The Four Musketeers (1975)
Remarkably, this film was actually cut together from unused
footage shot for The Three Musketeers, a film which had
originally been planned as a large epic. But with so much story
material invested into the screenplay, the producers decided
when editing the Three Musketeers that there was enough
footage to make two films. This caused no small consternation
among the film's cast, who were rightly chagrined at their work
being used in two films when they had only been paid for one.
In any case, The Four Musketeers is a terrifically entertaining
adventure, almost as vibrant as the first. Obviously the same
cast is back, this time to face the vengeful Milady de Winter
who is bent on revenge at having been outsmarted in the first
film. The Four Musketeers offers a surprisingly coherent
plot and proves to be far more than a mere cobbling together
of the leftovers from The Three Musketeers (though admittedly
there are a few continuity holes here and there).
The tone of this film, however, is decidedly darker than its
predecessor. The religious wars are addressed, as the Musketeers
are called upon to serve in battle against the Huguenots. And
D'Artagnan proves less likeable in this film (especially owing
to his infidelity to Constance). Regardless, great fight scenes
are in abundance, particularly in the frigid winter sequence
where the Musketeers alternately duel and fall on their backsides
as they battle on a slippery frozen lake. And the climax is harrowing
as D'Artagnan and Rochefort duel to the death in a burning convent
which is collapsing around them.
Screening both this film and The Three Musketeers makes
for a great double feature and is highly recommended as some
of the best adventure and romance ever put on the silver screen.
Paul Andrew MacLean
© 2002
Shelton CT 06484 USA
(800) 232-2224 voice
(800) 775-2729 fax
LadyJanet@RenaissanceMagazine.com