Diverting, as usual. It begins in sepia with an old-fashioned saber duel in which one swordsman has his face slashed Fencers are now thoroughly protected by face masks and head gear. I'd always wondered how those students at Heidelberg managed to acquire so many scars on their cheeks. The episode shows us. The swordsman's bodies are fully protected except for the head and face above a stiff leather collar, where the only protection consists of mesh goggles.
It's a complicated story. A man loves a woman and eggs her jealous husband on until the husband commits a stupid act and is murdered by another man who also loves the wife. If you can believe a husband would climb into an old Spanish chest in a room where a party is being held, just in order to spy on his wife, you can believe anything.
Three men love Marguerite Clayton. All this adoration is understandable. The series had a tendency to introduce toothsome blonds in prominent roles and Caroline Langrishe is a fine example of the species, with her flawless features and cool green eyes. Yum.
I thought the murderer was more or less obvious. He's always hanging around in the background, showing up from time to time to natter some people and threaten others. He seems to have no other function. Yet I felt sorry for the poor fellow. He's no Ronald Coleman. He's older, scarred, abrasive, and strikes me as rather ugly.
It would have been nice if the fencing scenes (there are two of them) had been extended and better choreographed but you can't have everything. In each case, the weapons are sabers, which are awesome and serious devices.
It's a complicated story. A man loves a woman and eggs her jealous husband on until the husband commits a stupid act and is murdered by another man who also loves the wife. If you can believe a husband would climb into an old Spanish chest in a room where a party is being held, just in order to spy on his wife, you can believe anything.
Three men love Marguerite Clayton. All this adoration is understandable. The series had a tendency to introduce toothsome blonds in prominent roles and Caroline Langrishe is a fine example of the species, with her flawless features and cool green eyes. Yum.
I thought the murderer was more or less obvious. He's always hanging around in the background, showing up from time to time to natter some people and threaten others. He seems to have no other function. Yet I felt sorry for the poor fellow. He's no Ronald Coleman. He's older, scarred, abrasive, and strikes me as rather ugly.
It would have been nice if the fencing scenes (there are two of them) had been extended and better choreographed but you can't have everything. In each case, the weapons are sabers, which are awesome and serious devices.