The 5th Musketeer (1979)

The 5th Musketeer - 1979

Coming up next is 1979's "The 5th Musketeer", a version of Alexandre Dumas's "The Man In The Iron Mask", a story in which we find two contenders to the throne of France: one living with the Musketeers, and one fighting to keep a hold of his struggling throne.

The film's cast includes Beau Bridges, Ursula Andress, Cornel Wilde, Alan Hale Jr., Ian McShane, Lloyd Bridges, Jose Ferrer, Sylvia Kristel, Olivia de Havilland, Rex Harrison, and Helmut Dantine.

Colbert, an important figure at the French court and the orchestrater of the upcoming French/Spanish matrimonial alliance, visits his friend D'Artagnan and the young man who was placed in the charge of the Musketeers when he was just an infant.  Colbert marvels at how closely he resembles King Louis.  Colbert soon returns to Paris.  However, he isn't the only one who's heard of Philippe.  French officers arrest him and the Musketeers and place him in the Bastille.

Spanish Infanta Maria Theresa is not looking forward to marrying the King of France.  She's heard all sorts of terrible things about him: including laziness, arrogance, and mistresses.  She warns the ambassador that if she cannot bring herself to love him, she will leave France and return to Spain.

We find that the real power behind the throne is Fouquet, the King's right hand man.  It was he who ordered Philippe and the Musketeers' arrest.

We also meet Louise de la Valliere, the King's mistress.  She strictly controls courtiers' access to the King, who concerns himself largely with eating, sleeping, and pleasure.

The King and Fouquet inform Louise of a plot to assassinate the King.  They heard of the young man who bears a striking resemblance to him, and they decide to use him as a double.  When the real King appears after his "assassination", public opinion is supposed to be swayed in his favor.

Philippe is brought to the King's chambers in the iron mask used to conceal his identity.  And the two men are shocked at how much they resemble each other.

While Philippe pretends to be Louis in Paris welcoming his future bride, the King waits safely in the country with Louise.

Colbert is stunned when the "King" recognizes him from their earlier exchange in the country, and Colbert warns him to be on his guard.  Philippe jumps off the pier at the right moment before it explodes and is saved.  The crowd roars their approval, and the "King" issues a proclamation that prisoners in the Bastille, including the Musketeers, are to be set free.

Philippe and Maria Theresa ride back to Paris together, and the two become close.  She tells him that he's different than she thought he would be.  "Naturally, I have heard certain things," she says.  "Such as?" asks Philippe.  "Such as do not agree with what I see," says the smiling Infanta.

At a celebration that night, Philippe and Maria Theresa share a kiss before he leaves with the Musketeers to return to the country.  Not knowing that he is not the king, Maria Theresa gets him to promise to return to her soon.

Meanwhile, a nun named Sister Anne is being summoned to Paris.  As she prepares to leave the convent, she is released from her vow of silence until her return by the Mother Superior.

During negotiations for their upcoming marriage, Maria Theresa finds that the King is not the person she had fallen in love with the day before.  She angrily storms out of their meeting.  She eventually runs away from the palace with her ladies in waiting.

Philippe is told the truth of his parentage by the Musketeers.  He is the twin brother of the King and was separated at birth to protect him and his brother from warring over the crown.  No one knows which was born first.

"Sister Anne" turns out to be Queen Anne, the mother of Louis and Philippe.  When Louis is shocked that Fouquet left his brother alive, Queen Anne implores him not to kill his brother.  "By harming him, you will risk even greater danger to yourself.  I shall not demand your word...for you have never felt obliged to keep it.  But remember well my warning.  It is the last thing you shall hear from me," she tells him.

Philippe catches up with Maria Theresa, and he tells her the whole truth about his circumstance.  The two rekindle their romance.

The next day, Philippe is arrested and returned to the Bastille, where he is once again made to wear the iron mask.

Louise once again restricts access to the King.  She and Maria Theresa have a stand off.  "Madame, you permit yourself great privileges for someone of such minor consequence," says the Infanta.  During their exchange, Louise reveals to Maria Theresa that Philippe is in the dungeon awaiting execution.

She goes to Colbert and tells him of Philippe's current situation.  She also has the beginnings of a plan to rescue him.

Colbert goes to the Musketeers to make sure they are all on board to rescue their young friend.  Of course, they are more than ready to help.

On the night before her wedding, Maria Theresa goes to the King and drugs his drink.  The Musketeers bring Philippe up from the Bastille through a secret passage to the King's bedroom.  There, they exchange the two and put the King in the iron mask and place him in the dungeon.

The next day, Philippe strides into the cathedral as Louis.  He gives a knowing smile to Maria Theresa, and no one is the wiser.

However, just as the ceremony begins, Porthos stumbles into the church bearing a mortal wound.  He whispers the words "Fouquet", "other one", and "free" before he dies.  Aramis and Athos, together with Philippe, pause the ceremony and rush to the Bastille.

There, Philippe and Louis fight a duel.  Eventually, Philippe emerges the victor as Louis is swept away by some rushing water to his death.

After cleaning up, Philippe returns to the cathedral to continue with the marriage ceremony.

Louise de la Valliere stops the proceedings and proclaims that that man is not Louis of France.  Everyone is stunned and looks around in disbelief.

Queen Anne goes to the Cardinal and gives her most solemn word that the man standing before them is her son.  Philippe kisses her hands as she returns to stand with the rest of the congregation.

The marriage ceremony continues without a hitch.  Philippe know reigns France as King Louis XIV in the place of his dissolute brother.  And Maria Theresa now happily reigns beside him as his queen.

Cast rundown:

   Beau Bridges.................................King Louis XIV/Philippe

   Ursula Andress...............................Louise de la Valliere

   Cornel Wilde..................................D'Artagnan

   Alan Hale Jr....................................Porthos

   Ian McShane..................................Fouquet

   Lloyd Bridges..................................Aramis

   Jose Ferrer.....................................Athos

   Sylvia Kristel..................................Infanta Maria Theresa

   Olivia de Havilland..........................Queen Anne

   Rex Harrison..................................Colbert

   Helmut Dantine..............................Spanish Ambassador

And that's it for The 5th Musketeer.  Originally titled, "The Man In The Iron Mask", the film was retitled as it was to capitalize on the success of the earlier '70s versions of The Three Musketeers adaptations.  It was hoped that the success of those films would be carried over to this one.  Filming locations for this movie included Schönbrunn Palace, Palais Auersperg, and the Votivkirche, all in Vienna.

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