The Three Musketeers (1993 film)
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| The Three Musketeers | |
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 The Three Musketeers promotional film poster |
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| Directed by | Stephen Herek |
| Written by | Alexandre Dumas, père (novel), David Loughery (screenplay) |
| Starring | Charlie Sheen, Kiefer Sutherland, Chris O'Donnell, Oliver Platt, Tim Curry, Rebecca De Mornay, Gabrielle Anwar, Julie Delpy |
| Release date(s) | 1993 |
| Running time | 105 min |
| Country | Austria, United Kingdom, United States |
| Language | English |
| IMDb profile | |
The Three Musketeers is a 1993 movie version of the classic story from Walt Disney Pictures, directed by Stephen Herek.
In this version, the titular Musketeers are played by Charlie Sheen (Aramis), Kiefer Sutherland (Athos), and Oliver Platt (Porthos), with Chris O'Donnell as d'Artagnan. The supporting cast includes Tim Curry as Richelieu, Rebecca De Mornay as Milady de Winter, Gabrielle Anwar, Michael Wincott, Paul McGann, Julie Delpy, and Hugh O'Conor.
The movie is based loosely on the novel The Three Musketeers (Les Trois Mousquetaires) by Alexandre Dumas, père. It recounts the adventures of d'Artagnan on his quest to join the three title characters in becoming a musketeer. However, this adaptation greatly simplifies and alters the story.
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[edit] Plot
The plot is followed after d'Artagnan in his brave quest to become a musketeer like his father before him. Along the way, he meets the fair lady Constance, who turns out to the Queen's chambermaid. Unfortunately for d'Artagnan, he is stopped; once he reaches Paris, he finds out that the brave musketeers have been disbanded under the orders of the scheming Cardinal Richelieu. d'Artagnan meets his fellow musketeers Athos, Aramis and Porthos. Athos is in the old musketeers headquarters and he and d'Artagnan argue until Athos challenges him. The young man bumps into Porthos, spilling wine over his shirt and makes him furious, who challenges him to a duel. Aramis is teaching religion but kisses with a married woman to a Cardinal's Guard. While escaping, Aramis bumps into d'Artagnan and the two challenge each other to a duel. Prepared to fight, the four arrive at the designated place but meet with the Cardinal's guards. They all engage in a duel with the Cardinal's guards who have come to arrest them. Although d'Artagnan is allowed to leave, he stays and fights with the three musketeers, and he and the guard captain duel, ending with the captain falling to his death. The three musketeers run away from the scene and d'Artagnan is captured and thrown into prison by the evil Captain Rochefort, who takes d'Artagnan's sword, the sword that belonged to his father.
Luckily d'Artagnan discovers an evil plot whilst in captivity. All the while, stirring up trouble and trying to enduce Queen Anne to marry him as his queen, Richelieu plans to assassinate the King of France and take control of the throne for himself. He sends Lady de Winter to deliver a treaty to Buckingham. D'Artagnan escapes execution and warns his fellow musketeers, and they go off to get the treaty. On their trip and at an inn, the two younger musketeers teach the young Gascon to love. However Athos tells a story of a duke (himself) who had married a woman with the fleur-de-leis (those to be executed for murder), who betrayed him but not before he gave up everything for his wife. After being separated from his friends the next day, D'Artagnan is captured and seduced by Milady de Winter, who attempts to murder the young hero. However, he is kept and rescued by his comrades on the ship to England. She tries to flee, but is stopped by Athos, who the audience now realizes he was the former duke from his story. Milday is captured, the the four friends retrieve the treaty, Milady and sentenced to death, refusing to tell anyone the Count's plans, even to Athos. On her execution day, Athos stops it and apologizes for not saving Milady. She forgives him and commits suicide, but not before revealing Richelieu's plans to assassinate the king.
Upon returning, d'Artagnan and the musketeers rally all the former musketeers to save the king. Richelieu and Rochefort hire a sniper to assassinate Louie; d'Artagnan manages to save the king in the nick of time from the assassin on the roof, who tries to kill the young man, who is saved by Porthos. A battle is started with the musketeers against the Cardinal's guards, and it makes its way into the Royal Palace, as Richelieu and his guards take the royal couple hostage. Aramis tries to stop them but Richelieu shoots him. As a nod to the famous trick, the bullet is blocked by the cross on Aramis' neck. d'Artagnan retrieves his father's sword from Rochefort, and the two duel. Rochefort reveals that d'Artagnan's father met his death at his hands, which enrages the young hero.
Meanwhile Richelieu seems to get away, but Aramis disguised himself as the boatman for the Count's getaway. As Aramis moves in, the King punches Richelieu, knocking the evil Cardinal off the boat and into the water, saving France and his family. Richelieu's fate after being knocked into the canal is left ambiguous, although presumably the guards fished him out and took him and his henchmen to prison. Meanwhile the duel between Rochefort and d'Artagnan rages on, ending with d'Artagnan stabbing Rochefort in the heart with the words "For you, Father". Rochefort falls to the ground and dies.
d'Artagnan becomes a musketeer and is betrothed to Constance, the Queen's maiden, who tossed d'Artangnan his sword when it was knocked away. France is saved, the evil cardinal is gone and the musketeers are reunited and employed once more. The three musketeers end the film with their saying: "All for one, one for all!"
[edit] Filming locations
Filming locations included Cornwall, England, UK, and Castle Landsee (Burgenland); Burg Liechtenstein, Maria Enzersdorf, Hinterbrühl, Korneuburg (Lower Austria); and Vienna (particularly Hofburg) in Austria.
[edit] Soundtrack
Bryan Adams co-wrote the hit "All for Love" for the movie's soundtrack, performing it with Rod Stewart and Sting.
[edit] Trivia
- In the final battle, Richelieu shoots Aramis in the chest, but the Musketeer is saved by a cross he wears, which stops the bullet. This device was used noumerous times in movies and plots, as in The Legend of Zorro (2005).
- In the scene where d'Artagnan is about to be beheaded and the executioner reveals himself to be Porthos, Porthos claims "This axe was given to me by the Tzarina of Tokyo" which is running with the absurd claims Porthos makes throughout the film. However, Tokyo at this time was known as Edo and wouldn't receive its modern name until after the Meiji Restoration in the 19th Century.
- Blooper: When the Three Musketeers and d'Artagnan are rallying the other Musketeers. Three of them are on white horses and one on a brown horse. Moments later, they are all riding white horses.
- The relationship between Athos and Milady is altered to make the two characters more sympathetic. In the book Milady just married Athos to gain a fortune and when he found out about her Fleur du Lis he hanged her from a tree and left her for dead. She survived however and escaped, plotting revenge on Athos. In the film Milady actually loves Athos and when he finds out that she is a criminal he banishes her from his land but later realises his mistake. After being cast out by Athos, Milady becomes an evil person. Her role in the film is a good deal more sympathetic; she helps the Musketeers by giving them the information they need just before she is to be executed by them for her crimes.
[edit] External links
