home. Don Carlos learns of the rapport between the two and assumes that Stanswood is trying himself to marry into the Arconti family and take control of the city. At a subsequent court party, Carlos announces that he intends Serenella to marry Hugo. Horrified, she runs out of the palace, forgetting that the Spanish have forbidden walking in the streets at night. Not recognizing Serenella, a guard shoots her for disobeying the curfew; Stanswood hastens to rescue her, but can do nothing but keep her company as she dies. Meanwhile Hugo inadvertently kills Paresi while trying to question him under torture. Stanswood seeks out the hideout of the Ten, and is startled to find that Orietta is one of the conspirators; her betrothal to Don Carlos was a fraud. The mercenary offers to take the place of Paresi in the horse race, and the Ten consent just before Spanish guards storm the building. Stanswood and Orietta escape together, and during a night spent hiding they begin to fall in love. On the morning of the race Stanswood appears among the competitors, riding Paresi's horse. The track loops through an obstacle course set up in the Sienese countryside, and at its conclusion Stanswood and Hugo are in the lead. The guards captain is unhorsed and killed by an angry mob, while Stanswood rides into the city and incites the Italians to rise up and capture Don Carlos. Carlos agrees to evacuate his troops from the city, and Siena becomes a republic once more. Stanswood also tries to leave, intending to resume his mercenary career, but is intercepted by a party of armed men. They prove to have been sent by Orietta, and Stanswood is not sorry to return to her. Main cast Stewart Granger as Thomas Stanswood Sylva Koscina as Orietta Arconti Christine Kaufmann as Serenella Arconti Riccardo Garrone as Don Carlos Alberto Lupo as Andrea Paresi Marina Berti as Countess of Osta Tullio Carminati as Father Giacomo Claudio Gora as Leoni Carlo Rizzo as Gino Fausto Tozzi as Hugo Tom Felleghi as The Spanish Captain Production Development The film was first announced in Mayb 1951 with Yvonne de Carlo attached as star. It was to be shot in Italy. In February 1954 Robert Taylor was mentioned as a possible star for producer Nicky Nayfak. However the following month MGM announced that Stewart Granger would star following Green Fire and that