![]() If you know the story, I don't need to bore you with the details, and if you don't. ![]() The title character comes into play as the three musketeers get back together for the good of France. The opposition is being led by a covert group of Jesuits, loyal to France but determined to overthrow the selfish and spoiled young Louis. He's fighting several unpopular wars and his people are literally starving, not to mention rioting, in the streets. and one for all" line, I got more than a little choked up and teary-eyed.įor those unfamiliar with the tale, the story takes place some 30 years after the original setting of "The Three Musketeers," and finds our heroes spread out somewhat in their pursuits.Īramis has turned to the church, Athos is raising a son who wants to join the musketeers, Porthos is eating, drinking and being merry and D'Artagnan is now captain of the musketeers and personal bodyguard of the young king.īesides his youth, Louis XIV has a few other problems as a sovereign. That aside, Wallace's version of this classic is pretty much fun ,and I have to admit (being one who grew up on the musketeers' movies, books, comics and TV incarnations) when, at the climax, they draw their swords and pronounce the trademark "All for one. The only character in the film that even begins to sound like he might fit into the scenario is Depardieu who really is French, but up against the other accents his sometimes comes off like a bad Maurice Chevalier impression. ![]() On this note, let's talk about the biggest flaw with the film: The powers that be seemingly made no attempt to reconcile the fact that Irons is English, Byrne Irish, Malkovich is from the American Midwest and DiCaprio is a typical California "gen-X" type. Box-office smash and teen heart-throb du jour Leonardo DiCaprio, in dual roles as the king and the title character, is a fine actor and holds his own with a formidable cast of musketeers that features Jeremy Irons, John Malkovich, Gabriel Byrne and Gerard Depardieu. The same goes for things such as westerns and "the classics," and Wallace's vision of France in the time of Louis XIV and the three musketeers is straight out of Hollywood 1998. Think of how the sci-fi films of the '50s and '60s portrayed "the world of tomorrow" as opposed to how that same time frame is presented today. It's interesting how every generation of Hollywood filmmakers reinvents history and even the future. His "The Man in the Iron Mask" set a standard for the "swashbuckling" films that followed in the magic movie year, 1939, which also saw the release of "Wuthering Heights," "The Wizard of Oz" and "Gone With the Wind." Whale also directed the definitive versions of "Frankenstein" with Boris Karloff, and "The Invisible Man," with Claude Rains. That tale was one of epic proportions, and Wallace decided to make his directorial debut with another epic that he adapted for the screen himself.Īlexander Dumas' classic "The Man in the Iron Mask" has been made a few times before, most notably by legendary director James Whale. Randall Wallace wrote the screenplay for "Braveheart," the film that won Mel Gibson an Oscar or two back in 1995. Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jeremy Irons, Gabriel Byrne, Gerard Depardieu, John Malkovich
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |