The Gay Swordsman
The Gay Swordsman (/ "The Son of D'Artagnan") is a 1950 Italian historical adventure film directed by Riccardo Freda and starring Carlo Ninchi, Gianna Maria Canale and Franca Marzi. Synopsis. The son of d'Artagnan, the hero of "The Three Musketeers", does not wish to follow in his father's footsteps and retires to a monastery. However, when a crime is committed in front of him he feels compelled to become involved. Here he meets the Duke of Bligny and Linda, a pastry chef, with whom he falls in love. Raoul offers to track down and have the mysterious  knight punished; but he tries to have him killed without result and so he is accused of having stolen the plan of operations against the Flemings to have him sentenced to death. Raoul will blow up the enemy fortress that blocks the way of the troops and entering the fortress with the Duke Bligny discovers that the mysterious knight is a duke, military adviser to his father. Release. "The Gay Swordsman" was distributed theatrically in Italy by August Film on March 8, 1950. The film grossed a total of 201,000,000 Italian lire domestically. The film was picked up for distribution  overseas, with an article in the "Los Angeles Times" from November 1950 stating that Sol Lesser's company Principal Pictures International was going to import the film under the title of "The Son of D'Artagnan".The film was only released in late 1953 in the United States on the bottom end of double bills with the title "The Gay Swordsman".