The Three Musketeers (1973)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Director:

Richard Lester

Writers:

George MacDonald Fraser (screenplay)
Alexandre Dumas père (novel)

Release Date:

29 March 1974 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Comedy | History | Romance

Tagline:

. . . One for All and All for Fun!

Plot:

A young swordsman comes to Paris and faces villains, romance, adventure and intrigue with three Musketeer friends.

Plot Keywords:

Musketeer | Cardinal | Duel | Villain | Foreign Language Adaptation

Awards:

Won Golden Globe. Another 2 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Oliver Reed	...	Athos
Raquel Welch	...	Constance de Bonacieux
Richard Chamberlain	...	Aramis
Michael York	...	D'Artagnan
Frank Finlay	...	Porthos
Christopher Lee	...	Rochefort
Geraldine Chaplin	...	Anna of Austria
Jean-Pierre Cassel	...	Louis XIII (as Jean Pierre Cassel)
Spike Milligan	...	M. Bonacieux
Roy Kinnear	...	Planchet
Georges Wilson	...	Treville
Simon Ward	...	Duke of Buckingham
Faye Dunaway	...	Milady / Lady de Winter
Charlton Heston	...	Cardinal Richelieu
Joss Ackland	...	D'Artagnan's Father

Also Known As:

The Three Musketeers: The Queen's Diamonds (UK) (complete title) (USA)

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG | Singapore:PG | Iceland:L | Netherlands:12 | South Korea:All | Australia:G | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 (1975) | Sweden:11 | UK:U | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Aranjuez, Madrid, Spain

Company:

Alexander Salkind

Trivia:

The Duke of Buckingham's billiard room and the long hall behind it at his English estate is a leftover set from Patton (1970), it is also seen in The Four Musketeers (1974), where Milady and Buckingham speak about American Indians and also serves as a set of rooms in The Return of the Musketeers (1989) for a different character in France some 10 years after the action of the first two films. Also, the gown worn by Faye Dunaway during the Ball sequence at the end, is also the main gown worn by Jenny Agutter in The Man in the Iron Mask (1977) (TV).

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Just before the fight with the cardinals' guards, Porthos picks up large rock to use as a weapon. As he examines the rock, you can see that it's artificial, because he exposes the mold line.

Quotes:

Rochefort: I failed. One does occasionally.
Cardinal Richelieu: If I blundered as you do, my head would fall.
Rochefort: I would say from a greater height than mine, Eminence.
Cardinal Richelieu: You would?
Rochefort: The height of vaulting ambition.
Cardinal Richelieu: You have none?
Rochefort: No.
Cardinal Richelieu: Do you fear me, Rochefort?
Rochefort: Yes, I fear you, Eminence. I also hate you.
Cardinal Richelieu: I love you, my son. Even when you fail.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in History of the World: Part I (1981)

The best of breed

The Three Musketeers has been filmed again and again. This is the best of breed. In fact, it tried to be so faithful to the book that they had to split it into two films. This is the first part. The second is titled The Four Musketeers. This required all kinds of negotiations with everyone involved because they had originally signed up to do one film.

The action is fast. Long rides on horseback. Lots of sword fights, but, instead of the old Hollywood fencing with crossed swords, this film makes sword fighting look like the brutal game it was where boldness and quickness often surpassed skill. The director included a strong mix of comedy in the action. This film maintains that comedic side. The second necessarily turns darker of necessity. A great cast, great photography. It's rollicking good fun to watch.