The Man in the Iron Mask (1998/I)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Randall Wallace

Writers (WGA):

Alexandre Dumas père (novels)
Randall Wallace (screenplay)

Release Date:

13 March 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Drama | History

Tagline:

For the honor of a king. And the destiny of a country. All for one.

Plot:

The cruel King Louis XIV of France has a secret twin brother who he keeps imprisoned. Can the twin be substituted for the real king?

Plot Keywords:

Twin | Mask | Iron Mask | Musketeer | Twin Brother

Awards:

3 wins & 2 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Sun. Nov. 8

8:00 PM

CW

Cast

Leonardo DiCaprio	...	King Louis XIV / Philippe
Jeremy Irons	...	Aramis
John Malkovich	...	Athos
Gérard Depardieu	...	Porthos
Gabriel Byrne	...	D'Artagnan
Anne Parillaud	...	Queen Mother Anne
Judith Godrèche	...	Christine (as Judith Godreche)
Edward Atterton	...	Lt. Andre
Peter Sarsgaard	...	Raoul
Hugh Laurie	...	King's Advisor
David Lowe	...	King's Advisor
Brigitte Boucher	...	Madame Rotund
Matthew Jocelyn	...	Assassin
Karine Belly	...	Wench
Emmanuel Guttierez	...	King's Friend

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sequences of violence and some sensuality/nudity.

Runtime:

132 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Peru:PT | Netherlands:MG6 | Iceland:12 | Spain:7 | South Korea:15 | Argentina:13 | Belgium:KT | Chile:TE | Finland:K-12/9 | France:U | Germany:12 (w) | Ireland:12 | Mexico:B | Norway:11 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:12 | USA:PG-13 | Australia:M | Brazil:14

Filming Locations:

Castle, Vaux-le-Vicomte, Seine-et-Marne, France

Company:

United Artists Corporation

Trivia:

This is the third in a trilogy of the Alexandre Dumas père novels about the adventures of Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, which also include 'The 3 Musketeers' and 'Twenty Years Later'.

Goofs:

Continuity: When "Philippe" looks up at the moon through his cell window, the moon is just out of his sight. However, in the next shot, moonlight is shining directly on his face.

Quotes:

Louis: Cowards! Twenty men run from four?
Lt. Andre: The corridor nullifies our numbers, and nobody has the stomach to fight the captain!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in A Little Thing Called Murder (2006) (TV)

A Really Nice Film

We didn't expect much here, so it was one of these experiences where you are pleasantly surprised. I would mention Irons and Depardieu first because they are just great. I suppose Depardieu has performed in comic roles before but I don't recall them and so was quite pleased and amused with his grace and charm in such a role. Irons is imposing and has more gravitas that anyone else in the film. Byrne is strong and a pleasure to watch. These top performers take this material and make it delightful. DiCaprio is a talented young man, I suppose, but my personal demographics are in the periphery of his fan base (wrong sex, wrong age). I'm no Malkovich fan, but he was not a sufficient detraction to me to offset my enjoyment of the others. Over all, the film is a lot of fun--a really nice film.