The Four Musketeers (AKA The Four Musketeers: Milady's Revenge)

Dir: Richard Lester

1974

**

The Three Musketeers was a huge hit for Richard Lester, the Salkind brothers and everyone involved, however, it was only half the story. During the production producer brothers the Salkinds realized that the film was already so lengthy that they couldn't complete it as initially intended, as a roadshow epic with intermission and neither would they meet their announced release date. They decided instead to re edit what they had and release the film in two parts, with the second film, The Four Musketeers, released six months after the first. The problem was that they didn't tell anyone. The cast were incensed that their work on the long shoot was used to make an entirely separate film, while they were only being paid for the work of one. Lawsuits were filed on behalf of those contributing to the film to gain the salaries and benefits associated with a second film that was not mentioned in the original contracts. All Screen Actor Guild members contracts now have what is known as the "Salkind clause", which stipulates how many films are being made. I think because the film had been somewhat muddled and re-edited within an inch of its life, left the second film a far cry from the greatness of the first. Pretty much all of the charm of the first is absent in the sequel. The comedy that made the first film so great is tragically absent all the serious bits of Duma's novel are a little too serious compared to the original. It doesn't quite work. Clearly edited with a very tight deadline, it seems a bit ridiculous and a bit careless to release the sequel as they did. The film actually did quite well upon its release, the original still fresh in people's minds but looking back and comparing the two films all these years later reveals a huge contrast in quality in my opinion. I'm not sure the Musketeers had the send off they really deserved and clearly everyone who worked on the project left on a sour note. I don't think I've ever been so disappointed by a sequel, especially as I loved the first film so much. The performances are still good, the costumes, stunts and action, they're exactly the same obviously, it really is an example of how a film's editing can change everything. They clearly used all the funniest footage in the first film and left none for the sequel. At least Faye Dunaway had her chance to really shine, she is terrific in her villainous role, more so than you'd expect though with the first film in mind. The climax of the film is strange, disjointed and unpolished. It's such a terrible shame. Still, most of the cast returned in 1989 for The Return of the Musketeers, loosely based on Dumas' novel Twenty Year After, but it would be a project they would regret.