The Three Musketeers (1939)

The Three Musketeers - 1939

Over the next several days, we will be taking a peek at some theatrical versions of that famous work by Alexandre Dumas, The Three Musketeers.  This is a story that has been told and re-told many times.  1939's version of "The Three Musketeers" stars Don Ameche and The Ritz Brothers, and follows D'Artagnan as he risks his life to save the honor of the Queen of France.  It's unique in that it is a musical comedy version of the story.

The film's supporting cast includes Binnie Barnes, Gloria Stuart, Pauline Moore, Joseph Schildkraut, John Carradine, Miles Mander, Lionel Atwill, Douglas Dumbrille, John "Dusty" King, Russell Hicks, Lester Matthews, and Moroni Olsen.

D'Artagnan is a Gascon who makes his way to Paris to realize his lifelong dream of becoming one of the King's Musketeers.

His quick temper gets him into trouble with three legendary Musketeers: Athos, Aramis, and Porthos.  All three challenge him to a duel.  They arrive together at an inn before D'Artagnan.

Three lackeys at the inn serve the Musketeers drinks.  The Musketeers challenge them to a drinking game, which the lackeys win.  The lackeys put the Musketeers to bed, but not before taking their uniforms and trying them on themselves.

Cardinal Richelieu receives a visit from the King.  The King tells Richelieu about some of the Cardinal's men who have masqueraded as Musketeers and brought havoc to the city.  It becomes a law that anyone who dresses as a Musketeer without the proper credentials shall be severely punished.

D'Artagnan shows up at the inn and sees the three lackeys.  Assuming they are the three Musketeers he earlier dealt with, he wants to start the duels.  They explain the situation to him, and the four of them go out on the town to celebrate their new friendship.

While staying at the inn that night, D'Artagnan makes the acquaintance of Constance, a lady-in-waiting to the Queen.  She's startled by his presence and wants to know what he's there for.  He is instantly smitten by her.

A few moments later, the Queen of France comes into the room with the Duke of Buckingham.  D'Artagnan is outraged at Buckingham's presence, as he is supposed to be an enemy of France.

Constance takes D'Artagnan aside and tells him that she doesn't know what is going on either, but that they must keep this secret for the Queen.

It turns out that the Queen and Buckingham are in love.  She is sending him back to England because of the impossibility of a relationship.  She gives him an emerald brooch as a keepsake.  "Take this in remembrance of things that can never be," she says.

D'Artagnan later escorts the Queen and Constance back to the Palace.  In the palace gardens, he woos Constance with some lines of Shakespeare.  "You know better than to woo a maid with borrowed phrases.  How should I ever believe you words?" she remarks with a smile.

Cardinal Richelieu gets wind of Buckingham and the Queen's meeting.  Wanting to undermine the Queen in front of the King, the Cardinal sends his most trusted ally, Milady de Winter, to retrieve the brooch by any means necessary.

Constance goes to D'Artagnan and tells him of the Cardinal's plan.  She tells him that the Cardinal wants the Queen to wear the brooch at the Cardinal's ball.  He hurries into action.

The three lackeys accompany him.  Their hi-jinks provide the film with a lot of physical comedy.

D'Artagnan meets up with Milady de Winter.  He is at first charmed by her, not knowing who she is.

When he sees the emerald brooch lying on a table, he comes to realize what her mission is.

Milady de Winter has her guards subdue D'Artagnan and place him in her carriage.  She tells him that Constance has been taken prisoner by the Cardinal and is being kept at his country residence.  They speed off in the direction of Paris.

D'Artagnan's faithful lackey friends follow them and overtake Milady's carriage.  They shake her upside down until they retrieve the brooch and a message that she took from D'Artagnan.

They then high-tail it to the Cardinal's country residence.  The lackeys distract the Cardinal and his guards by performing a comedy routine while D'Artagnan finds Constance and makes his escape.

They "borrow" one of the Cardinal's carriages and make haste towards Paris.

On the night of the Cardinal's ball, the Queen is worried that Constance has disappeared and the brooch hasn't been returned.

She gets even more concerned when the King appears and tells her that the Cardinal is being most insistent that she wear the brooch, as it was a gift from the people of France and appearing without it will be seen as a slight to them.

D'Artagnan, Constance, and the lackeys arrive just in time.  A bit of a skirmish occurs in the palace gardens, with D'Artagnan valiantly participating in the swordplay.  Constance, with the brooch in her possession, makes her way towards the Queen.

Standing in an open window, Constance slips the brooch into the Queen's hand as she walks in procession towards the ball.

The Queen is greatly relieved and triumphantly displays the brooch to the consternation and anger of the Cardinal.

D'Artagnan is rewarded with a place in the King's Musketeers.  His lackey friends are also given positions with the Musketeers.  They can now wear the uniform without fear of punishment.

Cast rundown:

   Don Ameche.....................................D'Artagnan

   The Ritz Brothers...............................1st Lackey/2nd Lackey/3rd Lackey

   Binnie Barnes....................................Milady de Winter

   Gloria Stuart......................................Queen Anne

   Pauline Moore....................................Lady Constance

   Joseph Schildkraut..............................King Louis XIII

   John Carradine...................................Naveau

   Miles Mander......................................Cardinal Richelieu

   Lionel Atwill.......................................De Rochefort

   Douglas Dumbrille..............................Athos

   John "Dusty" King..............................Aramis

   Russell Hicks.....................................Porthos

   Lester Matthews.................................Duke of Buckingham

   Moroni Olsen.....................................Bailiff

And that's all for The Three Musketeers.  The Ritz Brothers, who played the lackeys, were real life siblings who were originally vaudeville stars.  The role in this film was studied by Beaver in the TV show "Leave It To Beaver".  He was supposed to be writing a book report, but he just watched this film and ended up basing his paper on the comedic performance of the Ritz Brothers.

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