NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Kino Blu-ray (March 2021): Kino have transferred Richard Fleischer's Crossed Swords to Blu-ray. It is cited as being from a "Brand New 4K Master". They also include the longer International cut in SD as an extra. This lavish period effort looks excellent in 1080P. The richness of the 'royal' colors (costuming) stand out - kudos to the art direction, as well as the production design Anthony Pratt (Zardoz, Billy Two Hats, Excalibur) and, of course, the great cinematographer Jack Cardiff (Black Narcissus, The Red Shoes, The African Queen.) The video presentation was very pleasing on my system.

On their Blu-ray, Kino use a DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel track (16-bit) in the original English language. It exports the film's audio effects and dramatic score by Maurice Jarre (The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds The Tin Drum, The Man Who Would Be King, The Damned etc.) very well. It's a very active film sound-wise and the lossless is an effective part of the overall presentation. Kino offer optional English subtitles on their Region 'A' Blu-ray.

The Kino Blu-ray offers a new commentary by my favorite trifecta of commentarists, Howard S. Berger, Steve Mitchell and Nathaniel Thompson who discuss Jack Cardiff, identifying Sybil Danning (Women in Prison, The Red Queen Kills Seven Times,) the producers Salkind, seeing films at Radio City Music Hall, the budget of 7-9 million, editor Ernest Walter (The Wilby Conspiracy, The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes, 10 Rillington Place), Richard Lester's The Three Musketeers and The Four Musketeers which paved the way for Crossed Swords, shooting sequences in Hungary, spotting Hammer stars, and much more. It is at their usual informative and entertaining level. There is also a new 20-minute interview with star Mark Lester who still doesn't look his age. Juts a comment on the the 121-minute International cut in SD - it's a weak (MPEG-2, 6 Mbps) transfer and only for the curious. Lastly, is a trailer. 

Richard Fleischer's Crossed Swords has a grandiose, Dumas-like (although based on a story by Mark Twain), period-adventure appeal. There are themes of identity, class structure and family. The commentary on the Kino Blu-ray helped my appreciation. I do find it amusing that Raquel Welch is second-billed in the film, but is essentially in it for a figurative 'cup of coffee' first appearing at 1 1/4 hours in and then only a brief handful of scenes. If you liked The Three Musketeers then this is more of the same - a well realized film by Fleischer, gorgeous visuals and stacked with stars; Oliver Reed, Ernest Borgnine, George C. Scott, Rex Harrison, David Hemmings etc..

Gary Tooze