Les quatre mousquetaires

Don't watch this movie alone. That is, watch Richard Lester's "The Three Musketeers" with it. The two are actually the same film, shot simultaneously (in fact, the cast thought they were making one long movie, to the extent that they were *paid* for one movie; they later sued, as well they should have). In fact, one who hasn't seen Lester's "Three Musketeers" might not understand this movie. Videos and DVDs should be released only in a double-box.

Most "Musketeer" movies are travesties loosely based on Dumas. The 1993 version with Chris O'Donnell is a case in point. It uses little more than the names of characters, and it's woefully inadequate.

The script-writer in Lester's "Musketeers" movies was George MacDonald Fraser, author of the "Flashman" series. And Fraser, unlike writers of all other "Musketeer" movies, seems to have read the book. Some of the wildest things in both movies (for instance, Buckingham's shrine to Anne of Austria) are actually from Dumas. The script, rambunctious and silly as sometimes is, is startlingly close to the book.

Rumor has it that Lester envisioned "Musketeers" as a project for the Beatles. If this is true, he's fortunate he lost them. The cast is uniformly wonderful. Oliver Reed, Richard Chamberlain, and Frank Finlay are perfect in their roles (Finlay is particularly marvelous as he, not a large man, is able to portray the huge, blustering Porthos). Michael York is a fun D'artagnan. Faye Dunaway and Christopher Lee are suitably evil. Rachel Welch, the Pamela Anderson of the late '60s, shows a flair for light comedy that was not often utilized (most of her other movies highlight her . . . ahem . . . other talents). Charlton Heston is the anchor at the center of the film as the scheming Richelieu. He doesn't have much screen time, but his presence dominates the movies, as well it should. Lester also has small parts filled with amazing talents, including Spike Milligan and Roy Kinnear. Keep your eye on a genuine Frenchman, Jean-Pierre Cassel, as the king (and, much later, in Lester's "Return of the Musketeers", as Cyrano); he's a delight in every scene.

Lester's locations are fabulous. His France looks lived-in. One gets the sense of a long, medieval period that has decayed by the time of D'artagnan in the early 1600s, and of a struggling monarchy dominated by the Cardinal trying to rebuild it. Even Cardinal Richelieu, who wasn't really evil, comes off as three-dimensional (compare Heston's subtle performance to Tim Curry's bizarre, anti-historical, one-dimensional inquisitor and fool in the 1993 version).

Being "The Three (Four) Musketeers", there are many sword-fights; Lester somehow is not a great action director, but he somehow manages to make each duel unique, and funny. In "The Four Musketeers" he's given us a duel on the ice between York and Lee that's very funny. And the climactic duel in a church is sublime.

In 1989 Lester released "Return of the Musketeers" with the same cast. Fraser's brief script for that movie (about 100 minutes) gives us the gist of "Twenty Years After", and is quite amusing and a good coda for the series (it's a shame Lester didn't get a chance to do "The Man in the Iron Mask" with a G. M. Fraser script and the same cast. The version with Jeremy Irons and John Malkovich will do, though it's darker and less loyal to Dumas).

On the whole, "The Three Musketeers" and "The Four Musketeers" are the best Musketeer movies ever made. They star men and women who were at the top of their profession at the time. The scripts are superb and there's not a wasted moment. Do not accept lesser substitutes.

FINALLY...a DVD release called 'The Complete Musketeers' that does justice to a proper transfer, in widescreen and looking better than when I saw it in the theater.

Watching 'The Three Musketeers' without seeing the 'The Four...' is like reading the Alexander Dumas novel; and stopping halfway through. It's a shame that it wasn't released as a roadshow 3 and a half hour film because that was the way it was originally meant to be experienced.

Phenomenal DVD package that contains both films...just the way it should be. And some very informative documentaries with the surviving cast.

9 out of 10! (Same as my rating for 'Three Musketeers')

Raquel Welch, Richard Chamberlain, Michael York, Geraldine Chaplin, Faye Dunaway, Charlton Heston, boy oh boy what a shining list of major stars of the 70's. The movie attracts my attention first because of the most-read French story, second the cast is absolutely another one. The chivalry tale is always the love of the directors and we have about 20 productions bearing the same name within the short movie history. The Spanish setting e.g. the fight in the old church is marvellous, I guess filming in Spain at that time didn't cost too much. Just look at the scheming and wicked black female spider Faye Dunaway is already a pure and high entertainment, and Michael York then looked really innocent and like loverboy.

This is a big production with lavish scenarios , spectacular action , court intrigue and exciting duels . Being based on Alexandre Dumas' classic yarn of intrigue at the 17th century French court . Entertaining and funny version based on the classic Dumas novel with overwhelming swordplay in nifty style , this is a modern version of the classic Dumas novel set in 17th Century France . Alexandre Dumas's source for his novel was a book by 19th-century writer Courtils Sandraz, which was purporting to be D'Artagnan's biography ; the Musketeers were actually real people, not fictional characters created by Dumas . For this filled with emotion recounting is adapted in the greatest splendor , the complete romance , the historical characters, the full novel by Alexandre Dumas though including important changes . It is packed with comedy , derring-do , intrigue , a love story , action , drama and moving fence . An awesome casting and big-budgeted production shot in Spain and location make for a fairly amusement swashbuckler . This is a luxurious recounting of the Dumas's novel with a fine cast headed by handsome Michael York as hot-headed D'Artagnan in a brave role as a young and handsome soldier of fortune , a dashing , audacious lover and nimble athlete . Musketeers must defeat a beautiful double agent and the villainous Rochefort from seizing the French throne and engulfing Europe in war . This delightful adaptation based on Alexandre Dumas classic novel deals with the youngster D'Artagnan and his three friends , the three two-fisted Musketeers , rollicking adventurers , fighting to live and living to love . All of them join in their objective to struggle against guards of Cardinal Richelieu well performed by Charlton Heston and the astute Milady De Winter , Faye Dunaway , who is lovely as a jewel, deadly as a dagger the wickedest woman in all Christendom . Meanwhile, D'Artagnan falls in love with the gorgeous young , Constance , Rachel Welch , she is a golden-haired beauty entangled in a web of treachery and intrigue . Furthermore , there is developed an intrigue between Luis XIII : Jean Pierre Cassel , Queen Anne of Austria : Geraldine Chaplin , dazzling as her gilded palace for her, men dared a thousand perils , and Duke of Buckingham , Simon Ward ; and of course the nasty Richelieu , as evil as ever . Protestants hold La Rochelle, and the Queen Anna loves Buckingham , who'll soon send ships to support the rebels ; then Milady of Winter is assigned a mission : to kill the Duke . The musketeers join forces for royal vengeance with the shout : ¨One for all and all for one¨. Then , the musketeers whose friendship has become a legend to stir the hearts of men and shouting their slogan set out to help the Queen and free Constance who has been kidnapped by Rochefort . Straightforward as well as gallant D'Artagnan and the three musketeers scheme a plan to save her , clashing against a malicious Milady De Winter .

It's a nice rendition from the immortal novel with pretty budget and attractive scenarios . The picture contains rousing action , intrigue , romantic adventure , romance , treachery , mayhem and a lot of fence . Amusing swashbuckling with lavish production , glamorous gowns and lush scenarios . This is an entertaining swashbuckling, full of action, adventure , comedy with tongue-in-cheek , and broad slapdash and of course , lot of swordplay . Charming Michael York who bounds and leaps , fights , hits and run . Michael York executes athletic feats , moving sword-play and spectacular acrobatics , he performed most of the stunts in his films himself . He is accompanied by a very good cast . Sympathetic performances by main star cast and secondary cast such as Michael Gothard , Nicole Calfan , Angel Del Pozo , Eduardo Fajardo , among others . Faye Dunaway makes a stunning Milady De Winter . Furthermore , a vein of humour is evident here , though sometimes falling flat . Comic relief by Roy Kinnear who unfortunately died falling down horse in the second sequel . For this movie itself , though , energetic and frantic are the best adjectives you could think of to describe its attraction .

Adequate and colorful cinematography stunningly showed on the splendorous images , being filmed in Spain , castle of Berlanga de Duero , Soriav, Royal Palace , Rome studios , Madrid and many other places well photographed by David Watkin . Thrilling as well as evocative musical score by Lalo Schifrin , including appropriate sounds for the time period . Lavish production by Alexander/Ilya Salkind and Pierre Spengler with excellent costumes by Oscar winning Ivonne Blake . However , producers were sued by the actors who claimed they were tricked into thinking the film was to be part of The three musketeers (1973), being filmed at the same time ; they won their case in court, but did not receive as much money as they would have if they were paid separately for both films. The motion picture was professionally realized by Richard Lester . This cool filmmaker provided visual style , comedy , fencing , drama , clangorous action in equal proportions . Twenty years later Richard Lester directed the third part titled ¨The return of the Musketeers¨(1989) with similar artist and technician team . This classy story is remade on several versions ,as the MGM classic version in musical style by George Sidney with Gene Kelly ; 1993 modern adaptation by Stephen Herek with Charlie Sheen and 2001 rendition by Peter Hyams with Justin Chambers, among others. ¨The four Musketeers¨ is an outstanding and entertaining adaptation of the classy that will appeal to the costumer genre buffs and it results to be acceptable adaptation with big budget based on the classic

Athos, Porthos, Aramis and D'Artagnan are back; or more precisely, are still here; for the second half of the Dumas novel. As I'm sure most fans know, this was meant to be part of the complete Three Musketeers, before the Salkinds split it into two films. This led to much litigation and the creation of the "Salkind clause" in movie contracts.

Spoliers-The film takes up where the first part left off; D'Artagnan and the Musketeers have saved the Queen from embarassment and confounded the evil Cardinal Richelieu. D'Artagnan is now a full fledged Musketeer (although, in the novel, he was still just a guardsman).

Now the Cardinal hatches a new plot to persuade the Duke of Buckingham from joining the protestant Huguenot rebels at the city of La Rochelle. Milady is sent to persuade him to change his mind or kill him. Although Buckingham imprisons her, he underestimates the power of her charms. The Duke meets a tragic end and Milady returns to France to seek her revenge on D'Artagnan.

Meanwhile, D'Artagnan rescues his mistress Constance and places her in safekeeping. He learns the true identity of Milady and the mystery behind Athos' melancholy.

The Musketeers are sent to fight at La Rochelle and uncover the Cardinal's plot to kill Buckingham. Although the other Musketeers care little, D'Artagnan owes a debt to Buckingham and tries to stop the plot.

D'Artagnan pays a terrible price for his efforts, but emerges as a lieutenant of the Musketeers. He has taken his place as the leader of the group, but will find little solace in his promotion.

As with the first film, the performances are spot on. Everything is the same, as it was filmed at the same time. It is best viewed as a whole with the Three Musketeers.