Well, I haven't written any reviews in a while. I am still working on a number of them (most of them mentally) but the fact that I have only earned seven cents in Income Share since they started the IS only program has put a bit of a damper on my enthusiasm. Granted I am earning a bit from my Editor title but that is regardless of whether I write or not.
But I like writing! So when Teskue asked if I wanted to join her Musketeer Write/Off I jumped at the chance (since I love the Musketeers). I went down to the library and checked out a copy of four different versions of the Three Musketeers. I have been watching them chronologically and am up to the latest version (not including The Musketeer which I already reviewed). I will include blurbs on the couple versions that I watched besides this one at the end (along with the names of the others in the Write/Off).
Before I start, let me say that this is the 1921 version of The Three Musketeers starring Douglas Fairbanks. I hadn't seen it before watching it last week and had some mixed feelings about it.
On to the film...
The Plot.
In a fairly lengthy exposition, we are introduced to The Queen of France, Queen Anne of Austria (Mary MacLaren), who has a bit of a problem. The Duke of Buckingham (Thomas Holding) is enfatuated with her but she is unable to return that love. The Cardinal Richelou fuels her husband's, Louis the XIII (Adolphe Menjou), suspicions but she manages to allay them.
Flash over to Gascony. Our hero D'Artagnon (Douglas Fairbanks) is seen off by his father who cautions him to fight as many duels as he can to build up his reputation.
More exposition. The King gives the Queen some diamonds to atone for his suspicions and the Cardinal fakes a letter to the Duke telling him that the Queen wants him to visit...
Our hero sets off to Paris to join the King's Musketeers on his trusty (but strange colored) horse but is accosted on the way in the town of Meung by the Comte de Rochefort who makes fun of his strangely colored orange horse then has his band of ruffians attack D'Artagnon.
D'Artagnon arrives in Paris only to find from Captain de Treville (Willis Robards) that he has to spend time in the Guard to join the Musketeers. Then, seeing his man of Meung, runs out the door, brushing against the Three Musketeers all in turn (they were introduced earlier) who he challenges to individual duels all at one o'clock. They meet but are attacked by the Cardinal's men and band together to fight them. D'Artagnon fights like a madman, beating off several (including his man of Meung) The three Musketeers are so impressed that they declare him their comrade...
Blah. Too much exposition. To sum it up, eventually the Cardinal's plans force D'Artagnon and the Musketeers on a dangerous mission for their Queen...
Silent Films? Not really my Bag.
All right. First off, I am not a big silent film buff. I have seen Birth of a Nation and excerpts from several other films but for the most part my silent film education is pretty lacking. I checked out Nosferatu the other week and couldn't bring myself to watch it.
The conventions for silent films are much different from what I am used to. Some of it is due to the newness of the whole film thing but this film also has some strange quirks that are probably basic stuff (they were also present in Birth of a Nation).
Characters are introduced with big, bold announcements rather than being shifted in with dialogue. I could see some ways that they could have been more subtle with this but it possibly was normal and was just accepted by audiences.
My thoughts on the whole thing
In general it was fairly faithful to the novel by Alexander Dumas. The first half of the novel at least. It ends after what is basically D'Artagnon's first adventure. This is probably a good idea because it kept the film simple. Even with only this portion of the book the film got bogged down with plot intricacies.
The opening exposition lasted too long and could have been shifted into the story rather than given to us as an opening, delaying the action. It shifts to the King and back to D'Artagnon enough in the beginning that it really slows everything down. The first big fight happens around a half hour into the picture and the next one is a while after that one.
Much of the humor throughout seemed a bit forced and really wasn't all that funny. Sometimes it felt more like a Three Stooges movie rather than an adventure tale. Not quite that bad but...
The costumes were solid and much like those of the later films. Relatively authentic, slightly mired in the time but not bad at all.
Douglas Fairbanks (this is Fairbanks Senior) makes a decent if not wonderful D'Artagnon. He overdoes his part with wild gesticulations and overacting. It takes a little getting used to but he has a lot of exuberance which fit my impression of D'Artagnon from the book so adds to the role... To a point. Sometimes it went overboard so much that it felt like a parody of the part.
The actual Musketeers pretty much fade into the background and act as more of a comedic back-up to Fairbanks. I couldn't really tell one from the other (except for the portly Porthos) but they do a fair job with the fight sequences that they are given.
The same goes for many of the other characters. I was impressed by some of the bit parts but less impressed by most of the other ones. Nigel De Brulier as Richelieu plays his part well, acting quite sinister with a lot more subtlety than most of the rest of the cast. The same goes for Thomas Holding as the Duke of Buckingham who managed to easily convey his feelings without the need to overact.
To sum it up...
Overall I liked the film to a point but felt that it got bogged down with the plot once they set off on their mission... Transitions also slow the pace down and the fact that the writer felt the need to include some of the comedy sequences that didn't further the plot added some brakes to the pace. Fairbanks' performance gave me a mixed reaction--it was a bit too over-the-top in places to take him seriously but it was interesting at least...
I guess I would recommend the film to a Musketeer enthusiast or possibly someone who likes silent films.
The other films
The Three Musketeers (1948)
This was probably my favorite of the four films I checked out. Bright colors flash in the costumes with fun (and funny) fight sequences with the dancer Gene Kelly as D'Artagnon. It did go on a bit too long though (it attempted to tell the whole story in two hours and it got a little garbled for me). Overall a fun film though.
The Three Musketeers (1973)
The gritty fight sequences oddly contrasted with light levity (much of which was provided by Raquel Welch). Oddly enough the only parts I found funny were when the actors underplayed the part (none of which was done by Welch). It was the most realistic of any of them
The Three Musketeers (1993)
Though I haven't watched it again, I enjoyed it the first time I watched it, with the highlight being Oliver Platt's comedic performance... I'll write some more once I watch it again.
This is part of a Write/Off hosted by Teskue. Check out the other partipants' entries if you get the chance:
Teskue
naphtalia
mtbat
BrendaMetcalf
Granniemose
artbyjude
Zenda
Sugarbugg23
bluehawq
fuche_bu
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