Les Trois Mousquetaires

"The Three Musketeers" is unarguably an adventure film of great physical beauty and quite a bit of narrative power. It stands just after "The Best Years of Our lives" as one of the first Technicolor "A" films that broadened the palette used by filmmakers to include richness as well as, say, western or Arabian settings in adventure movies. To director George Sidney goes much of the credit for the film's swiftness of pace and attractive visual elements. With cinematography by Robert Planck, art direction by Malcolm Brown and the great Cedric Gibbons, elaborate set decorations by Edwin B, Willis and Henry Grace, and costumes by legendary Walter Plunkett, the film moves from rustic scenes to sumptuous interiors via scenes of swordplay that are often stunning. Add makeup by Jack Dawn, hair designs by Larry Germain and Sydney Guilaroff, sound by Douglas Shearer and Herbert Stothart's original music and use of Tschaikovsy themes--and the result I suggest is a quite satisfying viewing experience. But the plot has something more, perhaps, as well. The original Alexandre Dumas's (the father) storyline as treated by Robert Ardrey's screenplay comes out as an intelligent but somewhat satirical-cynical look at life in the France of the time of Cardinal Richelieu and King Louis XIII. In adopting an objective, light-hearted tone, similar to that in "North By Northwest', the producer Pandro S. Berman and the writers gain for the film the ability to do memorable comedy as well as occasionally far-more-serious scenes. What is lost in concentrated dramatic power is made up fin such an adventure if the actors are able to invest its goings on with the seriousness of their taking it seriously, bringing it to life professionally. I suggest that in the lavish production, this level of artistry was almost everywhere achieved. The large cast features such attractive artists as Angela Lansbury as the Queen, John Sutton as Buckingham, June Allyson very-well-used as Constance, Robert Warwick as D'Artagnan's father, Keenan Wynn as Planchet the servant, Reginald Owen and Ian Keith, Patricia Medina and Richard Wyler. In featured roles, one can enjoy stellar work by Robert Coote as Aramis, Gig Young as Porthos, Frank Morgan as the King and Gene Kelly as an athletic and often lyrical D'Artagnan. But the acting honors in the film belong to actor worthies Van Helfin, who dominates in the role of the hard-drinking Athos and Vincent Price, who makes immense amounts out of what he is allowed to do as an understated Richelieu. The curious casting is that of attractive Lana Turner as Lady De Winter; she is not capable yet of classical work, but she suggests some of her part's potential depths. This famous story of the young Gascon joining the three best swordsmen in France and learning more about life than he had bargained for is here given as much power perhaps as it can handle; and rich scenes of sword battles, interpersonal misunderstandings and a sense of controlled importance makes, I suggest, the story's dark moments memorable and the fun more important than it might have been. I find this to be a masterly understatement of a truly classic adventure.

MGM pulled out all the stops for this 1948 version of "The Three Musketeers." Filmed in color and directed by George Sidney, it has a large, all-star cast consisting of Gene Kelly, Lana Turner, June Allyson, Van Heflin, Cornell Wilde, Vincent Price, Angela Lansbury, Robert Coote, Frank Morgan, Keenan Wynn and John Sutton.

Gene Kelly is D'Artagnan, who arrives to join the Musketeers and ends up having to fight three duels in a day with Athos (Heflin), Porthos (Young) and Aramis (Coote). They all wind up friends.

The Musketeers' first assignment is to steal the Queen's jewels back for her - a gift of twelve diamond studs from her husband (Morgan). She has given them to her lover, the Duke of Buckingham, but now needs them back to wear in nine days' time.

Cardinal Richlieu (Price), anxious to reveal the secret relationship between the two, dispatches his evil mistress, Lady De Winter (Turner) to steal two of the studs. Richlieu wants France to declare war against England and completely destroy the King's powers.

The Musketeers have to get the jewels from the Duke and return with them to Paris. With two diamond studs missing, they have an added task of picking up two replacements from a jeweler and getting them to the Queen in time to wear them at a banquet.

In the process of all of this, D'Artagnan falls in love with the Queen's lady-in-waiting, Constance (Allyson).

All of the acting is wonderful, with the role of Lady De Winter expanded from the original book. Lana Turner is perfect as De Winter - gorgeous, cool, irresistible and deadly. The scenes between Constance and De Winter toward the end of the film are among the best in the movie, very suspenseful (and different from the book).

Turner to me looks carefully made up to hide some extra pounds, not to mention being tightly corsetted. The movie was filmed right after Lana had broken up with the great love of her life, Tyrone Power, which may have had something to do with it.

Van Heflin is sympathetic and strong as Athos, who has a past with De Winter and still loves her, and Vincent Price makes an excellent Cardinal Richlieu.

Gene Kelly is the ideal D'Artagnan, and his casting is very clever, giving him a chance to show the great athleticism that contributed so much to his dancing. His swordplay is amazing, really making the swordfights entertaining.

Though the role has very serious moments, Kelly gives it a lightness and humor when needed. Especially fun is the scene where D'Artagnan, in the dark, poses as Lady De Winter's lover.

There are, as mentioned, many versions of this Dumas classic. This one is vividly entertaining, colorful and energetic, with a very attractive cast, good direction, and a thrilling score. Highly recommended.

M-G-M presents Dumas' exciting story of love and adventure ,¨The three musketeers¨ . For the first time is adapted in the greatest Hollywood splendor , the complete romance , the historical characters, the full novel just as Alexandre Dumas write it . It is packed with comedy , derring-do , intrigue, a love story , action , drama and moving swordplay . An awesome casting and lavish production shot in Metro Goldwyn Studios make for a fairly amusement swashbuckler . This is the classic version of the Dumas's novel with a handsome Gene Kelly in a brave role as a young and handsome soldier of fortune , a dashing , audacious lover . This is a slight and high budgeted retelling about the durable Alexandre Dumas's novel with all-star-cast . This delightful adaptation based on Alexandro Dumas classic novel starts with the youngster D'Artagnan who arrives in Paris to find Mister Treville(Reginald Owen) , chief of Musketeers . But he meets three two-fisted Musketeers , Athos (Van Heflin) , a rollicking adventurer , fighting to live and living to love , Porthos (Gig Young) and Aramis (Robert Coote) . DÁrtagnan to be aware they are Musketeers and is invited to unite them in their objective to struggle against guards of Cardinal Richelieu , his deputy Rochefort (Ian Hunter) , and an astute secret agent named Milady De Winter (Lana Turner) who is lovely as a jewel , deadly as a dagger the wickedest woman in all Christendom . Meanwhile , D'Artagnan falls in love with a gorgeous young named Constance (June Allyson), daughter an innkeeper , she is a golden-haired beauty entangled in a web of treachery and intrigue . Furthermore , there is developed an intrigue between Luis XIII (Frank Morgan ) , Queen Anna of Austria (Angela Lansbury) , dazzling as her gilded palace for her , men dared a thousand perils , and Duke of Buckingham (John Sutton) ; and , of course ,the nasty Richelieu (Vincent Price) . The musketeers join forces for royal vengeance with the shout : ¨One for all and all for one¨.

It's a magnificent rendition from the immortal novel in big budget and breathtaking scenarios . The picture contains rousing action , intrigue , romantic adventure , mayhem and a lot of fencing . Entertaining swashbuckling with lavish production by Pandro S. Berman , glamorous gowns and luxurious sets by Oscar winning Cedric Gibbons . Sympathetic performances by main star cast and enjoyable secondary cast ; as the marvelous main actors are completed by stellar support cast full of classical and veteran players as Vicent Price , Reginald Owen , Keenan Wynn , Frank Morgan and several others . Colorful cinematography in the splendor of Technicolor by Robert Planck . Evocative musical score by Herbert Stothart based on Tchaikowski themes . Lush production design is well reflected on the luxurious interiors and exteriors filmed at Hollywood . The motion picture was well realized by George Sidney (Scaramouche , that he subsequently made in similar style). This classy story is subsequently remade on several versions , firstly take on this classic turns out to be the following : 1921 silent version by Fred Niblo with Douglas Fairbanks . And going on 1935 adaptation by Rowland V. Lee with Walter Abel and Paul Lukas ; 1973 amusing version by Richard Lester with Michael York , Oliver Reed and Raquel Welch ; 1993 modern adaptation by Stephen Herek with Charlie Sheen , Kiefer Sutherland , Oliver Platt and Chris O'Donnell , and 2001 rendition by Peter Hyams with Justin Chambers , Mena Suvari and Tim Roth , among others. ¨The three Musketeers¨ is an outstanding and entertaining adaptation of the classy that will appeal to the costumer genre buffs and it results to be an excellent adaptation with big budget based on the classic tale .

The Hollywood of the classic studio system is not known for its kindness in adapting great literary works. Often overwrought or oversimplified, cut down or bastardized, the movie versions rarely capture the essence or the form of the books they pretend to adapt.

This one is exceptional. Both the pathos and the verve of the Dumas novel (itself a roman-feuilleton - a serial- which it is rumored Dumas didn't actually write) are wonderfully captured, and Kelly is the dream D'Artagnan. Every bit of physicality and fun that he brought to his choreographies in the musicals is used beautifully to bring grace and energy to the duels. The humor of the star is used quite brilliantly. Compare the toungue-in-cheek pastiche THE DUELLING CAVALIER in SINGING IN THE RAIN with this earlier work. Look up a few of his directorial efforts (The Cheyenne Social Club) with the humor here.

Each fan of Dumas will have his favorite version of THE THREE MUSKETEERS, but we all must agree this is a noble and (overall) successful effort.

Boy is this thing all over the place. Sumptous to be sure it has the MGM touch in spades as far as lavishness goes but an inconsistent tone and some terrible casting choices.

The good-Vincent Price and Lana Turner are perfect in their roles with Lana looking astonishing in some beautiful and some ridiculous costumes. Angela Lansbury, wasted playing Queen Anne, campaigned for the role of Milady; in hindsight it seems incredible that Mayer said no, how great and truly evil she could have been but Lana was a huge star at the time and she is silkily wicked so no real harm was done to the film. June Allyson may not have been the ideal choice but she doesn't disgrace herself as Constance.

The average-Van Heflin, Gig Young and Richard Coote are merely adequate as the musketeers and while Frank Morgan is always a welcome sight he is just so wrong as the king of France.

The bad-Gene Kelly as d'Artagnan, and very bad he is, of course he handles the sword fighting episodes well with a dancers grace. It's his over eager and downright dreadful line readings and reactions that are painful and irritating to watch. Whenever he is on screen the movie stops dead in it's tracks. A very mixed bag.