[[quoteright:330:[[Film/TheAdventuresOfRobinHood http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/TheMasterOfFlynning.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:330:Have at thee, villain!]]

->''It was not like the silly fighting you see with broad-swords on the stage.''
-->-- '''C.S. Lewis''', ''Literature/PrinceCaspian''

The classic [[SwordFight swordplay]] of [[{{Swashbuckler}} Swashbuckling]] {{movies}}: Threaten high countered by parry high, threaten low countered by parry low, lather, rinse and repeat as you climb the spiral tower staircase, until the hero can drive his sword through the villain's heart. It looks good, and the "tink-tink-tink" of sword tips clashing has become [[TheCoconutEffect familiar to the ear]] over the decades.

But it's not real swordplay. It's not even a decent simulation. Essentially, it works out to the two combatants deliberately trying to hit each others' weapons with an impressive *clang* sound, rather than each other.

The other primary variety of unrealistic fencing (more popular in the far east and modern works) is a preposterously overactive offense, typically consisting of spin and flips that would leave the back wide open combined with absurdly overshot slashes and swipes that would invite a quick lethal interruption.

It is used, on stage at least, to make sure no one actually gets hurt. It stems from live theater, where special effects are nigh well impossible and actors don't have stunt doubles. WillingSuspensionOfDisbelief helps; conversely, a working knowledge of any school of swordsmanship can easily ruin all enjoyment of Hollywood sword fights for the 0.0001% of the population who both know and care about such things. (It's also important to note that, on stage, if the audience sees a fight that looks ''too'' realistic, they often stop caring about the scene and begin to worry genuinely for the ''actors'' and their safety.) It's also done because real combat involving swords tended to be gory and violent, usually resulting in nasty bloody wounds and body parts being chopped off. That isn't gonna fly with the {{Media Watchdog}}s and Network Censors [[ThinkOfTheChildren especially in the case of works geared toward children.]]

In theatrics, this is known as "Pirate Halves", so named because you see it so much in pirate movies ("halves", because you're basically making a half-circle with your sword with each parry, meeting at the top and bottom of each arc -- a similar move, "Pirate Fulls", is when you're making a 360° arc with each swing to meet at the bottom of each swing). Often in pirate and swashbuckling movies they wouldn't have the time (or the budget) to give everyone in the film sword fighting lessons, so they'd give some lessons to the lead actors, and tell all the extras in the background, "just do this."

Named [[IThoughtItMeant not]] for a ''Film/{{Tron}}'' character but for swashbuckler film star ErrolFlynn. Worth noting that, as some of the examples below illustrate, quite a number of his colleagues in early 20th century Hollywood actually ''were'' expert fencers, but rather than go for realistic fights they used their knowledge to produce something that [[RuleOfCool just looks cool]] instead.

While, as copiously noted above, Flynning doesn't have much in common with real fencing except for using swords, stage combat is an art form in and of itself that is a) tremendously fun and b) tremendously fun to watch. Certified specialists can get up to absurdly high levels of skill, with enough acrobatics to make a gymnastics team jealous.

Not as common as it used to be, but the pseudo-ninja style whirling blades, often one on each hand, sometimes even by ''Romans,'' is (if anything) even ''more'' absurd.

Compare ATeamFiring, which replaces the swords for bullets. Contrast SingleStrokeBattle, which doesn't look elaborate ''enough''. See also AnachronismStew as swords and sword fighting techniques shown on film tend to be hundreds of years ahead of what would have been available in the time setting of a medieval film.[[note]]Might be a case of AcceptableBreaksFromReality, given that most past cultures never wrote down the details of their martial arts. On the flipside, some films use anachronistic techniques when there's a knowledge base concerning the techniques they ''did'' use.[[/note]]

----
!!Examples:

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Advertising]]
* In a Dos Equis "The Most Interesting Man in the World" commercial, The Most Interesting Man is shown taking on two opponents with sabres, for sport. Flynning mixed with camera cuts (as if it were an old, worn film).
[[/folder]]

[[folder:{{Anime}} and {{Manga}}]]
* ''RevolutionaryGirlUtena'''s sword heavy duels Flynned to cut down animation costs, though the participants generally aren't actually trying to kill each other.
** But ''Utena'', ever the {{Deconstruction}}, [[LampshadeHanging lampshades]] and [[FlawExploitation exploits]] this in the worst possible way.
--> [[spoiler:Akio]]: No, you know nothing besides play duels. But if you don't put up your sword now, you'll find out how terrifying real duels are.
* The beam-sabre fights in the various ''Franchise/{{Gundam}}'' shows go back and forth between using this trope and utterly averting it. Most are short and brutal, ending with severed limbs & impaled cockpits and/or reactors, but if both combatants are named characters expect a fair amount of Flynning before somebody finally bites it. The worst offender is likely ''[[Anime/MobileSuitGundamWing Gundam Wing]]'', although in the case of ''Wing Zero'' and ''Epyon'' this is somewhat justified; their pilots are ''trying'' to kill each other, but since the Gundams' computers are in perfect sync, they're able to parry any attack the other makes. Interestingly, whenever characters clash with real swords outside their HumongousMecha this trope is conspicuously averted. Witness Char and Amuro's memorably bloody rapier duel in the final act of the original ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam'' show.
** This was used intentionally during Kira and Athrun's brief duel during ''Gundam Seed Destiny''. Since they were friends and only wanted to convince the other to leave the battlefield and let the their respective forces deal with the problem, their battle consisted entirely of firing warning shots at each other and beam sword Flynning while telling the other to return to their ship. Eventually though Kira gets too agitated about the situation and instead of parrying dodges and slashes for real taking Athrun's Gundam's head off and forcing him to retreat much to Athrun's shock.
** Averted in ''Gundam 00'' a lot of the sword fights between important characters are usually pretty short and to the point. [[spoiler: Setsuna vs Graham the 1st time and then at the end of season 1 or Setsuna vs Alejandro in his MS.]]
* Averted in (the paper) ''OnePiece'', where swordsmen make it a clear point to go straight for the opponent's person. The only reason swordfights have any real length is because most fighters are MadeOfIron, a Determinator, or both.
** Though one of Brooke's techniques, the Prelude Au Fer (prelude on iron), directly strikes the opponents weapon. Though in that case the intent is to destroy the weapon of the foe and is accomplishes it by pitting the length of his weapon against the breadth of his foe's.
* Similarly averted in ''Manga/{{Bleach}}''. Usually, excessive blocking is the sign of either a reluctant or fearful fighter while their opponent is aiming to kill. Urahara made it quite clear early in the series that this was ''not'' acceptable.
-->''When you dodge, “I’m afraid of getting cut”. When you attack, “I’m afraid of cutting someone”... Yes, your sword only speaks to me of absurd fear.''
** Actually ''justified'' with Kira, though, due to the way his magical sword, Wabisuke, works: Its gimmick is to make anything it hits heavier and heavier--thus extended sword-clanging is a decent tactic for him, as it will end with the opponent having a sword too heavy for them to lift.
* Again averted in ''Manga/KatekyoHitmanReborn'', with [[PsychoForHire Squalo's]] attack Scontro di Squalo, deliberately hitting his opponent's blade, sending paralytic vibrations up the sword and into his opponent's arm.
* In ''Manga/HayateTheCombatButler'' Hayate and Athena's fights are constantly swords clashing. Apparently Athena was ''aiming'' for this effect, since her swordsmanship was supposedly so good she'd kill him if she actually aimed for Hayate. [[spoiler: When Midas attacks Hayate, he apparently [[OneHitKill OHKOs]] him.]]
* Averted in ''LeChevalierDEon'' outside of staged fights, when two enemies are engaged in a fight, they go straight for the kill.
* Possibly because the animators are a little [[MartialArtsDoNotWorkThatWay sketchy on the details of Western-style fighting]], most of the fights in ''RecordOfLodossWar'' have severe Flynning; people not only attack each other's weapons but each other's shields, which is even more silly.
* In ''{{Naruto}}'', while some of the fights between people wielding swords or similar weapons fall into this, often, one or both of the combatants have special techniques related to their weapons, enabling them to slice through their opponent's weapon or otherwise injure their opponent while they lock blades.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Fan works]]
* Happens in Shadow Snark when Uma, Pinky Pie, and Shadow try to poke eachother with sticks. It eventually becomes a deconstruction when they end up trying cool sword fighting moves and have to ask their opponents to stage it.
* In ''Fanfic/HowIBecameYours'', Sokka's "sword fight" with Sho involves several panels of the two in an "en garde" stance with each other, and Sho once doing a flip. Then again, this is in large part due to the frequent copying of panels in the comic, to the point where a character will have the same expression for several panels in a row in a dialogue scene.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Film]]
* Justified in ''TheRoadToElDorado''. Protagonists Tulio and Miguel deliberately use Flynning to stage a pantomime street-fight (with rapiers; the classic duelling weapon) to divert attention from their con-tricks, in a manner that suggests they've done it before. Once out of trouble, they announce:
--> '''Tulio:''' Ladies and gentlemen, we've decided it's a draw!
--> '''Miguel:''' ''(tosses swords to guard's feet)'' Thank you all for coming! You've been great, see you soon!
--> '''Tulio:''' Adios!
* Subverted in ''TheMaskOfZorro'', where Don Diego De La Vega asks his successor to demonstrate his sword fighting style. The student energetically swishes around his sword only to have Don Diego casually disarm him with one move with the implied lesson of not to waste energy with such useless flamboyance. Given that this is ''Zorro'', the rest of the movie ignores it for more Flynning, but points for trying.
** Another subversion: in the same scene, Alejandro mentions that swordplay is about putting the pointy bit into the other man.
** The Disney TV Version of ''{{Zorro}}'' in the 1950s somewhat subverted it as well, as Guy Williams, who played {{Zorro}}, was actually a champion fencer. His Zorro used a more accurate fencing style, though still stylized to avoid injury.
** Ditto with William's occasional sword fights in ''LostInSpace''.
* Subverted in the famous duel in ''Potop'' (the second movie of the SienkiewiczTrilogy) - Kmicic is seriously fighting to kill. Wołodyjowski, being a far superior swordsman, humiliates him by deliberately reducing his effort to Flynning: [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voxErBJyFuw Clip]]
* The duel in ''TheGreatRace'' was an even more exaggerated version of this. For those who understand fencing terminology, it was two people endlessly repeating parry-riposte-counter parry-counter riposte-etc. in line 4. For those who do not, it was two people endlessly repeating the first two moves taught to beginning foil fencers. When they switched to sabers, it quickly descended into Pirate Halves.
* For all that it looks spectacular (and the dialogue cites real fencing masters and styles), the great battle between Inigo and Westley in ''Film/ThePrincessBride'' is almost entirely Flynning. [[WordOfGod The screenplay]] even says that the ''characters'' are Flynning; Wesley and Inigo both being masters with nothing personal driving their fight, they want to enjoy it.
** Averted in the rest of the movie, especially the final duel between Inigo and Count Rugen. Rugen is a CombatPragmatist, aiming to kill with every attack. Inigo is at first simply defending himself. As [[HeroicSecondWind his strength returns]], he toys with Rugen for a few moments, then finishes him.
** Commentary states that Cary Elwes (Westley) and Mandy Patinkin (Inigo) were complete novices at swordfighting, threw themselves into the fights with a lot of energy and panache. The first time that Patinkin and Christopher Guest (Count Rugen) practiced together, Patinkin actually stabbed Guest. At that point Guest went out to get himself some true fencing lessons, figuring that if he didn't learn how to protect himself Patinkin was going to wind up accidentally killing him. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9J1vC-4wTs Link]].
* The lightsaber battles from the original ''StarWars'' trilogy (dubbed "budget kendo" in some circles). The prequels' battles are the same thing but faster [[EverythingsBetterWithSpinning (and spinnier)]], although both can be {{Handwave}}d that since the movies take place ALongTimeAgoInAGalaxyFarFarAway, they would probably have developed their own sword fighting styles that depended more on using the Force.
** There's a book that ''elaborates'' on lightsaber fencing. See [[http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Lightsaber_combat Wookieepedia]].
** The XWingSeries novel ''Starfighters of Adumar'' introduced a culture that practiced semi-ritualistic DuelsToTheDeath with so-called "blastwords"[[note]]best described as a cross between a rapier and a diver's bang-stick[[/note]]. This trope was definitely not played straight; a lot of people apparently did tend to fence like this when fighting merely for sport, and fared badly when they came up against someone who was playing for keeps, even if that person has very little idea how to use a blastsword.
* Exception: Unlike modern performers, many actors from the GoldenAgeOfHollywood, such as Basil Rathbone and Tyrone Power, were actually champion swordsmen in RealLife. Combined with a very active fencing scene in Hollywood at the time, this led to superb fights in films where all of the male leads knew what they were doing. One such fight between Rathbone and Power can be seen [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMcTKNDB2TM#t=1h17m08s here]].
** Cornel Wilde, too. It is said he dropped off the US Olympic fencing team for lack of money.
** Rathbone, who played the villain opposite Flynn in ''Film/CaptainBlood'' and ''Film/TheAdventuresOfRobinHood'', actually used his fencing skill to make it look plausible that Flynn won the fight!
** Rathbone was often cast as villains (with [[Franchise/SherlockHolmes one notable exception]]), and so was not ''allowed'' to win most of his on-screen matches. the only two exceptions were his role as Tybalt in 1936's ''Romeo and Juliet'', and a very short duel against Eugene Pallette in ''The Mark of Zorro''. However, Hollywood concensus was that in any non-choreographed fencing match, Rathbone would have cleaned the clock of any other Hollywood figure.
** Rathbone vs. Creator/DannyKaye in ''Film/TheCourtJester''. Either a brilliant example of this trope or a brilliant parody of it. Danny Kaye, though not a skilled fencer, was fast enough and agile enough to keep up with Rathbone in a choreographed fight, thus giving him a rare chance to show off his skill to the fullest. Naturally, he took the opportunity and ran with it. Rathbone was ''63'' at the time, and he still effortlessly gave Kaye a run for his money.
** Rathbone was approached by Warner Brothers to play opposite Flynn in his third great swashbuckler, ''Film/TheSeaHawk'', but Rathbone, who had a horror of type-casting, turned down the part. It therefore went to Henry Daniell -- an excellent actor, but ''too incompetent with a blade even [[{{Flynning}} to Flynn]] convincingly.'' In the end he had to be doubled extensively by fencing master Fred Cavens.
* The 1952 movie ''Film/{{Scaramouche}}'' is Crowned with not just a Moment but [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome several straight Minutes of Awesome]] as Stewart Granger and Mel Ferrer (and/or their stunt doubles) [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2r7hq5Wkrs methodically Flynn their way through a theater]], starting the balcony boxes, working down to the lobby, through the main seats, backstage and ending on the stage itself. That particular scene was possibly the most masterfully done aversion of this trope ever. A careful observer may note that the combatants are actively trying to hit each other, dance through every one of the eight lines (except for #1), exercise such complicated procedures as feints and disengages, and generally fight very well given the uneven footing they find themselves on. Especially impressive is the fact that they manage to work Andre's game breaker multiple disengage sequence from the book into the duel, though you won't notice it unless you know what to look for.
* The three-way fight between Sparrow, Turner and Norrington in ''PiratesOfTheCaribbean: Dead Man's Chest''. However other sword fights in this trilogy are portrayed far more realistically.
** Partially averted in that the three combatants are all on roughly the same side of the overarching conflict and actually have a great deal of positive history together, though circumstances at the time divide them, and they aren't really interested in killing each other but in grabbing [[spoiler: the key to the heart of Davy Jones]]. Both Sparrow and Norrington pass up obvious and easy opportunities to kill Turner quite early in the fight, opting, instead of stabbing him, to distract him or throw him aside.
* Averted in ''Film/TheThreeMusketeers1973'': Not only was the swordplay highly realistic (with moves like grabbing the opponent's blade, and hitting them with one's cloak), but all the stars were trained swordsmen. ChristopherLee admitted in an interview that he had to remind OliverReed during one of their fights that he wasn't really trying to kill him. It didn't help that the swords they used weren't foils.
** A scene in the comic JonSableFreelance had movie stuntman "Sonny" Pratt tell Johnny Carson that "Oliver Reed fights like it's for ''keeps''."#
* A fight scene from the film's sequel, ''The Four Musketeers'' featuring similar aversions. And the [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9uGy3LlNeI climactic duel]]. This fight features a parrying dagger, the use of the sword as a mace, realistic speed, brawling and grappling, and both combatants getting tired.
* In ''BroadwayMelody of 1940'', the dance to "Please Don't Monkey With Broadway" has Fred Astaire and George Murphy {{Flynning}} with canes.
* 1995's ''RobRoy'' with Liam Neeson climaxes with a duel containing some of the most realistic sword fighting in modern cinema. Though some Flynning occurs, you ''really'' get a sense that these two men want to do each other serious bodily harm. Especially with how it ends -- [[spoiler: Roy [[BareHandedBladeBlock grabs his opponent's blade]] firmly enough for it to lodge into the bones of his hand, then -- ''whack.'']] Watch it [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEtPluUi0_U here]]
* The brief stickfight between Adams and Dickinson in ''[[SeventeenSeventySix 1776]]'' is rather unconvincing Flynning when it's not just the two men grappling.
* ''RobinHoodMenInTights'' had the characters Flynn with ''shadow puppets''!
** ''Men in Tights'' also mocks this with the staff fight between Robin and Little John. Their weapons repeatedly break in half throughout the scene, and each time they simply throw half away and continue to attempt Flynning, to the point where they're playing medieval Pencil Pop when any sensible combatants would have simply given up and begun fisticuffs.
** And at one point in the last duel, Robin calls out the Sheriff's sequence of moves while responding to them.
--->"Parry, parry, thrust, thrust... good!"
* ''{{Troy}}'''s Flynning is so obvious one does not even need to have so much as a cursory knowledge of actual swordplay to spot it. When Hector and Achilles fight, both of them avoid obvious killing strikes and holes in their opponent's guard on several occasions.
* All sword fights in ''Film/NateAndHayes'' is this.
* In ''Film/{{Highlander}}'', this was done in large part because Christopher Lambert's eyesight is so bad that he just swung his sword around. His opponents were tasked with hitting his sword with theirs to make it look like a sword fight (instead of a mostly blind guy swinging his sword wildly).
* ''Film/{{Hook}}'''s climactic fight between Peter and the captain, which is all Flynning. In his review, RogerEbert lamented how boring and uninspired the whole sequence was.
** Earlier averted when Hook reacts to Rufio trying to clang swords with him high by [[spoiler:going low and stabbing him to death.]]
* In ''CutthroatIsland'', William Shaw's Flynning during the tavern fight between Morgan's crew and Dawg's crew is justified, since he'd not yet learned how to do any serious fighting:
-->'''Morgan''': Very pretty, Mr. Shaw.
-->'''William''': Thank you, ma'am. I had the good fortune of studying with a grand master in Vienna!
-->'''Morgan''': Now stop fiddling, and kill the man!
-->'''William''': Kill him? Bless me, we never got to that!
-->''*Morgan grabs William's arm and thrusts it forward, sending William's sword through the chest of the enemy mook.*''
-->'''William''': I see.
* ''Film/TheAdventureOfSherlockHolmesSmarterBrother''. The sword fight between Sigerson Holmes and Professor Moriarty.
* ''ShanghaiKnights'' features some of this in the final fight, but it's {{Justified|Trope}} for both combatants: Chon Wang, although trained in martial arts, does not know how to handle a sword, and Rathebone (specifically stated to be a master swordsman) is using overly flashy techniques to toy with and humiliate Chon, knowing that he doesn't have the skills to recognize and attack the openings Rathebone is presenting him with. Bonus points for Rathebone being named after Errol Flynn's iconic swordplay opponent.
* In ''Film/{{Gladiator}}'' this is ''almost'' lampshaded; in the gladiator training camp scene, the instructor tells the student, "this is how you fight", and starts showing him the "Pirate Halves" move.
** Justified - gladiators were essentially entertainers, as well as fighters. Maximus was actually told off for being too efficient.
* Done deliberately in ''Film/{{if}}'' when three self-obsessed teenagers get into a sword fight more or less for the hell of it and tear around the school {{flynning}} for all they're worth.
* Jose Ferrer's version of ''CyranoDeBergerac'' starts with a vintage demonstration of Flynning. Justified in that Cyrano wanted to humiliate his opponent before taking him down; [[ExcuseMeWhileIMultitask he was composing a sonnet in honor of the duel he was fighting,]] ending each stanza with "Then as I end the refrain, thrust home!"
* Egregiously used in ''Film/{{Spartacus}}''.
* Averted in ''Film/SherlockHolmes'' and its sequel, ''[[Film/SherlockHolmesAGameOfShadows A Game of Shadows]]''. Holmes actually uses a form very similar to historical Bartitsu, but with Wing Chun boxing, Brazilian Jiu Jutsu and swordfighting introduced (the choreographer even called it "neo-Bartitsu").
* Subverted in ''Film/RedSonja'' (1985 film): When the Arnold Schwarzenegger character is fighting mooks, his first strike simply attacks the blade. His second strike muscles the sword back on target while the mook's sword is helplessly to the side.
* Played with in ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings''. In some scenes, such as Aragorn's battle with the Uruk-Hai chieftain at the end of ''Fellowship,'' there is a certain amount of Flynning, done subtly enough so that things look dangerous. In most of the mass-battle scenes, on the other hand, the action tends toward [[CombatPragmatism the swift and brutal.]] Viggo Mortenson (playing Aragorn) and the stuntmen who were roped into playing Orcs suffered quite a few on-set injuries.
* Subverted in ''Film/TheRocketeer'': Neville Sinclair's role in movies is that of a Flynn-type action hero. As such, he engages in this kind of swordplay with one of his costars. However, he "accidentally" stabs said costar for upstaging him.
* Happens quite a bit in ''Film/GIJoeTheRiseOfCobra''.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]
* The villain of the Literature/{{Discworld}} book ''Discworld/{{Maskerade}}'' complains about the unrealistic swordplay in operas (the book takes place in the Ankh-Morpork opera house). Ironically, [[spoiler: he engages in an overly-clangy sword fight with another character, and dies when his opponent sticks the sword between his arm and his torso. Cue the super-long death speech.]]
** This is all justified when multiple characters comment that people don't go to see opera for the story, but for the music and singing.
** Also lampshaded in ''Discworld/MovingPictures,'' where an inexperienced human has to fight a veteran troll actor, and doesn't fully realize it's fake. The troll explains that all he has to do is parry dramatically.
** Also-also lampshaded in ''Wyrd Sisters'', where Tomjon gets trapped in every live actor's nightmare: ''everyone else in the cast'' has forgotten their lines, gotten distracted, or developed stage fright. The poor guy foresees a fight scene in which he will have to "parry his own wild thrusts and stab himself to death."
* Subverted and [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] in ''TheSagaOfDarrenShan''. When Darren witnesses a knife fight between Mr. Crepsley and the mad vampaneze Murlough, he expects a drawn out battle with lots of clashing blades. He notes in retrospect that the two were trying to ''kill'' one another, not entertain an audience. The fight itself takes all of three seconds, and ends with Murlough brutally cut open.
* An early scene in ''[[HeraldsOfValdemar Exile's Valor]]'' features two of Alberich's students deciding to Flynn during a class practice bout to show off. Since they aren't nearly as good as they think they are, all they do is embarrass themselves (and get stuck with a hideous bill for salle damage).
* [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] and subverted in ''[[GentlemanBastard The Lies of Locke Lamora]]'' by Scott Lynch, when swordsmaster Don Tomsa Maramzalla explains the difference between the lessons he gives to his high-born clientele and those he'll be giving "Gentleman Bastard" Jean Tannen:
--> Those prancing little pants-wetters come here to learn the colorful and gentlemanly art of fencing, with its many sporting ''limitations'' and its proscriptions against ''dishonorable'' engagements.
--> You, on the other hand...''you'' are going to learn how to ''kill men with a sword''.
* ''The Fencing Master'' describes swordfights in a way that, while showy and dramatic, would be ridiculous if illustrated.
* In ''[[Literature/{{Chalion}} The Curse Of Chalion]]'' Caz reminisces about how he ''thought'' he was a good fencer with a repertoire of fancy moves in his youth until he met another boy who ignored his flashy technique and launched a simple stab that would have killed him had they been using real swords.
* Heavily lampshaded in the ''Literature/KingpriestTrilogy'', when POV character Cathan (a veteran knight) and an old comrade-in-arms attend an (obviously scripted) gladiatorial game. While aforementioned comrade is more familiar with this sort of thing, and therefore able to relax and enjoy the show as something only tangentally related to actual combat, Cathan can't get over how obviously fake and unrealistic the swordfighting is, and in fact does something of a mental running commentary of all the ways the combatants could take advantage of each others' mistakes if it was an actual fight.
* Mostly averted in ''KingdomOfHeaven'', where some effort was made to present the use of weaponry at least somewhat correctly. Although not perfectly done, the guards Balian is taught are similar to those of the historical Italian school of longsword fencing, and the use of half-swording and striking with the hilt is featured rather prominently.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live Action TV]]
* Any ''RobinHood'' series, except the British ''RobinOfSherwood'', from the late 1980s/early 1990s.
* Played with in ''Series/HowIMetYourMother'': when Ted and Marshall got into a heavy argument while holding swords (long story), they start Flynning, but as their sword play gets more elaborate as they try fancy and ridiculous moves, the argument dissolves into "Dude, how awesome is this?"
* Mal's duel with Atherton in the ''{{Firefly}}'' episode "Shindig" is a strong aversion; although it appears at times to be this it is actually very well scripted, with Atherton scripted to appear proficient and Mal scripted to appear inept. Well, it has some in-universe Flynning. Atherton is playing with Mal, knowing he can kill him at any time, but Mal doesn't realise this, and thinks he's doing surpisingly well for his first ever SwordFight.
* Almost always averted in ''Series/{{Angel}}'', but in the season 3 episode "Billy", the title character teaches Cordelia to use a sword, and all he's describing is this trope. Although this is also a possible subversion/aversion, since his idea is to teach her to stall until he can get there to rescue her.
* In an episode of ''SlingsAndArrows,'' Geoffrey Tenant burst into a party wielding swords demanding a duel with his rival. Both being classically-trained Shakespearean actors, they naturally Flynn.
* The horribly botched Flynning that was Hugh Beringar fighting in the the TV series ''Series/{{Cadfael}}''.
* Used on several occasions in ''Series/DoctorWho'' during the Pertwee/Baker era. A fencing scene in ''The Sea Devils''; after the Master disarms the Doctor, and has him pinned in a corner ready to deliver the killing blow, the Doctor escapes by ''kicking the Master back''.
** Played with in ''The Androids of Tara''. The Fourth Doctor ends up in a duel with "electro-swords". At first he seems incompetent with the blade, merely parrying blows. However, it quickly becomes clear that this is a ruse, as he unleashes more and more skill until finally besting his opponent with ease.
** ''The King's Demons'' features a very Flynnian swordfight between the Fifth Doctor and the Master. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQwYpezshCE]]
* [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] in the finale of the Evil Green Ranger series of episodes Green With Evil on ''MightyMorphinPowerRangers''. Jason has to destroy Tommy's sword in order to break Rita's spell and consequently spends much of their duel attacking Tommy's sword. Tommy's Flynning, however, is completely unjustified.
* Done in ''{{Sharpe}}'s Honour'' where Sharpe is duped into a duel with a Spanish fencing master after Sharpe had been falsely accused of sleeping with his wife as part of a French plot. After playing by the real rules of fencing, Sharpe then switches to the rules of real combat (none) and quickly overtakes his genteel opponent.
* In ''HighlanderTheSeries'', this is done almost every episode. This is partly due to RuleOfCool, and partly because many of the guest stars had never before picked up a sword in their lives, so they had to rely upon Adrian Paul and the stunt coordinator to make the fights look exciting.
** In one commentary bit, it's mentioned that there's an easy way to tell whether the actors in a particular episode are any good with a sword: if the fight scene has a lot of cuts and changes in angle, it's done to disguise the weakness in an actor's form or to switch more capable stunt doubles in. If there are [[TheOner long periods without a cut or change in camera angle]], then it means the actors for that fight were good enough to avoid all that.
** FridgeBrilliance kicks in when you realize that for Immortals swordplay is very different because they can't just stab a vital place to finish it. They need a good, heavy, unimpeded swing which can only be done after you've tired your opponent out or disarmed them. That reasoning only works for really powerful Immortals, the younger ones can be incapacitated by the same blow that would work for a human. However since very few of the Immortals seen in the show are less than a century old most of them ''have'' built up that tolerance for pain.
* Though ''KamenRiderFaiz''- being a ''Kamen Rider'' series- has its share of {{Flynning}}, it's notably subverted during a fencing duel between main character Takumi (minimum experience with swordplay) and [[TheRival rival]] Masato (president of the university fencing club). Takumi's offense consists of wildly aggressive {{Flynning}} which is expertly parried by Masato, who retaliates with a single, point-winning riposte. This happens three times in a row.
* ''Series/ICarly'': The absolutely horrible attempt at fencing during the episode ''iFence''.
* ''{{Primeval}}'' has an episode where Danny get into a sword-fight with a medieval knight. (Pipe versus Sword) Danny doesn't actually want to hurt the guy, but since the knight thinks that he's in hell and Danny's a demon, he'd probably be trying a bit harder to kill.
* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' has a great sword fight between Buffy and Angel where they shuffle back and forth alternating their blows from up and down.
* Oddly averted on ''Series/OnceUponATime'' where the broadsword fights are pretty realistic. The Prince seems to truly be trying to hit his enemy whether using fits, elbows, or simply gutting them like a fish. This being a semi-family friendly show [[GoryDiscretionShot not much is shown when he does the latter]] and in a fight where he seems to be slicing up bad guys [[BloodlessCarnage there's hardly ever any blood]].
* Averted in ''LegendOfTheSeeker'' -- the first time [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUitIsettrY#t=1m Richard fights Darken Rahl]], for instance, it really looks as though each of them is trying his utmost to kill the other.
* Most of the swordfighting in the TV miniseries ''[[AsianSaga Shogun]]'' was Flynning. It's especially obvious when they show a scene of someone cutting someone else's head off, they'll zoom in to show just the sword wielder, and the trajectory of his blade will be no where near where the other man's neck was.
* Any documentary that displays mass battles--particularly those made by the History Channel. The two four-episode-each Barbarians series, Rome: Rise and Fall of an Empire and those like it/made by the same studio/group tragically suffer from this heavily. Any and all other historical inaccuracies aside, just watch the big battle scenes. Stuntmen in differing suits of armor dance about each other while visibly, readily just clashing their swords against one another's. What makes this particularly egregious is the fact that in most, if not every shot, an overwhelming majority of the soldiers clashing blades are all HOLDING SHIELDS...and not ONE of them seems to even think of raising it to block an attack. Even more egregious in those episodes of above series' that focus on Ancient Rome and it's legions, who relied heavily on their shields, and only used their swords for stabbing; even in the early days of the Republic, pre-empire period, a Roman soldier would've looked at you as if you had two heads if you suggested using your sword to parry, block, or even do anything but stab and occasionally slash as need be, when he has and is trained to use a shield that could do such a task far more easily.
* Mostly averted in {{Series/Merlin}}. Duels sometimes include this, but most often they just go for the kill and sword fights are over quickly. Even the Arthur vs Mordred swordfight of legend takes all of ten seconds. Arthur parries, hesitates to catch his breath, and Mordred runs him through.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Professional Wrestling]]
* Crops up on occasion in Wrestling, where the wrestlers will do this, usually with steel chairs or [[strike:kendo sticks]] Shinai. Professional Wrestling in general could be considered a form of Flynning, but with amateur wrestling and martial arts instead of swords.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
* The fighting style of the Dark Eldar Wyches of TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}} is clearly Flynning. On a side not their weapons are AwesomeButImpractical.
* ''{{Pathfinder}}'' features a style of combat called "Performance Combat" where, along with fighting your opponent, you are also trying to [[GladiatorGames win over the crowd]]. There is even a line of feats that make this easier. but much of what can earn one Victory Points or crowd attitude could be characterized as [[RuleOfCool just doing cool stuff]] in a fight that is being observed.
* The ''Complete Bard's Handbook'' for the second edition of ''[[TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]]'' offered the "Blade" kit, which was basically all about this trope -- fighting not so much ''better'' than other bards (let alone proper fighters) as fighting ''flashier'' for both entertainment (in lieu of more regular bards' musical skills) and intimidation purposes.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
* There is an episode in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIX'', where a fighting scene is played on stage. Since the hero pretends to be an actor, a mini-game is presented where you have to respond with parry high to threaten high et cetera. Your performance is then rated by the audience. No matter how badly you do, you're given a chance to improve your score.
* Subverted in ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry 3'', after the second battle with Vergil; the twins appear to be Flynning, until one notices the copious amounts of blood on the floor, which demonstrates that their inhuman speed is actually letting them land hits.
* Parodied in the ''VideoGame/MonkeyIsland'' series with its famous insult sword fighting. The actual swordsmanship was automatically handled by the computer; the duels' outcomes were [[YouFightLikeACow determined by the wittiness of the quips the player was able to choose]].
* Surprisingly, utilized in the Wii game ''PiratesOfTheCaribbean: Dead Man's Chest'' game. Whereas the previous swordsmanship title (''Twilight Princess'') only required a small wiggle of the Wiimote to make Link fight, ''Pirates'' actually ''requires'' the player to flail like Flynn during the fight sequences.
* ''Franchise/FireEmblem''
** Critical hits in general involve a lot of [[EverythingsBetterWithSpinning spinning]] and jumping around. It gets really intense once the series hits the GBA, but even the more crudely-animated sprites from the [[VideoGame/FireEmblemJugdral Jugdral]] games have some elaborate gymnastics for critical hits.
** The most insane examples would have to be the Myrmidon and Swordmaster. They rely upon an insane amount of flashy jumps and pointless spinning. Even worse, the ones in ''Sacred Stones'' tend to be more effective than Eirika and her simple stabbing.
** In ''[[FireEmblemElibe Blazing Sword]]'', Eliwood's critical animation has him hold up his rapier specifically for AudibleSharpness, swooshes it around before stabbing, and then do a backflip.
** ''[[FireEmblemTheSacredStones Sacred Stones]]'' has Eirika avert this; both Eirika's normal and critical animations are quite straightforward until she promotes (and even then she keeps it to a single spin). Her ''brother'', on the other hand, Flynns with a spear in his critical.
* While the normal melee combat animations in ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' tend to be pretty sensible, special attack animations tend the feature unnecessary amounts of spinning around or swinging the weapon. Some races' parry animations tend to be quite flashy, too. Sometimes [[OurElvesAreBetter partially justified by the race in question]], but still silly. The blood elf is gonna parry and swing her weapon around behind her back to switch to the other hand. She's an ''elf''. Given the intentionally comic-bookish and campy style of the game this is simply part of the style.
* Inverted in most weapon-based {{Fighting Game}}s. Instead, thanks to the magic of HitPoints (well, in most cases), characters tend to survive some [[OnlyAFleshWound grievous blows]] every round. Sword collisions, while generally possible, don't happen too often; in the cases they ''do'', the things that happen vary from game to game, or even from instance to instance, though it's never Flynning.
* Heavily subverted in the Playstation game ''Bushido Blade'', which features no health bar, and in which it's perfectly possible, with the correct timing, to win a match with a single move, often a direct thrust to the face. Subverted even more in that if you're injured, you drop to one knee and have your move list reduced to "parry" and "swing wildly". It's still possible to win a match from this position... but you don't recover for the next round. Harsh.
* The Franchise/AssassinsCreed games feature a double-whammy aversion of both this trope and ArmorIsUseless.
* Can be attempted in the SoulSeries, but will usually result in having your weapons break (''Soul Edge'') or being blown back by the force of inertia (the ''Calibur'' games.) Though a particularly long Guard Impact chain can look rather like Flynning.
* An example of the edge on edge part comes as an aversion and justified trope in VisualNovel/FateStayNight. Assassin and Saber are fighting, and Assassin always parries because his sword can't take the kind of abuse real blocking would require. Saber, on the other hand, has a magic sword and doesn't have to worry about such things, so she gets annoyed at his refusal to match her in a contest of pure power. [[spoiler:Eventually, he does block an attack, and ends up losing the fight because it bent his sword and ruined his technique.]]
* In ''VideoGame/PrinceOfPersia1'', the sword fighting animations were rotoscoped from Errol Flynn and Basil Rathbone's duel in ''Film/TheAdventuresOfRobinHood''.
* In the realm of knifeplay, Most First Person Shooters does knife play quite improperly with the back slash which will result in a quick counterattack and subsequent death.
* Speaking of knifeplay, MetalGearSolid4's second fight between Raiden and Vamp has the two characters sending sparks through the air as they repeatedly block and parry eachother's knives. Of course, actually getting two knives to collide real life even once would be difficult even if it was choreographed, and downright impossible (not to mention stupid and pointless) in a real fight. For all their effort, they may as well have aimed for their target's ''body'' and not their weapon.
** A variation happens with the final fight between Snake and Liquid, when their ''fists'' collide.
* [[http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/260688528/clang Clang]] is basically Creator/NealStephenson's attempt to develop a game that averts this trope as hard as humanly possible.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Original]]
* TheGuild : a hand-to-hand combat version at the end of season two, Wade and Zaboo get into a fight. Wade spends the entire fight showboating while doing minimal damage, Zaboo takes it like a bitch manages to strike a firm enough friendship with Wade while being pummeled that Wade thinks Codex isn't worth the fight.
** Double-Justified: Wade is a STUNTMAN, while Zaboo can't fight whatsoever. It even starts with Wade doing a series of dramatic NEAR MISSES, before apologizing.
* SuburbanKnights: They fight like a bunch of internet reviewers who rarely leave their chairs...oh.
** Luckily for them, the {{Mooks}} are just as bad. [[spoiler:Because they are secretly just D&D nerds.]]
* Somewhat averted in the Star Wars-inspired lightsaber duel in "Ryan vs Dorkman 2." Though there is some flynning, the choreography is especially well-done and the two fighters actually seem to be trying to hit each other instead of just clanging swords. They also put some importance on showing just how dangerous the lightsabers are. One of the best moments is when one character has another's lightsaber pinned against a wall and the 2nd character grabs the other guy's head and tries to push it into the sabers. See the fight [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RATMJ8JH1qo here]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* Lampshaded in the DVDCommentary of the ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' episode "Sokka's Master", where Sifu Kisu (the show's martial art consultant) noted that "a real sword fight lasts [[SingleStrokeBattle less than 1.7 seconds]]", and that "it's not a pretty thing", as it would come down to finding a vital point and stabbing it. It was justified in that instance though, as it wasn't a real match but a SecretTestOfCharacter. There also aren't that many {{Sword Fight}}s in ''Avatar'' though.
* Stewie and his half-brother Bertram fight this way on the playground in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy''.
* The ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsCloneWars'' miniseries is even worse with its Flynning than the ''Franchise/StarWars'' franchise's live-action outings. Anakin and Asajj Ventress spend their entire fight spastically swinging wide in each other's general direction. Even less justified than normal in that it's ''animated'' and no one has to worry about injury.
* In a 2009 animated ''WesternAnimation/WonderWoman'' film, Wonder Woman comes to modern America and sees a group of boys flynning in a park while excluding a nearby girl. The girl tries to make the best of it, saying she doesn't know how to fight anyway. Wonder Woman points out that the boys have no clue how to really fight either, and gives the girl some practical tips. [[TookALevelInBadass The girl promptly wipes the floor with all the boys]].
* In the LooneyTunes cartoon, ''TheScarletPumpernickel'', DaffyDuck plays the Flynn-type swashbuckler. Near the end, he engages in this kind of sword duel with Sylvester the Cat, who plays a Rathbone-type villain.
-->'''Daffy:''' [[NoFourthWall I'm the hero of this picture, and you know what happens to the villain!]]\\
'''Sylvester:''' So what's to know?
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Real Life]]
* The likely result of two guys with sticks in the same room.
* An actual element of drilling in modern sport fencing, to give the student a chance to practice his parrying. Also an element of two newbies giving the coach a headache. Teaching fencers not to do this is surprisingly hard. In fact, breaking this habit when teaching ''any'' style of sword-related combat can be surprisingly hard. It may not be so much TruthInTelevision, however, as it is a case of RealityIsUnrealistic, where the people in question have only ever watched actors fight and think that it's ''actually'' the correct way to do it. Beginning fencers tend to do this back-and-forth when the only blade actions they know are straight attacks, high-line parries, and simple ripostes. It is sometimes derisively referred to as 'ping-pong fencing'.
** Although there ''are'' shades of TruthInTelevision here, as in very, ''very'', rare cases, two experienced and skilled fencers will have a phenomenon similar to this, usually to show off how much better than everyone else they are as a psychological attack(or for shits when they are bored), using advanced moves such as the seldom used "prime"(first) parry (instead of the more practical and efficient "quatre"(fourth)), which is when you point your blade vertically downward, holding your arm roughly at mouth level across your body so the blade is on your off hand side; or the [[AwesomeButImpractical incredibly impractical(and risky) yet oh so awesome]] stunt wherein instead of dodging you actually crouch so far your go ''under'' your opponents thrust and strike up from that position.
[[/folder]]
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