By the Sword is a 1991 sports action film starring F. Murray Abraham and Eric Roberts as world-class fencers. Directed by Jeremy Paul Kagan, this is the first feature film about fencing.[1] Although some reviews of its 1993 U.S. theatrical release noted favorably the lead acting and action sequences, the screenplay was considered "terrible".[2]
Alexander Villard (Eric Roberts) is 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".[3]
Max Suba (F. Murray Abraham) is an ex-convict who introduces himself as a fencing instructor. Villard initially gives him a job as a janitor. Over time Suba recovers his lost form. Villard has Suba spar with an ambitious student to demonstrate a point. Villard is "arrogant but not unkind",[4] and eventually gives Suba a chance to teach, assigning him the beginning students.
Villard takes a ruthless approach to the art, encouraging a student to injure an opponent to win; by contrast Suba's attitude is subtler, encouraging students to turn their own weaknesses into strengths. Following this advice, one of Suba's beginning level students scores against Villard's prize pupil during an in-school competition. Flashbacks further develop the conflict; Suba killed Villard's father in a fencing duel.
The film climaxes in a dramatic duel between Villard and Suba: they fight up and down the academy until Villard is finally defeated. In that defeat Villard learns humility: to be a master does not mean defeating every opponent or be the best. In the end they both acknowledge each other's skills and call each other Maestro.
Cast
- F. Murray Abraham as Suba
- Eric Roberts as Villard
- Mia Sara as Erin Clavelli
- Christopher Rydell as Jim Trebor
- Elaine Kagan as Rachel, Suba's Romantic Interest
- Brett Cullen as Danny Gallagher
Other students are played by Doug Wert and Stephen Polk. In her second film appearance, Eve Kagan plays Gallagher's daughter. (Her first appearance had been in 1989, in a film also directed by Kagan.)
Soundtrack
Bill Conti composed the score. The score was performed and recorded by classical Guitarist Angel Romero.
Release
By the Sword was shown at the Vancouver International Film Festival in October 1991. It subsequently appeared at the American Film Market in Santa Monica in late October of the same year, and at the Palm Springs International Film Festival in January 1992.[5] It was released in France under the title "Par l'épée" on October 7, 1992.[6]
In the US, the film opened in Chicago on May 14, 1993; in Los Angeles on September 24, 1993; and in New York City on October 22, 1993.[5] The film's cinematic poster was created by John Alvin, who was known for his work on the posters for Blazing Saddles and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, among others.
The film was released on VHS in 1994 as a Columbia TriStar home video.