The Three Musketeers (1973)

Richard Lester, 1973
105 minutes

“What a refreshment to come upon a film as witty and tasteful as it is eye-filling and action-crammed, gorgeously dressed and expertly presented, fit for all ages and/or generations. Must we really a year for Part Two?” – Judith Crist, New York Magazine/ Vulture

A rowdy and humorous, but magnificently mounted retelling of Alexandre Dumas’ epic features one of the greatest ensemble casts ever committed to celluloid; Oliver Reed, Richard Chamberlain, Frank Finlay, Michale York, Faye Dunaway, Raquel Welch, Christopher Lee and Charlton Heston breathe new life into the material under the artful eye of director and Beatles-collaborator, Richard Lester (A Hard Day’s Night, Superman II)

The location shooting in Spain offers a scope and reality to the material not found in most other adaptations. In fact, the film was so big, it was eventually split into two installments, with The Four Musketeers rounding out the story in 1974.

Richard Lester’s The Three Musketeers is a perfect companion piece to the 1948 version, contrasting a grittier European flare with the gorgeous story book Technicolor of the earlier MGM film.

There will be a newly recorded video discussion with the film’s producer, Ilya Salkind (Superman: The Movie)

A North Texas-based film club that celebrates vintage and cult cinema, Cowtown Movie Classics makes classic films available to the community with their proper historical context. Follow Cowtown Movie Classics on Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube.