On Guard!

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On Guard!

2002

2h 8m

Adventure

History

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

88%

Tomatometer

32 Reviews

78%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

Lagardère (Daniel Auteuil), a commoner, meets the Duc de Nevers (Vincent Perez), and the two, both expert swordsmen, develop a close bond. When the duke discovers he has fathered an illegitimate daughter in the countryside, he decides to marry the baby's mother, and brings Lagardère along for the journey. On the day of the wedding, though, the duke is killed by his fiendish cousin, Count Gonzague (Fabrice Luchini). Lagardère escapes with the infant and bides his time until he can exact revenge.

Critics Consensus

A spirited, old-fashioned swashbuckler.

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Doris N. Truong

Dallas Morning News

01/24/2003

B+

Sometimes, nothing satisfies like old-fashioned swashbuckling. And in this regard, On Guard delivers.

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Wesley Morris

Boston Globe

01/03/2003

3/4

Despite its postdated irrelevance and its dopey title, this Daniel Auteuil vehicle is ludicrous fun.

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Allison Benedikt

Chicago Tribune

01/03/2003

2/4

An awkward and indigestible movie.

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Nicholas Bell

IONCINEMA.com

09/30/2020

4/5

In the grand tradition of the once beloved swashbuckler, de Broca's On Guard is a topnotch example, especially considering it was material produced several times before.

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Jason Best

Movie Talk

03/14/2011

A dashing hero, dastardly villain and winsome distressed damsel, not to mention a melodramatic plot, thrilling sword fights and high-spirited comedy - all the elements you need to fashion the perfect swashbuckler.

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

07/21/2005

3/5

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Logan D

@Greynomad38 Nov 25

When his friend and mentor dies, Lagardère (Daniel Auteuil), a skilled swordsman, agrees to look after his friend's heir. Hidden gem! Based upon an 1850s novel, this is a swashbuckling cape and sword revenge tale full of the tropes fans of the genre enjoy. Auteuil anchors the film with a witty, sympathetic performance. I felt immersed in the period setting with the costumes, locations, and performances. I'm surprised I had never heard of this energetic film. I was disturbed by the resolution of the two main characters but apparently it didn't have an effect on the populace when the book was released. Highly recommeded

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12/05/2012

Fun to watch & nothing more

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09/05/2011

Swordplay in the classic style. Great fun. Watched it 4 times then my old vhs tape gave up the ghost and snapped. Daniel Auteuil is a great actor.....so versatile.....'Harry' in 'The Eighth Day' and 'Ugolin' in 'Jean de Florette'. In 'Le Bossu' he ends up holding the baby.....and there's a hunchback in it (again). Very good film if you like The Three Musketeer type movie.....french style.

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08/01/2011

A plot worthy of Dumas but, alas, the execution is not there.

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04/19/2011

Rousing, old-fashioned swashbuckler.

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02/24/2011

Brilliant story, cast and performance! Highly recommended :-)

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Philippe de Broca

Director

Daniel Auteuil

Lagardère

Fabrice Luchini

Gonzague

Vincent Perez

Duc de Nevers

Marie Gillain

Aurore

Yann Collette

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Synopsis

Lagardère (Daniel Auteuil), a commoner, meets the Duc de Nevers (Vincent Perez), and the two, both expert swordsmen, develop a close bond. When the duke discovers he has fathered an illegitimate daughter in the countryside, he decides to marry the baby's mother, and brings Lagardère along for the journey. On the day of the wedding, though, the duke is killed by his fiendish cousin, Count Gonzague (Fabrice Luchini). Lagardère escapes with the infant and bides his time until he can exact revenge.

Director: Philippe de Broca
Screenwriter: Jean Cosmos
Distributor: Empire Pictures
Production Co: Cecchi Gori Group Tiger Cinema
Genre: Adventure, History, Drama
Original Language: Canadian French
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 18, 2002, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 10, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $261.0K
Runtime: 2h 8m
Sound Mix: Surround