Faux Alexandre Dumas MUSKETEERS follow-up is historical nonsense, but a nifty idea all the same: Dying Queen Anne, worried about young Louis XIV’s safety, wishes her loyal Musketeers were here to protect him. Turns out, they are! Or rather, their sons are. That’d be D'Artagnan Jr., Porthos Jr., Aramis Jr. and Athos Jr.; Cornel Wilde, Alan Hale Jr,. Dan O’Herlihy and Maureen O’Hara. Bet you spotted the odd ‘man’ out. O’Hara not the son of Athos, but fierce fighting daughter Claire. Honor bound to the Queen, who reveals Louis’s secret location only to them, but word gets out when a trusted Countess proves traitor. It’s all-for-one and one-for-all (except in that bed built for four) to save the monarchy from dastardly usurper Duc de Lavalle (Robert Douglas). Alas, that villain is defeatable, while the film’s true villain, new R.K.O. owner/production chief Howard Hughes, is not; already micromanaging the studio to a premature death. Note this film held back for two years and its short running time (81"). What remains emphasizes sword play over plot & character development. (How could they miss having the failing Queen mistake the young Musketeers for the old?) Journeyman director Lewis Allen not much help, either; pedestrian swash and buckle. And when you’ve got Olympic caliber fencer Cornel Wilde on hand, why not let him show some honest fencing rather than the usual stunts?* And what’s with the print? It looks like it went thru the TechniColor rinse cycle with too much softener.
ATTENTION MUST BE PAID: *Wilde left the 1936 USA Olympic Fencing Team for a theater job. Perhaps in consideration of the games location in Nazi Germany and his own Jewish background.
WATCH THIS, NOT THAT: Douglas Fairbanks' final silent, THE IRON MASK/’29, about the best (and certainly the most touching) of all MUSKETEER pics. Look for the restored version of about 1'45".
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