The Three Musketeers (1973) User Reviews

Could give Errol Flynn a run for his money!

[MissSimonetta · 8/10 · 16 August 2014]

Let me begin by expressing how refreshing it feels to watch a series of action scenes without wretched shaky cam! After seeing Guardians of the Galaxy and the new Ninja Turtles movies at the cinema recently, I had almost forgotten what it was like to have a comprehensible fight sequence.

This 1973 version of The Three Musketeers is the best version of the story I have ever seen, even better than the over-praised Gene Kelly adaptation. It's athletic, earthy, and light-hearted, paired with one of the most perfect casts ever brought together for a movie and Michel Legrand's amazing score which proves adventurous and heart-achingly romantic in equal turns.

If you love action and comedy, then I cannot recommend this enough. I never wanted it to end and cannot wait to watch the sequel.

Quintessential Lester.

[Hermit C-2 · 7/10 · 24 September 1999]

Richard Lester has to be one of the greatest directors of comedy there ever was. There are dozens of slapstick gags and situations in this movie and almost 100% of them work. And what an opulent setting they are placed in! Lester and his cohorts have created a film in which almost every frame resembles a museum painting come to life (and gone berserk.)

Lester is better with style than relating a narrative. I found it impossible to completely comprehend the story line here, and I think if you asked most people what the movie was about, they'd tell you there was a lot of swashbuckling and general mayhem and lunacy, but I doubt they'd give you much of Dumas' story. When the style is this good, however, a little fuzziness on the substance is not a fatal flaw. Still, it might keep this picture from being an all-time classic rather than "just" a most enjoyable film.

Lester is such an auteur that his direction is the main focus of this film even with such an all-star cast. It was a wise decision (actually it seems like a no-brainer) to divide what was originally shot at one time into two films, this one and 'The Four Musketeers.' There really can be too much of a good thing, and even at under two hours, 'The Three Musketeers' threatens to be overwhelming. But on balance this film is great entertainment.

Like wine, gets better with age

[Pamsanalyst · 8/10 · 11 November 2004]

Watching this and its 'sequel' only confirms the tragedy of Oliver Reed's flirtation with the bottle, and he is just one of the wonderful cast. What is especially impressive to me is that with so much scenery available to be chewed, none of the cost set their teeth to it but act in as an ensemble.

This and "Four" represent a Victorian telling of the tale in a theater: dauntless heroes, villains that can be freely hissed and heroines worth taking up the sword to defend, and by the time Lady deWinter has strangled Constance at the end of the second part and is sent to her death, and Rochefort is vanquised, the heroes appear on stage again in the wonderful coda.

Lester creates a dirty, brawling world complete with cows, sheep, pigs and men with dirt and filth on their clothes. The dandies are on the side of wrong; those who sprawl in the mud are the good guys. Yes, it bears similarity to Hard Days Night, but Lester was more than that, as anyone who has seen Petulia will agree.

George Macdonald Fraser, who wrote the script, also created the Flashman books. In the same years as the Musketeers, there was also Royal Flash, a film I have not seen in ages.

Best Dumas Adaptation is Spectacular Romp...

[cariart · 30 January 2004]

THE THREE MUSKETEERS, Richard Lester's comic take of the oft-filmed Dumas adventure story, is not only terrific escapist fare with a brilliant cast, but stands as the most faithful adaptation of the Musketeer saga.

The very length of the novel, with it's many plot twists, had resulted in various truncated adaptations over the years, with MGM's 1948 all-star production the only previous attempt to film more than the first half of the book. Lester, however, backed by producers Alexander and Ilya Salkind, and Wolfdieter von Stein, and working from a unrepentantly bawdy script by legendary scribe George MacDonald Fraser, tackled the novel head-on, with extraordinary results.

The novel's hero, young master swordsman D'Artagnan (portrayed by Michael York at his most boyish), is clearly the product of an impoverished Gascon household, unable to read or write, but filled with dreams of heroism in the elite Musketeers, and "fighting frequent duels". Quickly embarrassed by the smoothly villainous Rochefort (Christopher Lee), and ridiculed by the mysterious Milady de Winter, the lad reaches Paris with a broken sword, but his idealism undimmed. With a borrowed sword, he then blunders into a series of challenges from the three title characters, emotionally scarred alcoholic Athos (Oliver Reed), comic buffoon Porthos (Frank Finlay), and dandified ladies' man/priest wannabe Aramis (Richard Chamberlain). When the Cardinal's Guard attempts to arrest the four as Athos and D'Artagnan begin their duel, the Gascon displays such extraordinary skill with a sword that he is happily welcomed into the band of rogues, who help him procure a servant (the wonderfully comic Roy Kinnear) and lodgings at the home of an old reprobate (Spike Milligan) and his beautiful, if klutzy young wife (Raquel Welch, in her finest comic role), who the boy immediately lusts after. The four friends then embark on a series of hilarious, swashbuckling escapades.

Meanwhile, intrigue runs rampant in the Court; the Queen (Geraldine Chaplin) carries on a clandestine affair with the British Prime Minister, the Duke of Buckingham (Simon Ward), under the oblivious eye of her husband, Louis XIII (Jean-Pierre Cassel), while evil Cardinal Richelieu (Charlton Heston, who is marvelous, 'against type') plots to publicly embarrass her, and reveal her involvement, thus provoking a war with England, and the elimination of France's Protestant faction. The object of betrayal is a multi-jeweled necklace, a gift from Louis, given by the Queen to Buckingham, with two jewels stolen during a tryst by the Cardinal's agent, Milady de Winter. The task of recovering of the necklace, and replacing the missing jewels, is given to D'Artagnan and his Musketeer allies, who 'sacrifice' themselves to help the Gascon reach England.

Climaxing in a wild free-for-all at a Royal Ball, love triumphs, Richelieu is temporarily thwarted, Milady swears revenge against D'Artagnan, and he becomes a full-fledged Musketeer, joining his love and three recovered friends to celebrate.

This constitutes only the FIRST half of the novel and movie, and the filmmakers decided to end the picture at this point, releasing a sequel, THE FOUR MUSKETEERS, a year later, which would cover the darker remainder of the story. While it was a wise decision, no one had informed the cast that they were, in fact, making two movies, and not one, at the time of filming, and the stars quickly filed suit against the Salkinds. After a brief but highly publicized court case, the cast were compensated, and the second, equally enjoyable MUSKETEER film was released.

THE THREE MUSKETEERS (and it's sequel, THE FOUR MUSKETEERS) were triumphs for Lester, the Salkinds, and the matchless ensemble of actors. The films have achieved legendary status, over the years, and taken together, stand, today, as one of the finest comic adventures ever made.

If your experience of the tale is only the more recent Disney version, do yourself a favor, and catch the Lester films. You won't be disappointed!

Two Films for the price of one

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 17 December 2009]

Alexandre Dumas's classic The Three Musketeers seems to never lose its appeal, it gets another cinema version every generation. In the seventies Richard Lester shot such a long film that producers Alexander and Ilya Salkind decided to release it in two parts. This film only takes us to the point of the affair of the diamond studs.

Michael York is one truly bumptious Gascon in his interpretation of D'Artagnan. Apparently it's a French mantra that people from Gascony are braggarts and quick to fight. I don't know how well that point is known outside the French speaking world, but it's in the strength of Dumas's tale that we Americans even those who haven't studied The Three Musketeers in high school of college English can appreciate that fact. Because of that fact he manages to make all kinds of enemies, the wrong ones and the right ones.

Fortunately the right ones, Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, Oliver Reed, Frank Finlay, and Richard Chamberlain all recognize York's worth and he becomes a companion of The Three Musketeers. The King's own guard, fighting against the encroaching power of France's prime minister Cardinal Richelieu.

Charlton Heston adds to his collection of real historical characters portrayed on film with his interpretation of Richelieu. He was hardly the villain in real life that he is here. As he said on his deathbed that he had no enemies, but the enemies of the state. Richelieu was in fact a great French patriot though as a Cardinal was not terribly pious or scrupulous.

Richelieu was also not a tall man and the six foot two inch Charlton Heston had to stoop over a bit when playing him. Note that carefully when you watch Heston, especially in his scenes with Christopher Lee as Rochefort. Lee does not lack in the height department either.

Three women have substantial roles in The Three Musketeers. Raquel Welch makes a sexy Constance, not quite the innocent that June Allyson played her as in the MGM version with Gene Kelly. Geraldine Chaplin is serene and beautiful, but tragically unloved except by Great Britain's prime minister the Duke of Buckingham {Simon Ward}, France's mortal enemy. Milady DeWinter played by Faye Dunaway is as deadly and beautiful as Lana Turner was in the Gene Kelly film.

Personally I've never thought that Hollywood ever got The Three Musketeers quite right. It will never happen I'm sure, but I'd love to see the operetta that Rudolf Friml wrote the music for, made into a Three Musketeers film. Still this one isn't too bad with an accent more on bawdy comedy than anything else. The followup Four Musketeers takes a more serious turn.

The Best version of THE THREE MUSKETEERS... EVER!!!!

[radiopal · 10/10 · 8 November 2003]

Alexandre Dumas would more than likely applaud this particular version of his fantastic novel. I remember when I was a kid and first saw the movie in the theater... I was stunned at the cinematography (yeah, a film buff even at 12). After leaving the theater, I went to a nearby bookstore and bought my first copy of the novel. Wow, how impressed was I when I realized that Richard Lester and George MacDonald Fraser stuck to the concept of the novel. The novel, incase you haven't read it, is funny and fun. The first half of the book... kept me at edge of my seat. When I recently re-read the novel, my wife would tell me that I would wake her up sword fighting in my sleep. Anyway, back to the movie. Michael York as D'Artagnan was fabulous. He embodied the dweeb that we all now and love as the future Commander of the King's Musketeers. Oliver Reed gave the best performance of his life as Athos. Richard Chamberlain as Aramis... the Musketeer who wants to be a priest was entertaining, and a delight. And Frank Finley as Porthos (and later came to realize that he was also O'Reilly... Buckingham's jeweler) was tremendous. Richard Lester should have been nominated for an Academy award for his direction of this masterpiece, numerous members of the cast (including Christopher Lee as Compte Rochefort, Charlton Heston as Cardinal Richelieu, Raquel Welch as Constance Bonaciuex, Spike Milligan as Monsieur Bonacieux, Roy Kinnear as Planchet, Simon Ward as the Duke of Buckingham, Faye Dunaway as Milady de Winter, and of course Jean-Pierre Cassel as Louis XIII) should have been nominated for some kind of award. The casts portrayals were direct from the Dumas novel. The sword play in the movie is the best that I have ever seen in a movie. There is none better, with the possible exception of the Four Musketeers... the rest of the novel.

If you have never seen the movie... go and get it. Watch it. Wait for it on TCM or FCM and tape it. Once you see it, you'll want to add it to your collection... or check out e-bay if your local stores don't carry it. I bought mine on e-bay and watch it at least 3 times a year. :D

Dumas meets Moliere

[onepotato2 · 6/10 · 9 April 2011]

This movie has not been available for quite a while. I recall from long-ago viewings that it was sumptuous to look at, with unusually 'luxe costumes. I was happy to see it pop up on Netflix, but a lot has happened to movies since 1973...

The verdict? It's refreshing to see that even after 40 years of Hollywood film visuals being continually upgraded, the wide screen cinematography still impresses. The visuals are so strong that I recall about half of them perfectly. It includes a lot of historical research (often pertaining to toil) which lifts the piece, and it riffs beautifully on Vermeer's side-lit domestic chambers. Lester (or his cinematographer) has a great eye. As I watched I recall that this movie introduced overt athleticism to fight scenes, so maybe we have Lester to blame for starting that trend (which is still the sole conceit of many bad movies). The costumes are every bit as opulent as I recall. Money has been spent & every dime is on-screen. Every historical film in recent memory still borrows from this (Amadeus, Ridicule, etc.)

On the negative side, I have no idea what would draw a viewer to watch this more than once. None of the characters or their predicaments engaged me. I wish the story was stronger. The cast is too massive for this tiny conflict. At certain points the score arrives full blast, to fill sections of the movie they apparently forgot to storyboard. It feels like things are set in France only about twice in the movie. And Raquel Welch is not very good. The wall-to-wall slapstick starts alright but becomes more and more annoying. And the movie as a whole is on the irritating side. The countless fights go on and on until they just blend together. The movie has so few places to go, that it should be less tiresome. But two very lonely ideas (sword fights, slapstick) crave more support. The visuals are very strong. The script is weak.

The best Three Musketeers ever.

[mvario · 10/10 · 3 November 2004]

This film, and its sequel (filmed concurrently) is by far the best movie version of the Dumas novel ever produced. The cast is excellent. The sets and costumes are marvelous. The swordplay (and there is much) is possible some of the most realistic ever filmed. And it's the only Musketeer movie I am aware of in which the Musketeers actually use muskets. Authenticity seems to have been very important to the producers, as well as staying true to the novel.

Sadly a film like this wouldn't be made these days. First off the fighting would be "punched-up" with a lot of wire work. And of course Hollywood would change the story to eliminate much of the "sleeping around" characters do (today's movie heroes in this type of movie aren't usually sexually active). They would also provide some creative story editing so that a certain character who dies in the novel would survive so as to supply the requisite happy ending. Fortunately for us this version does not suffer that kind of revisionism.

If you're a fan of Dumas or just looking for a fun film with lots of realistic sword fighting then you won't want to miss this.

Accurate on the book, but alas... its more comedy than adventure.

[r-fronimides · 6/10 · 12 September 2020]

I didn't remember much this old version, for most of people the best of "3 Musketeers" films. So, I decided to watch it again now...

...Well... its very accurate to the Alexander Duma's book, no doubt. But... its a comedy, not a drama! The sword-fighting are silly designed like some school-boys are fighting and not veteran adult warriors. They're escaping from traps and ambushes (or public executions!) like parody. They're getting seriously wounded and then you see them fighting like nothing happen.

No... seriously... I didn't remember the film, now I do when I re-watched it. Nope... I didn't like it much. The scenario is accurate to the book, yes... the costumes are great,... the scenes are marvelous... the casting is superb... ...but the DIRECTING is super-poor. That's not a good sword-fighting / adventure film, that's an amazing PARODY/COMEDY of the novel.

So... to me its getting 5 stars and these are too much.

The best of breed

[anagary · 10/10 · 16 May 2004]

The Three Musketeers has been filmed again and again. This is the best of breed. In fact, it tried to be so faithful to the book that they had to split it into two films. This is the first part. The second is titled The Four Musketeers. This required all kinds of negotiations with everyone involved because they had originally signed up to do one film.

The action is fast. Long rides on horseback. Lots of sword fights, but, instead of the old Hollywood fencing with crossed swords, this film makes sword fighting look like the brutal game it was where boldness and quickness often surpassed skill. The director included a strong mix of comedy in the action. This film maintains that comedic side. The second necessarily turns darker of necessity. A great cast, great photography. It's rollicking good fun to watch.

Adventure, comedy and duels is this amusing version based on famous Dumas novel

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 19 November 2009]

This delightful adaptation based on Alexandro Dumas classic novel starts with the youngster D'Artagnan (Michael York) who arrives in Paris to find Mister Treville(Georges Wilson), chief of Musketeers. But he meets with three two-fisted Musketeers , Athos (Oliver Reed), Porthos(Frank Finlay) and Aramis (Richard Chamberlain) . DÁrtagnan aware they are Musketeers and is invited to unite them in their objective to struggle against guards of Cardinal Richelieu , his deputy Rochefort (Christopher Lee), and an astute secret agent named Milady De Winter (Faye Dunaway). Meanwhile, D'Artagnan falls in love with a gorgeous young wife named Constance(Rachel Welch)married an innkeeper (Spike Millegan). Furthermore , there is developed an intrigue between Luis XIII(Jean Pierre Cassel), Queen Anna of Austria(Geraldine Chaplin), Duke of Buckingham(Simon Ward) and of course the nasty Richelieu( Charlton Heston).

This is an entertaining swashbuckling, full of action, adventures,romance comedy with tongue-in-cheek and broad slapdash and of course , lot of fence. Lavish production by Alexander Salking and Pierre Spengler with excellent gowns by Oscar winning Ivonne Blake and luxurious sets. Sympathetic performances by main star cast and enjoyable secondary cast . Faye Dunaway makes a stunning Milady De Winter. Comic relief by Roy Kinnear who unfortunately died falling down horse in the second sequel. This glamorous film was utterly shot in Spain , on location of Aranjuez, Castle Berlanga of Duero , Cañon of River Lobos (Soria), Alcazar of Toledo , Studios Roma and Royal Palace (Madrid) and many other places well photographed by David Watkin. Packs an evocative and atmospheric score by Michael Legrand. The motion picture is compelling directed by Richard Lester who filmed its following titled ¨The four Musketeers¨ that was really made simultaneously. Twenty years later Richard Lester directed the third part titled ¨The return of the Musketeers¨(1989) with similar artist and technician team .

Genius Lester brings out the book's true comedic nature.

[nutsy · 10/10 · 25 October 2003]

Director Richard Lester hit it right on the nose! Dumas's book THE THREE MUSKETEERS is generally regarded as a kind of classic adventure, but it's more than that. Throughout all the romance and swordplay, it is humor, not adventure, that prevails. D'artagnan is even introduced as "Don Quixote at eighteen", which is clear indication of humorous intent. Lester's pop-comedies like THE KNACK and A HARD DAY'S NIGHT made him perfect for directing this film. George MacDonald Fraser's screenplay for THE THREE MUSKETEERS preserves the original dialogue with all its humor and adventure to the letter (even though this is only half the book). This gave Lester free reign to fill the picture with physical comedy and sight gags, particularly in the swordfights. The heights of such humor show in a scene where the musketeers fake a duel in order it steal food. Michael York excels in the role of D'artagnan using sword skills picked up while making ROMEO AND JULIET. The late/great Oliver Reed is a suitably drunken, overpowering Athos. Another highpoint is the film's villain. Charlton Heston's restrained performance brings the puppet-master Cardinal Richelieu to life (and far better than Tim Curry did in 1993). He can break a man with a word and we believe it. Raquel Welch brings her usual talents to the role of Constance. Perhaps the most important of all is Bonnie herself, Faye Dunaway, as the Countess DeWinter. Dunaway brings to life all the character's cold allure that appeared as good on the screen as it did on the page. The action is well choreographed and satisfies, and the humor is good. This combines with "sequel" THE FOUR MUSKETEERS, with the same cast and director, to form the perfect film version of a wonderful novel. If nothing else, it at least beats the Disney version into the morgue. Not To Be Missed!

Good fun

[grantss · 6/10 · 6 November 2021]

France, 17th century. A young man, d'Artagan, sets out for Paris with the aim of joining the elite Musketeers. There he first antagonises then befriends the three greatest Musketeers - Athos, Porthos and Aramis. He is also drawn into a plot by the scheming Cardinal Richelieu to undermine the Queen of France and the English Duke of Buckingham.

Based on Alexandre Dumas's classic novel, a film that reasonably entertaining. Has a decent degree of comedy to it and this side works fairly well.

The dramatic side becomes a bit ho hum after a while as it largely involves sword fight after sword fight. The fights are also of the Disney variety, filled with silly stunts and almost always resolved without a death or even someone being seriously wounded.

The plot doesn't exactly follow Dumas's novel either with the ending much more sugar-coated than the book.

Can't fault the casting though - almost every character with a speaking part is played by a major star. We have Michael York (as d'Artagnan), Oliver Reed (as Athos), Richard Chamberlain (as Aramis), Raquel Welch, Charlton Heston, Christopher Lee, Spike Milligan, Faye Dunaway, Joss Ackland, Geraldine Chaplin and Simon Ward. Quite the ensemble.

Musketeers goes slapstick

[frodon-2 · 2/10 · 24 August 2006]

Dumas' Musketeer novels are among my favorite books. Unfortunately Richard Lester decided to make a slapstick comedy instead of swashbuckling adventure.

Someone might find this funny, and I guess you could enjoy the movies if you aren't too familiar with the books.

But if you do like Dumas' novels you will probably hate these movies. At least I did. Two stars since there are some decent actors involved. Especially Heston who is good as Cardinal Richelieu and Reed who does a decent Athos.

Hope someone (preferably the French) will make a bid budget TV-series that are more faithful to Dumas' original stories. In the meantime, stick to the books...

"My father told me to fight duels."

[grendelkhan · 11 April 2003]

This film (and its companion piece The Four Musketeers) is the finest adaptation of the Dumas classic. It perfectly captures the blend of romance, adventure, and comedy inherent in the novel. There is some modification for modern viewers, but the spirit and attitude of the era is preserved.

Michael York gives one of his best performances as the young, naive D'Artagnan. He appears to be a bit of a bumbling idiot at first; but, one soon learns that a keen brain lies behind that bumbling exterior. This portrayal was criticized by another filmmaker, who adapted another of Dumas' tales. Judging by how far that director strayed from Dumas, it's understandable how he missed noting that Dumas portrayed D'Artagnan in the same manner at the beginning of the novel. D'Artagnan grows with his experiences and becomes a leader of men by the end of the novel; one who has confounded Cardinal Richelieu at every turn and preserved the honor of his Queen and country.

Oliver Reed was perfectly cast as Athos, the melancholy drunkard. Athos is a man who has endured great pain and betrayal in his life and finds his only pleasure in drinking and brawling. He is the wise counsel to the young D'Artagnan, and the mysterious side to the Musketeer triangle.

Frank Finlay, a wonderful character actor, brings a wonderful, arrogant bluster to Porthos; a gentleman, a braggart, and a fool. Finlay also has a nice turn as the jeweler O'Reilly, showcasing his versatility.

Richard Chamberlain is Aramis, the future priest and great lover. Aramis gives an air of spiritual devotion, while romancing his mistresses. Like many clergy of the upper classes, he sees no conflict in these attitudes, or his profession as a soldier. Chamberlain brings great subtlety to Aramis. His part is not as big as the other two, but he says much with body language and attitude. He more than holds his own with the stage-trained Brits.

Charlton Heston brings a deep menace to Richelieu, quite the opposite of his previous heroes. He shows the devious nature of the Cardinal, and the intelligence of a man who knows he has lost, but will have other battles down the line.

Faye Dunaway is the beautiful and vicious Milady. She is the deadliest of D'Artagnan's adversaries; she charms with her beauty and grace, as she prepares her dagger unseen.

Christopher Lee is D'Artagnan's rival, Rochefort. Lee is always good, even when the film isn't. Luckily, this film is up to his abilities. His cool demeanor is backed by a strong sword arm.

The cast is rounded out by fine character performances from Roy Kinnear as Planchet, Jean-Pierre Cassel as King Louis XIII, Geraldine Chaplain as Anne of Austria, and Spike Milligan as M. Bonacieux. Raquel Welch gives a surprisingly deft turn in the comic role of Constance.

There is plenty of action, romance, drama, and fun for fans of each. The sum of those parts results in a classic that outshines all other attempts at Dumas. It is a swashbuckler to rival any Errol Flynn movie, a romance equal to a Merchant-Ivory production, and a comedy to rival Monty Python.

Forget Gene Kelly, the Ritz Brothers, and Charlie Sheen and company. These are the true Musketeers.

It's all about that catfight between Welch and Dunaway...

[moonspinner55 · 7/10 · 22 April 2002]

The Dumas classic, done Richard Lester's way. The swashbuckling swordplay is inventive and ingenious, and sure, the three Musketeers (with Michael York as their newcomer) are engaging and rowdy and sweet, but the star of the picture is a consistently amusing and appealing Raquel Welch as clumsy handmaiden Constance. Welch's catfight with decadently cool Faye Dunaway as evil Lady de Winter is enough to entice any movie-lover. What a treat to see these two sex symbols share the screen! Welch received a Golden Globe for her comedic triumph, but was snubbed come Oscar time (she's just as good in the second-half of the picture, released separately as "The Four Musketeers"). The film isn't seamless and has fuzzy photography, but the ensemble is perfection and director Richard Lester isn't just biding his time here--his heart is in this, too. *** from ****

All for one And All For Fun,The Best Screen Version Ever!

[greene515 · 10/10 · 3 October 2005]

One of the finest ever screen adaptations of the Dumas Literary source, Its much better than the dreadful versions released beforehand.

Our story starts with the eternally youthful Michael york,as our determined young hero,Leaving the homestead to embark on a trip to Paris to become a kings Musketeer (like his father) Little does he know he gets a lot more Than he Bargined for,when he has an encounter with the titular three Musketeer's.

Who are played by Oliver Reed,as the often drunk Athos,Richard Chamberlain, as the not so saintly Aramis,And Frank Finlay, as the pompous Porthos, York, finds himself lodgings in the foul establishment of Spike Milligain,in an amusing cameo, He becomes romantically involved with the Beautiful yet clumsy constance,(Raquel Welch) who is dress maker to the queen (And wife to Spike Milligain! Unknown to york, he becomes involved in a devious plot to Descredit the queen of France,

This film is one of my favorites timeless upon every viewing, This film and its companion Piece the 4 musketeer's are one and the same, Originally envisioned as one three hour Long epic, the producer's Decided to Release it As two separate films, wise move but it Resulted in the cast bringing the producers to court.

Not only does it have an exceptional cast, It also has some fine Production values. Production was shot on location in Spain, It's grand costume's won the Oscar for best costume design,

Lester's Director of photography David Watkins is here to handle the Lush cinematography shot in lester's usual and effective 1.66.1 aspect Ratio, which not only captures the grime and the squalor of the period But the romantic, and swashbuckling action.

Dumas would roll over in his grave...but, it is fun

[vincentlynch-moonoi · 6/10 · 15 August 2014]

I was glad to see this film again...after 41 years...because I remembered it being great fun. And it is, but...

...sometimes the great slapstick gets in the way of why things are happening in the plot...

...sometimes in the midst of swashbuckling, it's so obvious that one character is waiting for the other to make a certain movement before he makes his movement. A little sloppy.

But, as I said, it's great fun...and still my favorite movie adaption of Dumas' story.

Michael York heads the cast as d'Artagnan. I remember thinking back then how handsome he was, but now when I look at him he appeared to be bordering on anorexia. Nevertheless, he does a very nice job here as a slightly klutzy musketeer. Oliver Reed was a fine actor, but here as Athos I am afraid he did not put in his finest performance. Frank Finlay was decent as Porthos; most Americans probably won't recognize him, but he also played Jacob Marley in the George C. Scott version of "A Christmas Carol". Richard Chamberlain seems bright and lively as Aramis, although his screen-time seems less than it should be. Geraldine Chaplin is along as the Queen. Charlton Heston as Cardinal Richelieu (nice job). Faye Dunaway is mildly interesting as Milady de Winter, but again, this is hardly her best performance. Christopher Lee is decent as the Count De Rochefort. Simon Ward has one of the better roles as the Duke of Buckingham. Raquel Welch is shallow (perhaps ankle deep) as a lady in waiting...but she looks good.

Perhaps the biggest star here are the sets and costumes, which are, for the most part, rather lavish. Overall, it's a rather entertaining film, but I have a difficult time excusing them for making Dumas' characters into semi-buffoons.

Lester Succeeds Brilliantly

[JamesHitchcock · 8/10 · 1 February 2019]

Alexandre Dumas Pere's "The Three Musketeers" has been filmed several times, but this is the version with which I am most familiar. This version only dramatises the first half of Dumas's novel; the producers Alexander and Ilya Salkind and director Richard Lester had originally intended to turn the whole book into an epic lasting well over three hours, but this option was rejected as impractical and the filmed material was eventually turned into two separate films (much to the surprise and annoyance of many of the cast and crew, who had only been paid for one film). "The Three Musketeers" came out in 1973 and its sequel, "The Four Musketeers", the following year.

The story is set in the France of the 1620s during the reign of King Louis XIII, and the plot centres around an attempt by the King's Chief Minister Cardinal Richelieu to humiliate the Queen, Anne of Austria, by revealing her love affair with the Duke of Buckingham. Buckingham is referred to as the "Prime Minister of England", but this is not strictly correct. He was a favourite of both James I and Charles I and held various political offices, but not that of Prime Minister which did not exist in his lifetime. Endeavouring to thwart this scheme are the Three Musketeers of the title, Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, and their friend and ally D'Artagnan. (At this stage D'Artagnan is not himself a musketeer). The McGuffin at the centre of the plot is a diamond necklace which the Queen has foolishly given to Buckingham.

Now this plot does not make a lot of sense. By carrying on an intrigue with Buckingham, an enemy of France, the Queen is betraying both her husband and her country, so it does not seem logical that the Musketeers, all royalists and patriots, should be so keen to save her from disgrace. Louis XIII is portrayed as a not-very-bright roi faineant, happy to accept the wealth, luxury and privilege which come with his royal position, less happy to accept the responsibility of governing the country, something which he leaves to Richelieu. As Richelieu is the king's servant, and owes his power and position to the king's favour, it does not really make sense that the king's musketeers should treat the Cardinal as their enemy and his bodyguards as their hated rivals.

The solution favoured by Lester and scriptwriter George MacDonald Fraser is essentially to turn the story into what is essentially an adventure-comedy rather than a serious drama. There is a good deal of action, including numerous swordfights. Despite their name the one weapon the Musketeers never use is a musket. They may occasionally use a pistol when they want to threaten somebody, but when it comes to fighting they rely upon their trusty rapiers. This action, however, is leavened with a good amount of humour, and the cast includes comedy specialists such as Spike Milligan and Roy Kinnear.

Apart from King Louis, played by the French actor Jean-Pierre Cassel, the cast are a mixture of Britons and Americans. Although nearly all the characters are French, the American actors (Richard Chamberlain, Charlton Heston, Faye Dunaway and Raquel Welch) seem to have been under instructions to play their parts with a British accent to fit in with their British colleagues. Welch's accent occasionally slips, but the others cope admirably. (In the days before Meryl Streep, Heston seems to have been Hollywood's resident foreign accent specialist). With a large ensemble cast there is not space in this review to mention all the good performances, but I would single out Heston as the Cardinal, Welch as the lovely Constance Bonacieux, the Queen's dressmaker and D'Artagnan's lover, Kinnear as the Musketeers' comical servant Planchet and Dunaway as Milady de Winter, the Cardinal's villainous agent. Heston resists the temptation to play Richelieu simply as a villain, making him a dignified servant of his King and State who is trying to do what he believes to be in his country's best interests.

Welch was sometimes attacked by the critics as a talentless bimbo actress who managed to succeed by relying on her spectacular looks. This, however, is one of her best films where she shows a real gift for comedy. Her Constance is clumsy and not very intelligent- not, incidentally, how she is portrayed in the novel- but Welch makes her funny, amusing and never less than totally lovable. Rather controversially, Constance is also a married woman. Although the Production Code, which forbade the glamorisation of adultery, had finally died of old age in 1967, its ghost tended to linger on, and even in 1973 a family adventure film which featured a dashing young hero engaged in an adulterous affair would have raised a few eyebrows. It may have been for this reason that Constance's husband (the character played by Milligan) was written out of the sequel.

It is a long time since I last saw any of the other versions of Duma's story, so will not attempt a direct comparison. Later in the seventies Lester was to have a failure when he tried to adapt another classic adventure story, the legend of Robin Hood, for the screen. With "The Three Musketeers" he succeeded brilliantly. I think that the difference lies in the fact that with his "Robin and Marion" he treated the story far too seriously, whereas with the Musketeers his decision to make something light-hearted paid off. There is nothing deep about this film, but it is still highly enjoyable entertainment. 8/10

Beautiful costumes

[HotToastyRag · 6/10 · 11 January 2023]

The Three Musketeers is a timeless story, and it seems that each generation of filmmakers makes its own adaptation to entertain audiences. If you grew up in the 1940s, you got caught up in the Technicolor splendor of Gene Kelly and Lana Turner. 1970s audiences saw their favorite British stars doll up (and in some cases, keep their floppy hairstyles) in period costumes. Twenty years later, accents weren't that important, and Americans were integrated into the cast. Pick your pleasure, and you'll have a fun, floppy-haired, frilly-clothed, good time.

There's always a bit of humor in this story, and Michael York, Oliver Reed, Richard Chamberlain, and Frank Finlay seem to have a great time in the Alexandre Dumas setting. You'll see a host of very familiar faces in the cast, namely the grossly miscast Charlton Heston as Cardinal Richelieu. Christopher Lee, Joss Ackland, Roy Kinnear, Simon Ward, and Jean-Pierre Cassel can be spotted, also seeming to have just as good a time as the leads. On the feminine side, Faye Dunaway, Geraldine Chaplin, and Raquel Welch are clad in beautiful dresses and blend into the lovely artistic backgrounds.

This is a very funny version, and it has the greatest costumes and art designs of the others. The only reason to pick another instead would be if you really dislike the cast (or if you really love the cast of one of the others). If you like this cast, you can catch the sequels The Four Musketeers and The Return of the Musketeers, and you can also catch Michael York in La Femme Musketeer in 2004.

DLM Warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not be your friend. The opening credits have an odd blurring camera effect, and that will make you sick. In other words, "Don't Look, Mom!"

AND 'The 4 Musketeers' !! A DVD Package Worthy of TWO Great Films!

[jbirtel · 9/10 · 3 February 2003]

'The Three Musketeers' and 'The Four Musketeers'. One novel! One story! And a new DVD release under the title "The Complete Musketeers" contains a pristine widescreen transfer (and choice of pan & scan in the same package) for both films that does justice to THE definitive version to the Alexander Dumas novel.

It's a shame that many people don't realize that (similar to the approach to filming the 'Lord of the Rings') 'Three Musketeers' only covers the first half of Dumas' novel. 'Four Musketeers' covers the 2nd half. It is really one movie that clocks in at about 3 hours and 35 minutes and that's the way it was filmed. Only a late(?)decision prompted the producers to split one long movie into two shorter ones (a move the same producers repeated for 'Superman' and 'Superman II'...Hhmmmm...while trying to deprive the participants payment for the 2nd movie). Doesn't matter, because the end result is top quality entertainment.

I was lucky to have seen both films on the big screen as a double feature back in 1976...the way it's meant to be experienced. Fifteen years later, I read the novel (a modern translation that eased the pain of reading 19th century writing without losing any of the story's scope). And the cast of the movie is so perfect, that it was a no brainer to visualize the actors as the characters. Many lines in the film were lifted from the book; and those that weren't, were in total sync to the way the characters behaved.

Unlike all other Hollywood interpretations, this FEELS like someone just plopped the camera into the middle of 17th century Europe. It's rich, detailed; and gives an uncompromising view of royalty, power and unscrupulous behavior that is a riot.

And there are so many subtleties that demand repeat viewings. Sorry...but you won't find spoon-fed information on class conflicts, prejudice against gascons or society customs; they're all there, but the casual viewer will miss it the first time. And no overly cute one liners that plagued the inferior 1993 version (which I couldn't finish watching...mis-cast and too short to do the book properly).

(Minor spoilers) One scene begins with a close-up of a fancy dish of delicacies being nibbled by French royalty; you assume they're out enjoying a royal picnic until, way in the background, you see three figures dangling from a hangman's noose under a giant oak tree while the women are all giggles and gaiety in the foreground. Another scene shows a pail of brown slop being dumped out of a 2nd story window onto the head of an unsuspecting villager sitting on a bench...then you realize the contents of the slop (bathrooms weren't the same back then). These scenes come fast and they're gone before you know it.

You'll also be rewarded with the background dialogue delivered by the extras, so you'll have to split your attention from what you're seeing to what you're listening to...and it's well worth it. Sometimes it's all too tempting to flick on the close caption on your TV to fully appreciate the rich dialogue.

Director Richard Lester deserves high praise for his irreverent approach that succeeds at slapstick comedy in one scene and jolts the viewer back to the deadly dilemma in the next.

And that all-star cast! They ARE the characters.

Minimal special effects! What you see is what you get...and what you get is phenomenal!

This deserves to be in almost everyone's DVD library. NOTE: Be sure it's the recent release of BOTH 'The Three Musketeers' & 'The Four Musketeers' that's in ONE dvd package (unlike the 2 separate dvd releases from 4 years ago that had no bonus material). This has enough extras to satisfy. Also, I found this totally by accident because the retail store listed it in the 'Comedy' section (instead of Action/Adventure) and listed it under 'C' for the title 'The Complete Musketeers' that's at the top of the package. Go figure!

9 out of 10! This rating is for BOTH films.

And don't miss Oliver Reed's (foretelling) philosophy on how to make the future look 'rosier' (after his "All for one and one for all!" division of their newly acquired bag of money from the Cardinal's guards).

"You need a good cuddle to chase the frights away."

[utgard14 · 6/10 · 20 August 2014]

Enjoyable adaptation of the oft-filmed Alexandre Dumas novel. One of the better versions I've seen. I should say upfront that I've never been a huge fan of the story. I read it as a kid before ever seeing any of the movies. It's undeniably a classic but it was never a favorite of mine. This movie is pretty faithful to the book, although there's much more emphasis on comedy. The cast is terrific. Richard Chamberlain, Oliver Reed, and Frank Finlay are great as the title characters. Michael York does a fine job as d'Artagnan. If I had one complaint, it's that d'Artagnan seems a dim-witted rube in his earliest scenes but after becoming friends with the Musketeers, he's suddenly much smarter and more competent. There doesn't seem to be any reason for this beyond "we thought the shtick in the early scenes was funny." Raquel Welch is stunning and quite good in a humorous part. Faye Dunaway is also enjoyable. Christopher Lee and Charlton Heston are fun. Period costumes and sets are nice. Filmed at the same time as its sequel, The Four Musketeers. It's not the kind of movie I rewatch often, but it is entertaining.

Amazing portayal of 17th century life

[larkspur · 9/10 · 25 April 1999]

Richard Lester brings 17th century France to life within this wonderful satire of Alexandre Dumas' great novel, The Three Musketeers. Originally shot to be a three and a half hour epic, then split into two movies released eight months apart, The Three Musketeers accurately captures the first half the story. The acting is superb and the characters are brought to life by Michael York, Oliver Reed, Richard Chamberlain, Faye Dunaway, Raquel Welch, Charlton Heston, and Christopher Lee. The fight choreography, developed by fight director William Hobbs, is well done, and entertaining. But one of the more interesting side notes is the backgrounds to the main film depicting the royal and street life of France. Not only is it well researched, it adds a dimension to the movie that is lacking in other versions. The movie does an admirable job of recapturing the spirit of Duams' tale, and by separating the movies, the full story with all of its twists and intrigues is brought full Force. I also recommend the sequel The Four Musketeers. Highly enjoyable!

sword fights and broad comedy

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 22 June 2015]

D'Artagnan (Michael York) arrives in Paris trying to be a Musketeer after having learned from his father. He gets in trouble with Comte de Rochefort (Christopher Lee). Then he's challenged to duels with the three Musketeer Athos (Oliver Reed), Porthos (Frank Finlay) and Aramis (Richard Chamberlain). They are interrupted by Cardinal Richelieu (Charlton Heston)'s guards. The Cardinal is trying to control the weak-minded King Louis XIII. The Queen gives a diamond necklace to her former lover Duke of Buckingham which presents an opportunity for the Cardinal with the help of Milady de Winter (Faye Dunaway). D'Artagnan has an affair with his landlord's wife Constance Bonacieux (Raquel Welch) who's also the Queen's confidant.

Director Richard Lester seems to have two objectives in this movie. He wants better sword fights and as many broad comedic jokes as possible. Honesetly, the jokes make me roll my eyes more than laugh. It's like he watched Monty Python and figured to try it himself. It's kind of cute in that he's relentless in the effort. The sword fights are better than the old fashion Hollywood swashbuckling. They're a little bit more imaginative. The actors in the cast are amazing but I wouldn't say they're doing great work. I wonder how much the Golden Globe Award costs Raquel Welch. I also wonder if this would be better as a full-on comedy with a good comedic writer and some real comedians.

Knockabout comedy masquerading as historical adventure

[Leofwine_draca · 5/10 · 15 August 2015]

I admit I'd never seen this version of the Dumas novel before so I had no idea what to expect. Not this though: THE THREE MUSKETEERS is a riotous knockabout comedy that favours the slapstick over the serious and goes for a light, anything-goes tone throughout. If you're looking for something even slightly serious then you'd be best advised to look elsewhere...

Michael York is our erstwhile young hero, D'Artagnan, who hooks up with the titular trio in order to battle the nefarious plans of various evil doers, including Christopher Lee's one-eyed baddie, Rochefort. This is an ensemble production, but there's so much talent involved that some don't get a look in. Only Oliver Reed stands out as the boozing fighter, and you barely notice Richard Chamberlain or Frank Finlay.

Instead we get long comic routines involving Spike Milligan and Raquel Welch's annoyingly ditzy love interest. The incredible cast includes Joss Ackland, Charlton Heston, Simon Ward, Roy Kinnear, and Geraldine Chaplin in minor roles, a lot of them played for laughs. There's a welter of comedic action to enjoy here, but not much in the way of story; the film was successful enough for a sequel, THE FOUR MUSKETEERS, to follow.