A wild, terribly fun ride through 17th century France, a land ruled de jure by youthful King Louis XIII and his Austrian wife, Anne, but ruled de facto by the degenerate Cardinal Richelieu. D'Artagnan, a fresh-faced wanna-be Musketeer, comes to Paris seeking his fortune and future and manages to get mixed up with the legendary Athos, Aramis, and Porthos, as well as one of Queen Anne's comely ladies-in-waiting, and a sinister villainess.
This Disney version isn't completely faithful to the novel or to history, but then, if you want historical accuracy, you shouldn't be watching something inspired by the works of Alexandre Dumas! As it is, its a ripping good time, with Oliver Platt as Porthos being the stand-out in the Musketeers, and Tim Curry chews the scenery quite effectively as the good Cardinal. Unlike the kung-fu "Musketeer", this version not only keeps in Constance (though altered from her literary counterpart, and given a happy ending), but also Buckingham, and my favorite, Milady de Winter. Though, sadly, I hate how every movie feels it must tone down or redeem her character -- such an icy cold villainess is just too threatening, I suppose.
One thing I remember clearly from this version is the bright, rich colors -- the brillant red of Richelieu's cloak, which swirled and breathed like a living creature, and the smooth whites and golds and blues of the French court. Though the characters are a bit cleaner and have more teeth than real 17th century Frenchmen would, I much prefer this look to the drab "Man In the Iron Mask" with Dicaprio. Besides, unlike the Dicaprio-helmed vehicle, I didn't notice nine or ten different pronunciations of D'Artagnan's name! .:Nichol:.
This Disney version isn't completely faithful to the novel or to history, but then, if you want historical accuracy, you shouldn't be watching something inspired by the works of Alexandre Dumas! As it is, its a ripping good time, with Oliver Platt as Porthos being the stand-out in the Musketeers, and Tim Curry chews the scenery quite effectively as the good Cardinal. Unlike the kung-fu "Musketeer", this version not only keeps in Constance (though altered from her literary counterpart, and given a happy ending), but also Buckingham, and my favorite, Milady de Winter. Though, sadly, I hate how every movie feels it must tone down or redeem her character -- such an icy cold villainess is just too threatening, I suppose.
One thing I remember clearly from this version is the bright, rich colors -- the brillant red of Richelieu's cloak, which swirled and breathed like a living creature, and the smooth whites and golds and blues of the French court. Though the characters are a bit cleaner and have more teeth than real 17th century Frenchmen would, I much prefer this look to the drab "Man In the Iron Mask" with Dicaprio. Besides, unlike the Dicaprio-helmed vehicle, I didn't notice nine or ten different pronunciations of D'Artagnan's name! .:Nichol:.