Oscar-nominated Randall Wallace (Braveheart) made his directorial debut with this adaptation of the 1848 classic by Alexandre Dumas (1802-70), featuring Leonardo DiCaprio in a dual role. Years have passed since the Three Musketeers, Aramis (Jeremy Irons), Athos (John Malkovich), and Porthos (Gerard Depardieu) fought together with their friend D'Artagnan (Gabriel Byrne). The arrogant, tyrannical King Louis XIV (Leonardo DiCaprio) desires the beautiful Christine (Judith Godreche), so he orders her
suitor Raoul (Peter Sarsgaard), the son of Athos, off to face death at the front. He also sends Aramis to kill the leader of a Jesuit rebellion. Louis is unaware that his loyal protector and informant, D'Artagnan, is the secret lover of his mother, Queen Anne (Anne Parillaud). Louis' younger twin brother, Philippe (also DiCaprio) is the man in the iron mask, imprisoned for the past six years. Arthos and Porthos plan to free Philippe, abduct Louis and replace him by putting Philippe on the throne. French location scenes include the Chateau de Fontainbleau. Previous adaptations: Allan Dwan's The Iron Mask (1929) with Douglas Fairbanks, the 1939 James Whale version with Louis Hayward, Patricia Medina in Lady in the Iron Mask (1952), Henri Decoin's Le Masque de Fer (1962), Mike Newell's 1976 TV movie with Richard Chamberlain, and Ken Annakin's The Fifth Musketeer (1978, aka Behind the Iron Mask) with Beau Bridges, Lloyd Bridges, Sylvia Kristel, Ursula Andress, Cornel Wilde, Jose Ferrer, Rex Harrison, and Olivia de Havilland. A second film titled The Man in the Iron Mask was released in 1998, a low-budget effort from director William Richert. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi
Though a fine actor, DiCaprio is no Errol Flynn. With his choirboy face and chess-club physique, he is scarcely fit to play swashbuckling hero or villain.
While DiCaprio can be a fine actor and an arresting presence, that is not the case here. He is completely miscast, his nasally voice grating and at the point in his career when this was made he didn't have the gravitas to hold the dual roles at center stage. Malkovich is similiarly out of place not in any way
suggesting anything remotely contentenial in his bearing and since the rest of the cast that surrounds them are all European the casting of those two is fatal to the picture's unity and flow.
March 26, 2007
jay nixon
Super Reviewer
At first I wasn't quite convinced by Leo's acting, I played it off by his youth and the fact that he did this after being directed by Cameron. James wouldn't care about good acting if it hit him in the face. However this was resolved when he became Philippe.Overall, the movie was okay. I'm not sure I appreciated the
few comedic gags in there, but what gives this movie an extra overall boost was the acting. Beautifully done. Even if for whatever reason, Dicaprio and Malkovich did not see fit to attempt British accents.
Aramis: [narrating] Some of this is legend, but at least this much is fact - when rioting citizens of France destroyed the Bastille, they discovered within its records this mysterious entry: Prisoner # 64389000 - The Man in the Iron Mask.
Athos: [to Phillipe] Once I, once all of us, believed in serving something greater than ourselves. Aramis had his faith, Porthos his lust for life, D'Artagnan his devotion and I had Raoul. But we all had a common dream. That one day we would finally be able to serve a king who was worthy of the throne. It is what we dreamt, what we bled for, and what we have waited a lifetime to see. I taught Raoul to believe in that dream, and now my son is dead. And now I want to know if my son's life was in vain, and the only person who can answer that is you.
Athos: D'Artagnan, I have never known a finer man than you nor cared more for a friend, but if this king harms my son merely to take a lover, then this king will become my enemy. And so will any man who stands between that enemy and me.
A quote can be a single line from one character or a memorable dialog between several characters. Please make your quotes accurate. Quotes will be submitted for approval by the RT staff.
Example:
Luke: Alright. I'll give it a try. Yoda: No. Try not. Do or do not. There is no try.
