The Three Musketeers (1993)
A vicious underground plot is underway to overthrow the
young and impressionable King Louis by a most unexpected
source -- his priest and advisor, Cardinal Richelue who has
with the aid of his one-eyed former musketeer, Captain
Rochefort, ordered the musketeers disbanded. "One for all,
and all for one," has always been their motto and serving
the king with their lives is their pleasure. Due to a
forthcoming war with England, they are needed in the army
ranks rather than patrolling the palace. Unfortunately for
the Cardinal, three of the musketeers refuse to be
disbanded. Aramis, Athos, and Porthos, the arch enemy of
Rochefort and a threat to the Cardinal -- who orders their
heads to be put on a pike -- are determined to prevent what
they believe is a conspiracy and continue in their mission
to protect the king.
At this same time, a young man named D'Artagnan, fleeing
from a foppish individual who says he has wronged his
sister's honor, has come to Paris to become a musketeer.
Upon finding them disbanded, he picks a fight with Athos,
who challenges him to a duel at noon outside the city.
Accidentally picking another fight with Porthos (and
intentionally mocking him in front of the ladies), he is
challenged to another duel at one. And at two he will fight
Aramis, of whom he insulted by not accepting an apology as
the musketeer fled from an assailant. At noon, all four
arrive and realize that their newfound enemy is not
D'Artagnan but rather the Cardinal's guards, sent to bring
them to the palace dead or alive. Preferably dead.
D'Artagnan, who has the heart of a musketeer if not the
uniform, promptly forgets his duels in order to help the
three escape and becomes the forth musketeer as all strive
to keep out of the reach of Rochefort's long arm and uncover
a devious plot.
Unfortunately D'Artagnan is arrested and thrown into prison
as a traitor. Managing to escape, he comes across the truth
of the Cardinal's plans along with a seductive envoy, Lady
DeWinter. The Cardinal intends to create an alliance with
England, assassinate the king, and rule France with the
queen at his side.
The Three Musketeers is a fairly good production with enough
explosions and swordplay to keep the guys entertained and
enough romance and gorgeous costuming to interest the girls.
Queen Anne and Constance's costumes are breathtaking, and
the effect of the Cardinal's cape is a never-ending source
of comic relief, mingled with devious intentions, but it's
definitely for the older crowd.
Sexual Content:
References to affairs and lovers; a woman tries to seduce a
man; a man is caught fleeing a woman's room when her husband
comes home; the Cardinal is lecherous; we see a woman's bare
back as she emerges from a bath (she is surprised to find a
man there).
Language:
Frequent but mild.
Violence:
Shootings, stabbings, fist fights; a man is thrown into a
bed of spikes.