A friend just passed me this link at the Washington Post on swordplay and fencing in the movies. (An annoying registration, but it's free) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...2004May21.html

It's sometimes painful to watch scenes where the "good guy" (Errol Flynn) obviously is less capable than the "bad guy" (Basil Rathbone), as in the Robin Hood and Captain Blood films. There was a Rathbone memorial competition in the NY Metro division at one time (in epee).

Caven's point is very good: in real fencing you want your motion to be as fast and deceptive as possible, but in theater and movies you want the motions to be telegraphed so the audience can see them.