By Barbara Burkowsky

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Over the years countless films have been made based on the famous Alexandre Dumas 1844 classic, The Three Musketeers; some adhering closely to the original Dumas story while others incorporate more contemporary, even humorous themes.   With a fascinating story about intrigues at the royal French court of 1625, a thick plot with suspense and a heroic figure like D’Artagnan who risks all for Queen, Country and his ladylove, Constance, The Three Musketeers was the obvious choice for Fairbanks to follow the success of 1920's The Mark of Zorro.

Many actors might be daunted by the prospect of playing the role of a young man half his real age, but with Fairbanks’ natural enthusiasm and youthful determination, together with his experience in successfully portraying the vigorous young American male, the part of D’Artagnan was tailor-made for him.

Working together with screenwriter Edward Knoblock and engaging some of the industry’s finest acting talents, Fairbanks brought the Dumas classic to life with a charming historic setting, rich emotional drama, sinister intrigues and electrifying swordfights, interspersed with mischievous fun between the musketeers.   Lacking the element of sound to express himself verbally, the silent film actor must resort to physical means, and once again Fairbanks excels in this art of pantomime such as in D’Artagnan’s determined swaggering stride, his proud stance and vibrant gestures to articulate his passionate feelings.

Not only was the Dumas classic a favorite of his, Fairbanks already had a foretaste of playing D’Artagnan three years earlier in A Modern Musketeer, of which only the first half survives. In the few short scenes as D’Artagnan in Old France, Fairbanks  demonstrates sword fighting skills already as impressive as some scenes in The Mark of Zorro and The Three Musketeers.   For most of this early 1918 comedy, however, Fairbanks plays the role of a modern-day hero from Kansas who is always ready to rescue a damsel in distress.

The surviving reels of A Modern Musketeer also highlight some of Fairbanks’ most astonishing physical feats, such as virtually running up the perpendicular wall of a church and its spire, and somersaulting and leaping over walls and horses with genuine ease and exuberance.   Scenes like these in most of his early films from 1916 to 1919 set the stage for his 1920s adventures, and where the earlier films lack the sophistication and depth of the later bigger productions, they often showcase more of Fairbanks’ uncanny physical prowess and his impressive comedic skills.

Building on the successful highlights of The Mark of Zorro, Fairbanks honed his sword fighting skills and seasoned the action scenes with moments of humor and surprise to add entertainment value, such as the delightful slide down a balustrade to escape from the scheming Cardinal’s clutches.  As The Three Musketeers builds to its climax, the race to retrieve the Queen’s brooch from England grows in riveting suspense as D’Artagnan is pitted against the Cardinal’s many devious plots to thwart his mission.  In this and many other aspects, The Three Musketeers vastly outshines its forerunner, The Mark of Zorro, setting the pace and high expectations for every successive Fairbanks production.

Superb role casting adds further deeper dimension to The Three Musketeers. The much sought-after English-born character actor Nigel de Brulier is brilliant as the stealthy, power-hungry Cardinal who hatches a twisted plot to gain full power in the King’s court.  Cardinal Richelieu was one of his most celebrated roles among other silent classics such as The Hunchback of Notre-Dame and Ben Hur.  (de Brulier appears again with Fairbanks in 1927's The Gaucho.)

In complete contrast of characters, Marguerite De La Motte is perfect as Constance, bravely loyal to her Queen, and like Lolita in The Mark of Zorro, an independent woman unafraid to speak her mind. One of Fairbanks' favorite leading ladies to work with, De La Motte would reprise her role as Constance once more in 1929's The Iron Mask.

The very capable director chosen for The Three Musketeers was Fred Niblo, who already proved to be an excellent choice to direct The Mark of Zorro a year earlier.  After these consecutive successes, Niblo continued to rise to prominence as he moved on to direct other screen legends such as Rudolph Valentino in Blood and Sand in the following year, Ramon Novarro in the grand spectacular epic, Ben Hur: a Tale of the Christ in 1927, and Greta Garbo as The Mysterious Lady in 1928.
 

The Three Musketeers is available on DVD by Kino Video with the original 1921 orchestral score by Louis Gottschalk newly recorded electronically by the "Elton Thomas Salon Orchestra." It is also included on Kino's The Douglas Fairbanks Collection boxed DVD set.

*The museum also highly recommends the Three Musketeers/Iron Mask double-feature available on the Great Swashbuckler DVD, which includes a 90-minute documentary on Fairbanks as well. Douglas Fairbanks - The Great Swashbuckler is available on DVD (not yet available in VHS format) through web merchants such as Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, Blockbuster, or from a retail store near you. This title can also be rented through Netflix.com.
 
 

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