On Guard (1997 film)

On Guard French Le Bossu is a 1997 French swashbuckler film directed by Philippe de Broca and starring Daniel Auteuil, Fabrice Luchini, Vincent Perez, and Marie Gillain. Adapted from the 1858 historical novel Le Bossu by Paul Fval, the film is about a skilled swordsman named Lagardre who is befriended by the Duke of Nevers. When the duke is attacked by his evil cousin Gonzague, the duke in his dying moments asks Lagardre to avenge him and look after his infant daughter. The film had 2,385,688 admissions in France and grossed 96,750 in the United States. On Guard received the Csar Award for Best Costume Design, and eight Csar Award Nominations for Best Film, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Music, and Best Production Design in 1998. The film also received a BAFTA Film Award Nomination for Best Film in 1999.

Determined to claim his bride, Nevers leaves for Caylus with Lagardre along as his escort. They are followed by Gonzague and his men who plan to murder Nevers before he can marry Blanche and claim his son and heir. Along the way Nevers teaches Lagardre the Nevers Attackan acrobatic sleight of hand that ends with a blade between the opponents eyes. Soon after, they spot the assassins, and Lagardre is able to delay the attackers long enough to allow Nevers to reach Caylus and marry Blanche. The newlyweds happiness, however, is shortlived.When Gonzague and his men arrive at Caylus, they murder the entire wedding party. Lagardre arrives, and after a lengthy swordfight, Nevers is fatally stabbed by a masked Gonzague, who is branded on the hand by Lagardre. With his dying breath, Nevers implores Lagardre to avenge him and look after his infant child. Lagardre flees Caylus with the infant and finds refuge in the mountains in an abandoned farmhouse, where he discovers that the son is in fact a girl named Aurore. ........

Source: Wikipedia