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Fille de d'Artagnan, La (1994)

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19 comments in total

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8 out of 8 people found the following comment useful :-
A civilized historical romance from Tavernier, Noiret, and Marceau., 20 February 2000

Author: brig0027 from Minnesota, USA

A blithe film, perfect for a wintry evening. I saw it because I have loved every Tavernier film I have seen. This one was an unexpected treat--I was prepared for something dark and moody, and instead got Gallic sunshine. The plot is about as serious as a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta, but it really doesn't matter. It's all delightful froth. Twenty years have passed since the famous adventures of the Three Musketeers. The film begins with an escaped African slave and a mysterious raid on the convent in which Eloise, the daughter of D'Artagnan, has been raised. Quick tempered and bold, she vows to avenge the death of the Mother Superior, disguises herself as a boy and leaves for Paris seeking her father's aid. The film records the amusing history of her subsequent adventures and companions. The French do this kind of picture better than any one else--it's civilized, affectionate, jolly, self-aware, playful, and respectful. Sophie Marceau is luminous, whimsical and feisty as Eloise. I wish we could see her in more roles. Phillipe Noiret is perfect as D'Artagnan, moving and comic simultaneously. Over-scheduled Americans may fret at the pacing, but just allow yourself to be a little French--enjoy the tale, the lack of American style violence and the delightful performances, music, and sets. C'est tres jolie.

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5 out of 5 people found the following comment useful :-
Captures The Spirit Of Dumas, 26 April 2001

Author: jhclues from Salem, Oregon

The spirit of Dumas is alive and well as D'Artagnan and his three legendary companions regroup and once again go forth in defense of the Crown in `Revenge of the Musketeers,' directed by Bertrand Tavernier. This time around, however, it's D'Artagnan's daughter, Eloise (Sophie Marceau), who sounds the alarm after witnessing a cold-blooded murder at the convent she has called home these many years, having been raised there while her father was off on one adventure after another in service to the King. And it's the King for whom Eloise is concerned; in the wake of the murder, she has uncovered a conspiracy to assassinate the about-to-be-crowned Louis XIV during his coronation. Her evidence is a cryptic message discovered among the personal effects of the recently deceased resident of the convent. So throwing caution to the wind, Eloise takes to horseback, alone, to seek out her father and inform him of this threat to France and the King. What she doesn't know is that D'Artagnan (Philippe Noiret) has recently withdrawn from the service of the King, and not by his own choosing. It seems that the King-to-be is something of an upstart, the fact of which D'Artagnan conveyed to him personally-- in no uncertain terms-- after which the now former Musketeer retired to private life to give lessons in the art of swordsmanship. All of which is about to change with the arrival of the daughter he hasn't seen for many years, and who to his knowledge is still safely ensconced in the convent.

To successfully present yet another episode of `The Three Musketeers,' it must have that certain sense of bold carelessness born of confidence and larger-than-life adventure, and Tavernier's film has it. Though it takes a couple of scenes to find it's legs after an intense opening that makes you sit up and take notice, when it finally kicks in (which it does fairly quickly) it becomes a rousing adventure steeped in the tradition of it's predecessors. And, as in the best of the `Musketeer' movies, it's laced with subtle humor and intrigue. Tavernier sets a pace that is at times inconsistent, but he provides enough action and fun that it can be easily overlooked; it may threaten to stall occasionally, but never actually does.

Philippe Noiret cuts a striking figure as the aging D'Artagnan, who though slowed somewhat by the years, is still one of the best swords around. He successfully embodies that spirit and sense of `legend' that makes his D'Artagnan believable, and delivers it all with the confidence befitting his character.

The highlight of the film, however, is the lovely Marceau, who as Eloise proves that she can cross swords with the best of them. Her technique with a blade may be a bit awkward at times, but it gives credibility to the character; a young woman raised in a convent-- even the daughter of a famed Musketeer-- wouldn't necessarily be a master swordsman. And Marceau gives a lively performance as Eloise, diving into the action with a reckless abandon that makes her endearing, as well as fun to watch. She has a radiant screen presence that draws the eye to her, even in a crowded scene. But what really puts this character across-- and again, the entire film, for that matter-- is that unabashed spirit of adventure, which Marceau manifests in Eloise.

The supporting cast includes Claude Rich (Crassac), Sami Frey (Aramis), Jean-Luc Bideau (Athos), Raoul Billerey (Porthos), Charlotte Kady (Eglantine de Rochefort), Nils Tavernier (Quentin), Luigi Proietti (Mazarin) and Jean-Paul Roussillon (Planchet). Proving that even Musketeers beyond their prime can be engaging, especially when combined with a spirited beauty like Marceau, `Revenge of the Musketeers' is a welcome cinematic chapter in the saga Dumas began so many years ago. In the end, it's a satisfying experience that will transport you to another place and another time, when chivalry was alive and well, and right always triumphed over wrong. I rate this one 7/10.

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4 out of 4 people found the following comment useful :-
All for one and one for all!, 9 May 2001

Author: George Parker from Orange County, CA USA

A fun French comedy/adventure flick which resurrects the "Three Musketeers" and creates a beautiful daughter, Eloise, (Marceau) for an aging, portly D'Artagnan. The plot is a tad convoluted with subtitles which use some archaic English and nonstop dialogue making the story a bit of a challenge for non-French speakers to keep up with. Nonetheless, the 2+ hour run is full of swashbuckling adventures, funny antics, comedic dialogue, and the beautiful European countryside with misty moors, autumn forests, castles and all those things we love about Euro-period films.

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3 out of 3 people found the following comment useful :-
An excellent addition to the Musketeers genre, 24 September 1999

Author: JHC3 from Seattle, Washington

As I began to view this film, I had quite a few doubts. Recent "Musketeers" films have been falling flat. I am now very pleased to say that "Revenge of the Musketeers" (U.S. video title) is a solid production, featuring an excellent European cast and fine direction.

Set in the twilight years of the musketeers, the plot focuses on Eloise d'Artagnan (Marceau) and her struggle against perceived plots and conspiracies. When her convent is assaulted, she seeks out her famous father in Paris. There are some comedic moments and decent fight scenes. I was especially pleased to note that Eloise, who was raised in a convent and had no martial training, did not suddenly gain the magnificent fighting prowess of her father. Yes, she does get involved in a number of fights, but the director had the sense to clearly portray her absolute inexperience. Fans of Musketeers films and of swashbucklers in general should give this film a chance. Merely seeing a competent Musketeer film done in the French language alone is a treat.

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2 out of 2 people found the following comment useful :-
Wit..., 3 June 2004
Author: euskir from Buenos Aires, Argentina

Yes, wit. Some fun with a slice of history (Tavernier is no fool, specially talking about history, Lyonnaise cuisine and music (do you remember the beautiful, poignant and above five stars 'Round midnight...yes, I like most of Bertrand Tavernier's films). This time he take us on a trip to the Dumas territory, the same way he did the trick with Dale Turner (Dexter Gordon in 'Round midnight), but this time it's just for a happy roller coaster. Great in the acting department and using kid gloves to handle the plot as the old masters used to. If you want to have a break of all the "fast and furious" of nowadays cinema check this one.

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2 out of 2 people found the following comment useful :-
J'Adore Sophie Marceau, 29 September 1999
Author: Bryan English (saxman-4) from Rock Island, WA

Though I am not a fan of French Cinema in general, I am a huge fan of Sophie Marceau. Ever since I first saw her in Braveheart, I have tried to find every movie she has been in, whatever country it was produced in. In "Fille de d'Dartagnan" (which was released on video under the hideous title "Revenge of the Musketeers")the beautiful Sophie plays Eloise, the daughter of the legendary Gascon d'Artagnan, who leaves the convent in which she was raised to foil a plot to assassinate the young King Louis XIV. Along the way she reunites with her father and his Musketeer cronies who aid her in her quest. This film is a fun,lighthearted swashbuckler, very much in the tradition of Dumas's original stories. It is highlighted by a great serio-comic performance by Sopie herself. Her role as Eloise is a refreshing break from her usual noble heroine parts and adds a new dimension to her repertoire. She isn't bad in the action scenes either. Though I found her amazing sword skills a little hard to believe considering the fact she only left the convent a few weeks before. Did they give combat training to novices in 17th century French convents? I doubt it. That little quibble aside, I recommend this film for fans of action movies and it's a must for Marceau fans everywhere. After seeing this, I can't wait to see her as the new Bond villain. It's gonna be a blast.

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3 out of 4 people found the following comment useful :-
What Man in the Iron Mask shoulda been., 19 January 2000

Author: Lee Bartholomew (sage_patrynxx@cfu.net) from Cedar Falls, IA

Of course this was made before Leonardo's disaster. (although I didn't think it that bad) However this is so much better. Oh the humor is put in such a manner that it isn't distasteful. Sophie is so much more fiesty than the role she's in Braveheart. I'm glad they offered the subtitled version. I bought mine used, but this looks like another movie I'll have to find everything for. :)

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1 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :-
don't let "action" shelf fool you - this is a comedy, 27 March 2007

Author: browndc-1 from United States

My enjoyment of the early scenes in this movie was ruined by the fact that I was expecting an action flick. Once I figured out that this is a comedy, and that the fights were intentionally clumsy, I liked it a lot more. I imagine that with a comprehensive knowledge of French history it would have been a lot funnier. But there are many joking references to Dumas' original story about the Musketeers, and the physical humor transcends culture, as does the archetype of the romantic poet who's hopeless in a fight. Every character in the movie is in some way incompetent, which provides the bulk of the humor. The Musketeers suffer from large egos and denial about the limits of their old age. Several characters suffer from paranoia, and some from delusions of grandeur. I imagine a French historian would love the portrayal of Louis XIV as a chubby self-indulgent teenager who can't make decisions for himself. The humor and the plot are both driven by these characters who get better and better as the movie goes on.

This movie isn't perfect, however. My biggest issue with the film is that I can't figure out how D'Artagnan could have aged so much faster than his fellow musketeers. Athos and Porthos seem to be in their mid-fifties, whereas D'Artagnan can't be less than seventy. The subtitles are a little silly, especially the exclamations, and I wonder if it was intentional. "Merde" is translated as "turds," and phrases like "'Od's bodkins!" and "Zounds!" run rampant.

Still, the movie was thoroughly enjoyable, Sophie Marceau is captivating as well as funny, and this film made for a fun evening. Just remember: it's a historical farce, not an action flick.

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2 out of 3 people found the following comment useful :-
Swashbuckler, 19 October 2006

Author: Bob Taylor (bob998@sympatico.ca) from Canada

Bertrand Tavernier has turned to the past many times before in his long career. He has no trouble telling a story with period costumes and swirling swordfights. La fille de D'Artagnan is a lot of fun for the first sixty minutes or so, then the lack of any great imagination in the plot construction starts to be apparent. There seems to be a coded message in a letter stolen from a convent that occupies the minds and energies of many of the characters to the detriment of telling the story.

Philippe Noiret is great, but the part is so easy for him. Sophie Marceau gets to show off her splendid breasts. Jean-Luc Bideau as Athos is perhaps the most watchable actor in the proceedings; he looks really dapper in that eyeband. If you want a really fine film about pre-Revolutionary France, try Que la fête commence, which has Noiret in one of his best roles.

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2 out of 3 people found the following comment useful :-
True to Dumas, 19 March 2005

Author: jimtrageser from San Diego

Only based on Alexander Dumas' musketeer tales, not taken from them, this movie still manages to capture the sense of fun and adventure that marked his novels.

The four older actors playing the retired musketeers who are drawn back into the fray by D'Artagnan's daughter, Eloise, will be unfamiliar to most American viewers, but all of them have that same kind of slightly naughty French humor that so many Americans love in Gérard Depardieu (whose Porthos from the "Man in the Iron Mask" would have fit in perfectly here).

And Sophie Marceau will charm the pants off of you - although her pants are about the only clothing item she manages to hang onto here. But she is saucy, funny and very strong.

The scenery, too, will enchant - the castles, the countryside, all are gorgeous and true to the time.

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