L'étroit mousquetaire

The tendency to characterise Douglas Fairbanks as an acrobatic swashbuckling hero sometimes obscures the fact that he was basically a very fine comedian. Even his swashbucklers are comedies and have little in common with the later work of Errol Flynn or Tyrone Power. And his early comedies, the unforgettable Mystery of the Leaping Fish (1916) or When the Clouds Roll By (1919) are amongst his very best films.

I emphasise this because it seems to me that it is close affinity between the acting style of Fairbanks and Linder (they were also good friends) that make this very close parody such a success. Although it is true that Chaplin borrowed stylistic and sartorial tricks from Max, there is nothing much in common between their styles of comedy while there is a great deal of common ground between Doug and Max which the latter fully exploits in this delightful parody, arguably in fact a better film than the original.

Even the scenes of swash and buckle are impressive and evidently Fairbanks himself must have thought so because he subsequently employed the same Belgian fencing-master, Fred Cavens, for his own later swashbucklers.

The other US comic with whom Linder has a certain obvious affinity is Buster Keaton and both men were clearly aware of each other's films. Max's Be My Wife (1921) borrows a gag from Keaton's The Scarecrow (1920) for one of its episodes and Keaton makes a similar if less exuberant use of anachronism (here the brief appearance of the fetish top hat, the bikes, the telephone) in his own later parodies (The Three Ages and The Frozen North).

To fully appreciate L'Étroit Mousquetaire, to give it its rather neater French title, it does need to be watched in a good copy and unfortunately most of the prints available (even on DVD) are poor in quality and, more seriously still for a genre that relies on timing, lack intertitles and play at an inappropriately fast speed. There is a print of excellent quality and it is worth digging out. The version I have seen is Russian - but beware, there is also a Russian DVD version that is poor - but only currently seems to be available on youtube under the Russian title (and in cyrillic script). It is an excellent quality print, has a fair few intertitles (in Russian but, provided you know the story, this is no great problem) but, most importantly, runs at a proper speed (about 50 minutes in all) so it is really possible to appreciate what a little masterpiece this film is.

"The Three Must-Get-There's" is a delightful, funny and incredible comedy, even for a German aristocrat who doesn't have any sense of humour ( or at least doesn't understand hypothetical Frenchified funny situations ), starring the great Herr Max Linder. This film was the last of his American period, and unfortunately Herr Linder would only star in two more films before his tragic ending. "The Three Must-Get-There's" is a parody of Herr Douglas Fairbanks' character and films, so this time Herr Linder takes off his characteristic hat and suit and puts on a longhaired French wig and one of those bizarre French regional costumes, Herr Linder being at ease with such clothes and making fun of those strange habits of his countrymen, such as being a musketeer, indeed a peculiar job even for the French.

The film is a brilliant comedy full of linguistic puns and excellent visual gags wherein nothing is what it seems at first sight ( Dart-in-Again crosses the English channel in a sailing horse! ), mixing up the old with the new ( Dart-in-Again uses a horse or a motorcycle, depending on his purposes ) in an original and unexpected way, and full of funny stunts perfect for this kind of film genre, that give the film a rhythmic pace in order to depict the adventures of the musketeers and their efforts to retrieve the Queen's brooch from her lover before the King notices.

"The Three Must-Get-There's" is an excellent example of the inventiveness, originality, elegance and humour of one of the greatest comedians of silent film history.

And now, if you'll allow me, I must temporarily take my leave because this German Count must keep his serious German sneer after having been amused with such funny French things.

The Three Must-Get-Theres (1922) : Brief Review -

Linder destroys Douglas Fairbanks' "The Three Musketeers" to give us the funniest "d'Artagnan". Firstly, I must hail the one who thought of this title 10 decades ago. From The Three Musketeers to "The Three Must-Get-Theres".. How amazingly funny and insanely humourous thing this is. We don't get to see such humour in 2023, and they did a century ago. Kudos!!! Max Linder's spoof of the popular tale will have you in gag-riot mode for sure. Linder was a legend-a less-known one too. People often talk about Buster Keaton's spoof of DW Girffith's "Intolerance" (1916), so why isn't there enough talk about this spoof by Max Linder? Was it because his stardom was in decline in the 20s? God knows why, but I feel it was unfair to the legend. Anyway, The Three Must-Get-Theres is a thoughtful comedy. A spoof that actually redefines the meaning of the word and explains how one should actually do this thing right. You know the story, but just see how he did it here. He did not really change anything in the basic plot, right from d'Artagnan's entry, his challenge to three knights, the queen's necklace, her maid, and whatever there is. He just added his comic flavour to it with everything possible at that time. He had telephones installed at the palace and even on trees, and he had a typewriter too. That's definitely a spoof, and a damn funny one. Intertitles like "You killed 99 when you knew we needed 100 to get a discount" are hilarious. Speaking of a rare experiment in comedy, Linder even had one slow-mo shot of horseback riding. It's just brilliant. Max Linder's d'Artagnan is extremely entertaining right from his first scene. Action, adventure, romance, expressions, physical comedy, and what not. He has done everything to make sure that you enjoy it. Fairbanks feature will always have its place, but what Max did shouldn't be written in mini format. It would be an insult for us movie lovers.

RATING - 7.5/10*

By - #samthebestest.

Especially among those with less appreciation for the early years of cinema, it is sometimes said that the silent era reflects "simpler entertainment for a simpler time." As an avid cinephile myself, and a huge fan of silent films, I can understand where that sentiment comes from, but even where it's selectively true it is no inherent statement on the abject quality of a piece. As we start to watch this 1922 farce, a send-up generally of 'The Three Musketeers' and specifically of Douglas Fairbanks' earnest adaptation of one year before, I don't think there's much mistaking that it commonly echoes that very notion. In various ways the picture rather exemplifies the film-making and storytelling sensibilities of a developing medium, and in neither capacity does it necessarily bear the sophistication of some of its contemporaries or successors. Yet that tack quite provides the framework in which the frivolity will ensue, and one way or another 'The Three Must-Get-Theres' remains a terrific delight. For those open to the style, it's well worth checking out if you have the chance!

While freely adapting Alexandre Dumas' novel, screen legend Max Linder cheerfully twists most every bit and bob to comedic ends, whether that means playing with characters and their names, toying with the dialogue as imparted in intertitles, or modifying story beats. The latter is the major key, I think, for the relatively uncomplicated method by which the feature is constructed leans heavily on the consideration and execution of individual scenes. The humor relies substantially on simple gags in the scene writing, usually without much follow-through from one scene to the next; there is subtler cleverness, too, but the preponderance of the flick is built on sight gags and physical comedy. There are also the performances of the cast, highly animated with greatly exaggerated facial expressions and body language - maybe beyond even the norm seen throughout much of the silent era - and that straightforward silliness also comes across in Linder's direction at large. For good measure factor in a giddy, cartoonish indifference to matters of illusion versus artifice; we're treated to abundant anachronisms, for example, and slain enemies sit up to speak, offering an unabashed spoof like those Mel Brooks would become famous for many years later.

The conscious phoniness and outright ludicrousness does not mean that 'The Three Must-Get-Theres' is any less well-made, though. Fantastic wit and intelligence shaped the screenplay, and there is outstanding detail all throughout even just in the writing. In his direction Linder maintains high energy all the way, and whether his role in that regard meant broad oversight and shaping a cohesive whole, or orchestrating a single shot to capture the desired effect, I deeply appreciate the mindfulness and skill he illustrates. I dare say there is some artistic shot composition scattered here and there. Even the cinematography has some moments of shining brilliance, and the editing is unexpectedly sharp as it sometimes plays directly into the merriment. The cast is nothing less than a joy as all actors on hand, even the extras, unreservedly embrace the irreverent spirit of the production and commit to all that is asked of them. Not to be counted out, while the title is flush with tomfoolery, the work turned in by those behind the scenes is no joke. The sets, costume design, and hair and makeup are all gorgeous; whether props feed into into the period setting or the anachronistic tendencies, they're all swell. And as much as anything else, the stunts, effects, fight choreography, and otherwise action are plainly excellent. Frivolous as the project is, there is also meaningful adventure at its core.

This may not be the film to change the minds of those who have a harder time engaging with Old Hollywood; on the other hand, as the minutes tick by the comedy reminds more and more of the tried and true goofiness that has become a staple of some of the biggest names of the art form. It may not look like much from the outset, yet when you get down to it 'The Three Must-Get-Theres' is just a classic, a mirthful gem of another era that sought only to entertain, and which over one hundred years later continues to succeed in that goal. Him and haw about the particulars as we will, surely most anyone will find something to love here as the movie's strength only grows over its abbreviated runtime. Ultimately I would stop short of calling it a total must-see, but the result is a lot of fun from start to finish, and if you have the opportunity to watch then I'm pleased to give it my high recommendation!