The Three Musketeers: D’Artagnan - It Took the French to Finally Get the Point (and Thrust and Parry)

By John Kirk

Rating: A-minus

If you, like me, are a fan of swashbuckling swordplay, then Martin Bourboulon’s The Three Musketeers: D’Artagnan is a must-see, and in my opinion, the best rendition of the 1844 Alexandre Dumas novel on the silver screen to date.

Of course, it’s hard to not draw comparisons.

There have been about 50 cinematic versions of this adventure (if you include loose adaptations or musical versions from Asia and Russia) dating back to about 1901. There was the 1993 Disney version with Charlie Sheen, Chris O’Donnell, Oliver Platt and Tim Curry which stands out in memory for its reliance on clownish comedy and poor casting.

Even Keifer Sutherland couldn’t save that one.

D’Artagnan (François Civil) dispatches a would-be assassin in The Three Musketeers: D’Artagnan.

The 2011 version with Orlando Bloom had a sort of steam-punk quality to it, and though I’ll still prefer Christopher Lee as the villainous Rochefort in the 1973 version, I’ll give a nod of respect to Mads Mikkelsen’s sinister depiction of the character.

If you’re in my generation though, then it’s the 1973 version that probably comes to mind.  A young Michael York plays the young Gascon D’Artagnan; Raquel Welch as the comely and clumsy Constance de Bonacieux, handmaiden to the Queen of France and a cast of British and mostly American actors who rely on swordplay and campy comedy as they somehow manage to maintain a relatively faithful adherence to the original story.

We’re reminded of this version when watching Bourboloun’s production. Like the 1973 version, Bourboloun honours the original plotline, but takes a more serious approach in the introduction to its characters as opposed to a comedic one. D’Artagnan, for example. In the 1973 film, Michael York chose to portray D’Artagnan as a naïve and bumbling young provincial arriving in Paris to seek his fortune. In the 2023 film, D’Artagnan (François Civil) is a young hero, untried to be sure, but he’s a nobler and more serious in his ambitions.

It’s a more elevated version of this character that lends a greater deal of historical authenticity and appreciation.    

While there were comedic moments in the original story, these have been traditionally exaggerated in so many film renditions. Not so in Bourbolon’s presentation of the story. I like to think the audience is given a greater deal of respect with the use of a more sophisticated style of humour.

The fraternal moments and characterizations of the gastronomic and omnisexual Porthos (Pio Marmaï), the grim and worldly Athos (Vincent Cassel) and the erudite and seductive Aramis (Romain Duris) are still effectively captured, but are given a more mature treatment than the boorish or clownish antics we’ve seen in other films. In short, these are the musketeers I envision closest to the original 1844 characters from the novel.

The film does tend to slow down in some spots; however, these moments allow the audience a bit of a break from the story, to soak in the spirit and atmosphere of the period. There is a painstakingly higher degree of authenticity and historical detail in this version of the film that sets it apart from its predecessors. It’s a less manufactured and a more realistic portrayal of the time that adds value to the story.

The costumes add to this realism. Uniforms or dress that identify class, and the grime and dust of the 17th Century are also not forgotten details that effectively convey the time period.

While the original novel was rich with the weaving of a myriad of plotlines that include the evil machinations of Cardinal Richelieu (Eric Ruf), the retrieval of the queen’s (Vicky Krieps) diamond necklace that would confirm her illicit liaison with the Duke of Buckingham (Jacob Fortune-Lloyd), everything meshes together extremely well. Of course, the film’s run time of 124 minutes allows for all of these storylines to fit.

Dynamic swordplay is at the heart of any story about the musketeers and there’s plenty of that to go around. The rivalry between the King’s Musketeers and the Cardinal’s Guards is well celebrated, as expected. But the gritty and realistic depiction of the combat strays far from the gentlemanly style of swordplay we could have expected in other versions of this story. Instead, we are treated to something that keeps you on the edge of your seat. There’s an underrated aspect to staged combat that goes far to add to the tension of the story and swordplay in The Three Musketeers: D’Artagnan does not disappoint.

It’s a successful film. Maybe it’s that it’s presented in French, the original story’s mother tongue, or perhaps it’s just that it has the bravery to be the first in a series of continuing adventures of the Musketeers? Whatever the reason, what we get is a story that is not only true to its original, but in its faithfulness to the original story also becomes unapologetically relevant for today.

There’s no place for camp in this film. Even the romance between D’Artagnan and Constance (Lyna Khoudri) is meaningful and touching. The tortured relationship between Milady de Winter (Eva Green) and her estranged husband, Athos, adds texture to their struggle to move on with their lives while on opposite sides of the chessboard of court intrigue.

This is an honouring tale that gives new life to the classic story of the Three Musketeers who, as we know, become Four by the end of this part of what was originally known as “The D’Artagnan Romances”.

It’s a respectful film that pays due homage to the original tale.

The Three Musketeers: D’Artagnan. Directed by Martin Bourboulon. Stars François Civil, Vincent Cassel, Romain Duris, Pio Marmai, Eva Green, Louis Garrel, Eric Ruf, Vicky Krieps. The Three Musketeers: D’Artagnan is in select theatres Friday, December 8th.