Aido is similar in foot work to Kendo but it is done with a proper sword and as such involves "Kata's" or sequences of movement through which practise gives skill and timing...you will also develop skills for "cutting" and this is learnt from actually cutting mediums such as straw or bamboo...fighting with a steel sword does not really happen in my experience but I am sure in Japan it may...it probably depends on the level of excellence you achieve...
interestingly a Samurai would learn this skill with a carved wooden sword...carved however like a Samurai sword not a Kendo sword...duels between Samurai sword masters often simply used wooden swords as they would seek to preserve their "family" steel sword from damage...and any strike by the wooden sword would be lethal if they so chose it to be...Miamoto Mushashi developed a technique using two swords which was considered disrespectful to the old ways...many challenged him as a point of honour...he would fight however with his wooden swords...and killed many of his opponents who were using a steel blade.

The safer form of training using a Bamboo sword...which size wise is more akin to using a "lance or spear" became Kendo...it is good for technique with your feet but the strike of the sword is different with a steel blade than a Bamboo kane...as you say from watching old films where the actors were using stunt "master swordsmen" for action sequences...you can tell that the strikes are different as they know of the need to preserve the sword from being broken.

But it is not readily appreciated that the carved wooden sword probably killed more people in combat duels than metal swords...these were very expensive back then and revered like a religous symbol...indeed the religion/philosophy of "Bushido" holds the sword as central to it...families have swords passed down father to son...