The Three Musketeers (1921)

The lavish 1921 production of Three Musketeers is primarily a comic action film, yet it also pays extraordinary attention to detail, insuring that the period piece has a ringing authenticity. Alexander Dumas' novel receives the royal treatment, as villages and courts of the 17th century are painstakingly recreated and costumes chosen from antique dresses of the period. Yet the epic film does not suffer from deadly stateliness or stuffiness; in fact, it is a barrelful of fun, thanks mostly to the energetic and occasionally irreverent direction of Fred Niblo and Douglas Fairbanks Sr.'s acrobatic, enthusiastic performance as Gascon D'Artagnan. As the empoverished noble on a quest for justice, Fairbanks strikes a believable balance between comic shwashbuckler and epic hero. A remarkable athlete, Fairbanks handles the action scenes -- from swordplay to horse riding -- with aplomb while managing to convey his character's unflagging good humor throughout. Even in the more serious dramatic moments, he brings across integrity and great charm. Nigel de Brulier, as the Iago-like Cardinal Richelieu, and the "too beautiful" Barbara La Marras Milady de Winter are both fine villains, well-realized foils for the Royal Musketeers. Three Musketeers was a huge critical and box office success upon its release in 1921, and remains for many the finest screen adaptation of Dumas' novel. ~ Dan Jardine, All Movie Guide