The Four Musketeers

Rating:
Summary: A Movie with Realism
Review: A Great Action Movie that has character. Would Love to see What the cast is now doing. A possible 2nd return.

Rating:
Summary: Not the definitive version of this title.
Review: Collectors have wanted The Three Musketeers (1974) and The Four Musketeers (1975) on disc for years, so it's nice that these titles are finally available, but this Fox-Lorber release is not up to the standards of the best DVDs.

This 2-part version of the classic Dumas tale was directed by Richard Lester (A Hard Day's Night) and includes a lot of his trademark slapstick, along with elegant production design, lots of action and a truly all-star cast. Of necessity, The Four Musketeers is the darker half of the story, with several of the main characters meeting untimely ends.

Although this title is priced at $29.95, it is presented in a bare-bones format, without even a listing of the chapter numbers. The video quality is inconsistent, ranging from very good to fair. The image is letterboxed at 1.66:1, but it appears to have been cropped from 1.85:1, causing people to disappear from the edges of the screen. It has not been enhanced for 16:9 TVs. The monaural audio is average.

Although the dialogue is in English, the main titles are in French.

Ultimately, you'll have to decide whether to go with this somewhat inferior version of The Four Musketeers or hope that a better version comes along later.

Rating:
Summary: Follows the book...
Review: I enjoyed watching this movie because it followed the book well. The actors also did a pretty good job. I also appreciated how most of the actors could say D'Artagnan's name right; not like others I've seen. The comedy was well played. I enjoyed the "duel on ice". I also enjoyed " The Three Musketeers".

The only reason, I knew it went by the book, is because I read the book around Christmas time, in 1998,and I have a good memory, so I remembered almost everything that happened.

Rating:
Summary: A Sequel That Possibly Surpasses Its Predecessor
Review: I rented "The Four Musketeers" because I deeply enjoyed its predecessor, "The Three Musketeers." "Four" is just as good if not better than the original film.

France is at war with Protestant rebels. During this period of tumult, Milady(Faye Dunaway) is instructed by the Cardinal(Charlton Heston) to kill the Duke of Buckingham(Simon Ward) if he actively supports the rebels. In return, Milady calls for the death of both D'Artagnan(Michael York) and Constance(Raquel Welch).

"The Four Musketeers" offers a rare moment where a sequel is just as good if not better than its predecessor. Those who thrived on the lighthearted humor of "Three," however, need to be forewarned about this film: "Four" is much more serious and tragic than "Three." Oliver Reed is great as Athos. I'm sorry Reed never became a superstar and that he died at a somewhat young age. The elegant Faye Dunaway is the very last of the great movie actresses and certainly one of its greatest villainesses; she is pure evil as Milady. Christopher Lee is one of the great movie villains but he has rarely been given roles that do real justice to his great talent. The "Musketeers" movies offer one of the exceptions. Some would argue that Lee is more effective as the suave Rochefort than he ever was as Dracula. Charlton Heston is so effective as the ruthless Cardinal that I'm surprised he hasn't played more villainous roles.

I very rarely find action movies that are as intelligent, exciting, and heartfelt as the "Musketeers" movies. "The Four Musketeers" is very well-recommended.

Rating:
Summary: A Sequel That Possibly Surpasses Its Predecessor
Review: I rented "The Four Musketeers" because I deeply enjoyed its predecessor, "The Three Musketeers." "Four" is just as good if not better than the original film.

France is at war with Protestant rebels. During this period of tumult, Milady(Faye Dunaway) is instructed by the Cardinal(Charlton Heston) to kill the Duke of Buckingham(Simon Ward) if he actively supports the rebels. In return, Milady calls for the death of both D'Artagnan(Michael York) and Constance(Raquel Welch).

"The Four Musketeers" offers a rare moment where a sequel is just as good if not better than its predecessor. Those who thrived on the lighthearted humor of "Three," however, need to be forewarned about this film: "Four" is much more serious and tragic than "Three." Oliver Reed is great as Athos. I'm sorry Reed never became a superstar and that he died at a somewhat young age. The elegant Faye Dunaway is the very last of the great movie actresses and certainly one of its greatest villainesses; she is pure evil as Milady. Christopher Lee is one of the great movie villains but he has rarely been given roles that do real justice to his great talent. The "Musketeers" movies offer one of the exceptions. Some would argue that Lee is more effective as the suave Rochefort than he ever was as Dracula. Charlton Heston is so effective as the ruthless Cardinal that I'm surprised he hasn't played more villainous roles.

I very rarely find action movies that are as intelligent, exciting, and heartfelt as the "Musketeers" movies. "The Four Musketeers" is very well-recommended.

Rating:
Summary: The Revenge Of Milady
Review: Immediately following the events of the previous installment, Rochefort kidnaps D'artagnan's lover Constance. D'artagnan, unconscious after fighting the kidnappers, is taken in by the seductive Milady who is used by the control-hungry Cardinal Richelieu to distract him. With France at war with Protestants, The Duke Of Buckingham plans to send ships to aid the rebels. The Cardinal is going to have Milady assassinate The Duke by any means necessary. The Musketeers must prevent this for the sake of the Queen who is having an affair with the Duke. Not only this, but the Musketeers must also protect D'Artagnan and Constance from Milady (After Constance is rescued from the place where she is held), for she plans to wreck horrible revenge on both for humiliating her in the previous film.

This is not a sequel; it is merely different packaging since both film were supposed to be one. Aside from that fact, "The Four Musketeers" is an incredibly good continuation of the story. While it manages to blend slapstick and swashbuckling action well, the slapstick is less goofy and the action is more brutal (whether these are pros or cons I'll let you decide). Some may not enjoy the murders of many of the more significant characters, as they occur rather suddenly. The performances are very enjoyable, the humor is excellent, the final battles are intense towards the end, and the conclusion is extremely satisfying. See it!

Followed by: The Return Of The Musketeers.

Overall rating: 5 stars

Rated PG: contains brutal violence including a beheading, some language, adult themes, sexual encounters. However, I don't think many people will find this overly offensive.

Rating:
Summary: THE DESPICABLE DUNAWAY
Review: In this entertaining sequel to THE THREE MUSKETEERS, Oscar winner and undoubtedly lovely Faye Dunaway steals the show as the wickedly deceptive Milady De Winter. The film was actually shot at the same time as its predecessor, so director Richard Lester adds on some offscreen narrative to refresh the memories of those who might have forgotten the original.
Dunaway, however, maintains the most presence in this one, in which her sordid past is revealed, including a marriage to one of our musketeers! Dunaway preens, sneers, and plots deliciously, and gives an astoudingly realistic performance. All of our original stars are back, and still after watching both movies, wonder why Richard Chamberlain wasn't given more to do; he's basically decorative and unnecessary except for maintaining the numbers. Christopher Lee is dastardly as Dunaway's henchman; Charlton Heston chews up his scenes as the villainous Richelieu; Jean Pierre Cassel and Geraldine Chaplin return as the king and queen, but don't have a lot to do in this one; Raquel Welch in a smaller role, maintains her comic mastery; Simon Ward does little as Buckingham. Oliver Reed and Frank Finlay continue their comic swordplay, although Reed's character takes on a somber tone. Michael York, who looks positively anorexic, does have the flair and youthful innocence of D'Artagnan.
The movie itself is a lot darker than the original, and even though it has light moments, there is a more serious and deadly undertone in this one.
A delightful film nonetheless and both adventures are worth your time.

Rating:
Summary: A More Somber Conclusion...
Review: Not nearly as much fun as the first film, The Three Musketeers, this conclusion to the story of D'Artagnon, Athos, Porthos & Aramis and their efforts to thwart the machinations of Cardinal Richelieu, de Rochefort, and Milady DeWinter, is much more plot-heavy and somber than the original, and includes some jarring assassinations and murders.

Benefiting greatly by having the same wonderful cast (both films were shot at one time), it continues where the first film left off, with clever and ironic period detail and wry observations, this time not only about the twit aristocracy, but about religious fanaticsm, persecution and wars (Protestant and Catholics)as well.

The wit and intelligence is still here, but some of the elan is missing. There is so much plot to be disposed of that the film seems more hurried and less relaxed than the first. There are some good fights, especially one clever and funny bit on an icy stream, and a brutal fight at the finale in a nunnery that climaxes with de Rochefort (the marvelously arch and disdainful Christopher Lee) and D'Artagnon (Michael York) dueling in the chapel. Again, the sword fighting is FIGHTING, using both hands and feet, and with the participants becoming exhausted by their efforts.

The cast, as mentioned, is superb, with Heston as the wily Cardinal, Jean Pierre Cassel as the dim King, Geraldine Chaplain the ninny of a Queen, a wonderful Raquel Welch as Constance, the aforementioned Chris Lee & Michael York, and the great Oliver Reed as the moody and explosive Athos, Richard Chambelain the aloof Aramis, and Frank Finlay the vain & pompous Porthos. I neglected to mention Roy Kinnear as the long-suffering servant, Planchet, in my review of the earlier film. He's wonderful, as he always was, and lost his life in making this film.

Full of wry bits of business and humorous asides, and ironic contrasts, the Four Musketeers has the great benefit of continuity of cast and style and tone, although the tone shifts much darker and more plot-driven here. Not as good as the first film, but well worth your while. Compared to the witless films that more often than not make up our present world, these gems seem better and better for their audacity and intelligence. 4-1/2 stars.

Rating:
Summary: NO Closed Captions or Subtitles !!!!
Review: Since we have bought many DVDs and borrowed many DVDs and all of them have captions or subtitles, I was cheated with this DVD - it has no captions/subtitles and I cannot enjoy this movie. I am hearing-impaired. This is one of only 3 of many many DVDs that do not have captions.

Rating:
Summary: Great movie, Fox-Lorber has poor DVD version
Review: This one was actually filmed back to back with the first movie, and was released in 1975. It features the same great cast and finishes up the story from the book "The Three Musketeers".

Same cast as before. Oliver Reed as Athos, Richard Chamberlain as Aramis, Frank Finlay as Porthos, Michael York as D'Artagnan. Christopher Lee, Raquel Welch, Geraldine Chaplin, Faye Dunaway. Again, just about every performance is amazing. And what's sort of sad is that the actors signed up for one "project" - so even though they put in enough material to do two complete films, they were only paid once. Ah well, we the viewers benefitted!

This tells the second half of the story from the book. The Queen was saved for ruin, and the musketeers are sent up to fight the Huguenots. The Cardinal is still after them, as is M'Lady. There are more battles, more attempts to kill the musketeers, more threats and plots. The mood turns darker in this one, as the fellowship runs into serious situations. The ending matches the book - not necessarily a "happy" ending but a satisfying one.

Again, the BIG WARNING. I wore out several copies of this video tape before getting this on the first DVD available. Fox Lorber put out the DVD version. I was thrilled to have it on DVD. I was less thrilled when I saw what they did to the movie!! They literally cut off ALL FOUR EDGES of the movie, losing quite a lot of the picture. The special features are completely missing. There is a new DVD version out which is a two-pack of "The Three Musketeers" and "The Four Musketeers" that has the special features and has the full version of both movies without missing content. AVOID THE FOX LORBER VERSION and get the other one.