Review by rsoonsa

This is the fourth filmed adventure of Dumas' THREE MUSKETEERS (already, in 1915), and of all those produced before or since provides the closest semblance to the novelist's classic tale, here condensed to essentially one extended incident involving the adventurous quartet's ongoing conflict with Cardinal Richelieu, played nicely by Walt Whitman (no, not the poet; it's not THAT old). Most of the scenes depicted are quite short, a pacing key to the film's success, as the acting is of the normal histrionic type found during the silent era, wherein most screen players were normally also engaged in stage performance. The work is very well mounted, particularly when consideration is given to its expense ($15000), and is historically generally quite accurate, presenting with skill the alliance which Richelieu formulated with the crown to rule France in the early 17th century. Due to litigation, D'ARTAGNAN, as it was known at the time of its release, was not widely seen for nearly five years past its making, and came into direct competition with the Douglas Fairbanks version, lavishly produced and with orchestrated praise in place; nonetheless, the direction of the German, Charles Swickard, and the performances by Orrin Johnson, in the title role, and of Dorothy Dalton, as Queen Anne, are of interest to a cinema devotee.