The Fifth Musketeer

THE FIFTH MUSKETEER - what a big disappointment. All that amazing talent, all those famous names, and only a couple of adequate performances in the entire film. What went wrong? I have the sneaking suspicion there were too many Chiefs and not enough Indians working in this film. The filmmakers probably found it hard to control the big names, and it shows. Clever dialogue would have made it possible to overlook the tepid, unoriginal script, but alas, there is very little.

Even if I were not an Ian McShane fan I would be forced to admit his characterisation of Fouquet remains the only one in the film which seems fully formed. Even though he plays the villain I found myself cheering him on because he was the only one with any charisma or humour in the entire film. The female performers are appealing. I hear the UK version has some nudity; the US VHS version has been cut to the point of somnambulism.

Trivia for McShane fans: The hijinx appear to all have taken place off-set rather than on. During the making of THE FIFTH MUSKETEER, Sylvia Kristel (of the EMMANUELLE soft porn series of films) and Ian McShane became involved in a highly-publicized, scandalous long- term affair. And McShane has related memories (complete with a spot-on vocal impersonation) of Rex Harrison imperiously barking orders at him to get out of his light during filming. It was that kind of set.

This retelling of Dumas' The Man in the Iron Mask makes for an ok film for a rainy day, but is hardly an epic swasbuckler. Beau Bridges is good in the dual roles of Louis and Phillipe, as is Rex Harrison as Colbert. Ian McShayne is delightfully evil as Fouquet and Ursulla Andress is wonderfully bitchy. Cornell Wilde and Alan Hale Jr. reprise their roles (sort of) from the film At Swords Point. Papa Bridges is around as a decidedly unreligious Aramis, and Jose Ferrer trades Cyrano's nose, for Athos' tunic. Sylvia Kristel is rather wooden as Marie Therese. In all, there is little for the actors to work with, but the scenery is nice and a few action sequences are quite good. Still one could have hoped for better things with this cast.

This may not be the best version of the story (The Man in the Iron Mask), but its period production values, good pace and some of its top cast lift it above the "B" remake some would rate it.

It perhaps marks a minor renaissance of the unrepentant swashbuckler movie. Beautifully filmed on location (Vienna passing for Paris), it delights the eye. There is enough slapstick sword-fighting to please all but the absolute connoisseur; the tension of the plot is well maintained; it is simply fun to watch. Memorable performances by Rex Harrison as Colbert (in one of his last movie roles) and Ian McShane as Fouquet help to keep the viewer's attentions when others of the rather mixed cast falter.

Ursula Andress' (or "Ursula Undress" as she was somewhat unfairly nicknamed after a Playboy Magazine appearance) convincing portrayal of the King's mistress would undoubtedly have been enhanced (as other commentators have suggested) by the restoration of the nudity cut by the US censors (the American running time is 12 minutes shorter than the British).

All in all, not a movie to buy for one's DVD library, but to rent for a rainy day or watch on TV and appreciate for its fun.

1st watched 1/26/2001 - 5 out of 10 (Dir-Ken Annakin): Average played out and retelling of "The Man in the Iron Mask" story. A look-alike of King Louie is put into power by the musketeers for political reasons although this version tries to play up a love interest without much success. Could have been a good romantic/adventure but lacking in heart-felt talent.

First of all: I appreciate all the opinions listed on this page, also those which say this movie stinks... ;-) For me, however, it is quite a special film, because at that time I was in Vienna, attending university/school of medicine. One day in autumn of 1976 a sheet of paper was stuck in the lift cabin of my students' condo, reading "Extras wanted! Be at Rosenhügel Studios by 6 am on October something, 1976. Salary 400 ATS per day, free lunch." Well, not bad, with a monthly ATS 4,000 check from my father to cover all my expenses - and no chance for the revenue office to take its share... Well,at the venerable Rosenhügel studio halls I got a black suit with breeches and a tippet, with red linings, a long-haired whig and a grey hat, and off we went to Laxenburg Castle by bus. It was cold and foggy, and, like soldiers, the main occupation of extras is - to wait. To keep us warm we got tea and coffee and a hot soup.

First shot was: Beau Bridges arrives in a coach, gets out and greets Rex Harrison "Gentleman, I did not expect you so far from the Gascogne". We, as the by-standing crowd, have to cheer, wave hats - but silently, as the "real" actors were recorded live. The brightly polished coach, brought in from the Hapsburg mews at Schönbrunn castle, is treated by a mattening spray to disperse the sunlamps' reflections. The assistant director calls by megaphone ACTIONNN! We cheer, the four horse carriage rolls in, stops. Bridges steps out - and bungles his line. CUT! Coach and horses are pushed back (the horses are not really happy with this), at least 30 minutes later we hear ACTIONNN again. And again something goes wrong, maybe the lacquer af the coach shines too bright, maybe a horse muted, once BB messed up his text again... I think we did it 5 times. And in the finished movie, at about 22 minutes run time, the lines of the twin king still are different from what I remember - seems they overdubbed it anyway.

The next day we, "the people", were told to cheer again, and surge forward, till we get a signal, which tells us to back off in terror. ACTIONNN! We cheer and surge. Suddenly a horrendous BANG hits our faces and ears, obviously released from a saluting cannon hidden under the scaffolding on which the assistant director was standing. We DID back off!! No acting necessary. This big bang comes about five minutes later than the coach scene.

All in all this was an almost magical experience, all the scenery, the big Panaflex camera with the great Mr. Cardiff at the viewer, the wind machine with a DeHavilland Gipsy Major engine - and running at arm's length around all this stellar Hollywood personality, namely Ursula Andress and Sylvia Kristel (after all, I was 22 at this time).

So, despite admitting that the finished movie is quite some disappointment compared to so many other cloak and dagger stuff, be it French or Hollywood, I can't help having a fond eye on it, as you will understand.