1X06 DUEL WITH A STRANGER
By Margie
[email protected]
Aired the week of November 6, 2000
Montoya commissions Spain's finest swordsman to strike down the Queen of Swords. Unbeknownst to Antonio, his target is also his long-lost love, Tessa. The two long to pick up where they left off years before, but both have been changed by the sands of time. Tessa puts the Queen's life in Antonio's hands - does he have the honor left to protect it?
WRITER: Elizabeth Keyishian
DIRECTOR: Richard Martin
GUEST STARS:
CRISTIÁN DE LA FUENTE as Antonio
EDUARDO RECABARREN as Pietro
Wow! What a moving storyline in the episode "Duel with a Stranger". What an emotional and at the same time intense drama. Congratulations to Elizabeth Keyishian (Writer), Tony Thatcher (Producer) and Richard Martin (Director) for a memorable episode.
Just wanted to make my comments on the stunts and storyline involved with this excellent episode. Actor Cristian De La Fuente was a wonderful guest star. He provided Tessa with an interesting look into her past. This episode seemed to have a twofold topic - "Honor and Love".
Colonel Montoya provided the viewers with another glimpse into his past. He mentioned that his father was a bureaucrat and his mother had a title and money.
Favorite line by COLONEL MONTOYA: With enough canons and gold, even the son of a lonely bureaucrat can aspire to become an emperor.
Always the dictator! Colonel Montoya's continuous scheming to lure and trap the Queen is always entertaining to watch.
Another favorite line from COLONEL MONTOYA referring to the Queen of Swords: Unlike the two of us, her sense of honor is rather simplistic, a weakness which makes her very, very predictable.
The flashback scenes introducing Antonio, Tessa's childhood love, gave the viewers a chance to see the type of person he was, a man of honor. It was apparent how Marta didn't like him then.
Marta continues to surprise me more and more. She is not only Tessa's guardian and mentor, she is a very good detective. She was able to find out information in a very interesting manner. Finding out about Montoya's gold was very clever. Marta's intuition of Antonio was her way of protecting Tessa from getting hurt.
This was my favorite dialog between Marta and Tessa.
TESSA: I can't believe he's really here Marta.
MARTA: "Don't let him get to you again, he's the same peacock he was when I last saw him.
This leaves poor Tessa confused.
The stunt performed during the stage coach scene was magnificent. It must have been a hard action sequence to perform. The stunt double, who was hanging onto the side of a moving stage coach and making her way to the top made it look real easy. I'm sure it was difficult. The stunt double did a great job in executing the scene. I especially liked the camera view from the top of the coach. Nice!! Once the coach stopped, it was interesting how the Queen's horse was waiting for her next the coach. The leap made by the Queen on top of her horse was perfect. Well trained animal!! Kudos to Natalia! I wonder if Tessie did any of the stage coach handling during the scene. It looked like her, but then again, it could have been her stunt double.
After Tessa's first meeting with Antonio as the Queen, she realizes why he has come to California. When Tessa goes to meet Antonio in the church, the look of trouble on their faces said it all. The reunion with her long lost love, knowing his purpose and why, would be a challenge Tessa/Queen would have to deal with.
Tessa knows Antonio was hired by Montoya to kill the Queen and is placed in a terrible predicament. Marta tries to tell Tessa that Antonio is not the same man he once was, but Tessa has a hard time accepting Marta's perception of Antonio. The scene were Marta tells Tessa what the tarot cards told her left Tessa not wanting to hear the truth. Marta knew that the cards spoke of the lovers and death. The writer sure knew how and where she wanted the direction of Tessa's life to go. Great piece of storyline.
The sword duel in Antonio's room was short, but effective. The kick by the Queen to unhand Antonio's sword and throw the lantern to the ground to start the fire was an interesting move. I thought the fire scene was the best action sequence in this episode. The Queen's escape from the burning room and her leap from the balcony was spectacular. Mr. Delongis explained in his comments on his website how this scene had been executed. I didn't realize that Natalie Guijarro was the stunt performer who doubled for the Queen in this action shot. Natalie does an impressive job and the shot was perfect. Not only can she ride, she can perform other difficult stunts. Bravo Natalie.
Once again, I believe Colonel Montoya made reference to the pueblo he rules in. When Colonel Montoya tells Captain Grisham that he will be the chief suspect in Antonio's murder, Montoya tells him, "The last thing I need is another hot headed Don, who happens to be a great swordsman, opposing me in Santa Ana." Did he make reference to the name of the town? How frustrating that the town does not have a name nor does Tessa's hacienda.
The duel between Antonio and the Queen was a great fight scene. It was a challenge of honor against love. When Antonio sword fights with the Queen, not knowing it is Tessa, he notices that her fighting style is similar to the teachings of Senor Juan Torres. (Obviously, they both went to the same instructor in learning to use a sword). The closeups were excellent shots of Tessie and Christian fighting. The long shots of the dueling partners were performed by two masters. I think the double for Christian was done by Anthony Delongis. I'm not sure who did the double for Tessie, Gaelle Cohen or Mary Gallien. Doesn't matter. Congrats on a job well done. I just enjoyed watching how the scene was executed and the effect it made to the storyline. Two opponents battling it out for honor and love.
This was my favorite dialog between the Queen and Antonio.
ANTONIO: You still run, Sr. Torres will be displeased.
QUEEN: I thought staying alive was the most important thing.
ANTONIO: Not above honor.
QUEEN: How can you speak of honor?
ANTONIO: You are the one hiding behind the mask not me. Who are you?
Once Antonio pulls the mask off of the Queen's face and realizes it is Tessa, he is disappointed and betrayed. Tessa believes that even though he knows of her identity, he wouldn't betray her. I thought this part of the episode was well written. The writer places Tessa's identity in jeopardy. I loved it.
Tessa's moment of truth arrives when she has to decide whether she loves Antonio as Tessa or she has an obligation to the people as the Queen. I thought the writer did a great job in writing this emotional scene. The viewers were presented with an intense morality to duty or love. The writer explained Tessa's and the Queen's position of honor and love very well. Even though Marta was there to introduce doubt and concern, Tessa was able to make the right decision at the cost of losing her long lost love. In the end, Antonio sacrifices himself for honor and love. There was a moment of intense drama when Antonio hesitates in telling Montoya who the Queen is. The look he gives Tessa tells her that he would rather die than betray her and he doesn't reveal Tessa's other identity. Marta did not trust Antonio and felt that he would betray Tessa. Tessa believed in Antonio and knew that in his heart he stilled loved her. What an emotional scene. I was hoping that it wouldn't end in a tragedy for Tessa. Great moment of suspense.
Colonel Montoya never hesitates to express his displeasure for the Queen. Its like an obsession with him to get rid of her. When Tessa is grieving in the church, the last thing he tells her was intense.
MONTOYA: Coraje Dona Alvarado, one day soon the Queen will pay for the suffering she brought down upon our heads and I'm sure I join you in praying for her swift and timely death.
Need I say more?
Congratulations to the stunt department for providing some fantastic action scenes in this episode. The stunt performers, Anthony Delongis, Natalia Guijarro, Mary Gallien and Gaelle Cohen did a wonderful job. The episode was very entertaining. Keep up the good work. The next episode "Running Wild" with Daisy Fuentes looks like there is a lot of action. Can't wait to see it.
~Margie~