Usually when films are held up like At Sword's Point are for two years that usually means they're stinkers. I've certainly seen better in the swashbuckling genre. My own opinion is that for whatever reason it was held up RKO decided it might have been to take advantage of the leads being out in big mega hits in 1952, Cornel Wilde in The Greatest Show On Earth and Maureen O'Hara in The Quiet Man. At Sword's Point shows France in the years of Louis XIV's minority having some big trouble. It certainly had its problems in those years, but the realm was led by a most capable regent in Cardinal Mazarin and the Queen Mother Anne Of Austria. Mazarin's role has been completely eliminated and Louis has a sister instead of a brother.Anne who is dying of a weak heart is being pressured by the grasping and fictional Duc DeLavalle played by Robert Douglas to marry princess Nancy Gates and steal the throne. The Queen Mother is played proudly and regally by Gladys Cooper. Cooper wishes those guys who saved her bacon back in the day were still around. Well Athos, Porthos, Aramis, and D'Artagnan may not be, but their kids have all been taught the Musketeer fighting skills and it's time for a new generation of Musketeers to battle for the honor of the throne.The kids are Cornel Wilde as D'Artagnan, Alan Hale,Jr. as Porthos, Dan O'Herlihy as young Aramis and Athos was blessed with a daughter in Maureen O'Hara who keeps up with the boys in terms of fighting skills.One hopes that some kid studying French history doesn't take a short cut and watch this film to learn about France in 1650s. But as a swashbuckler it's not a bad film with heroes and villains cut from some whole cloth. The original Three Musketeers certainly had characters far more complex than these.And hopefully RKO got its money's worth with At Sword's Point in the wake of The Quiet Man and The Greatest Show On Earth.

Plugging into a familiar franchise, SONS OF THE MUSKETEERS is perhaps most noticeable for Maureen O'Hara's performance as Claire, daughter of Athos, who adopts masculine attire and joins her fellow junior musketeers (Cornel Wilde, Dan O'Herlihy and Alan Hale Jr.) in writing wrongs. All of them know her true identity, but they are happy to play along in sustaining the illusion that she is actually a man, so that they can enjoy the fun of pranks such as the need for all the musketeers to share a bed together, or to take a shower together.In truth O'Hara does not really make a convincing man, but this doesn't really seem to matter in a Technicolor adventure full of action, sword-fights and stirring music (by Roy Webb). As with many costume pictures made in the early Fifties (notably MGM's IVANHOE), the action unfolds at a brisk pace, leaving viewers little time to notice obvious implausibilities such as the musketeers speaking in a variety of accents ranging from Hollywood English to broad Nebraska. The supporting cast contains a smattering of Brits - to lend classical "authenticity" including Gladys Cooper (delivering her lines in stentorian tones reminiscent of Queen Victoria), and (in an uncredited role) Holmes Herbert, who for decades made a habit of playing butlers, lords, and miscellaneous nobles, his cut-glass British accent (honed in the theater of the early Twenties) contrasting with the panoply of other speaking voices on offer.SONS OF THE MUSKETEERS tells a familiar tale, but it does so in a highly breezy and entertaining manner.

This is truly an excellent swashbuckling adventure starring Muareen O'Hara and Cornel Wilde. There are lots of impressive sword fights. Maureen o'Hara is gorgeous funny and fights excellently with a sword. As well as sword fights there is lots of humour and wit in the film. The film centres around the sons and daughter of the musketeers. They must assist queen Anne in her fight against Lavalle.I recommend this to anyone who is a fan of the three musketeers from 1948 film starring Gene Kelly and Lana Turner. Heaps of fun 10/10 glad they are releasing this on warner archives DVD.Chris

This movie is one of my all time favorites! Swashbuckling, funny, adventurous and downright silly at times, it is ALWAYS entertaining to watch.This is the movie that really made me fall for Maureen O'Hara. Red hair, green eyes, and she swordfights better than any man in this movie! What more could you want?This movie seems to have brought out the true sense of whimsy in all of the cast. Their grins give them away throughout the movie. They were obviously having a blast. And so do we.