The Flashing Blade

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The Flashing Blade is a French television serial made in the late 1960s, which was broadcast on BBC children's television during the 1960s, with several re-runs in the early 1970s.

Dubbed from French into English, the action was set in 17th century France, during a period of war between France and Spain. The long and meandering plot (there were over 20 half-hour episodes) involved a besieged French garrison in a castle on the Spanish border, and the efforts of a dashing spy, almost a cross between D'Artagnan and James Bond to engineer their rescue. To this end, he was required to seduce several women, and engage in almost endless horse-riding and swashbuckling.

As with a few other similar programmes (e.g. The White Horses) the theme tune was the best thing about it. In the 1980s, a comedy dubbed version was recorded by John Culshaw, and broadcast on the childrens' Saturday morning show On the Waterfront. The scripts for the comic new soundtrack were written by the later award-winning dramatist Russell T. Davies.

Several cast members from The Flashing Blade appeared in similar serialised action productions for French children's TV. Desert Crusader was virtually identical to The Flashing Blade but set in 12th century Palestine during the Third Crusade. The heaviness of the armour, and doubtlessly the heat on location (Tunisia??), cramped the style of the sword-fighting somewhat. The Aeronauts was set in the present day and featured a couple of daring French Air Force Mirage fighter pilots.