The Man in the Iron Mask ***** (1939, Louis Hayward, Joan Bennett, Warren William) – Classic Movie Review 1034

Director James Whale’s 1939 black and white adventure classic The Man in the Iron Mask is an exuberantly spirited display of swashbuckling, which helps light up this thoroughly enjoyable, lustily entertaining Three Musketeers tale. It is based on the famous Alexandre Dumas Père novel, first filmed in 1929 by Douglas Fairbanks Sr as The Iron Mask, but screenwriter George Bruce also adds in elements of The Prisoner of Zenda for good measure.

In the well-known story, the evil despotic French King Louis XIV keeps his nice twin brother Prince Philippe of Gascony a prisoner in the Bastille in an iron mask until dashing, patriotic musketeer D’Artagnan (Warren William) and his fellow three musketeers (Alan Hale Sr as Porthos, Bert Roach as Athos and Miles Mander as Aramis) come to the rescue.

The movie is enormous fun, packed full to overflowing with zest, intrigue and double-crosses, with entertainingly over-the-top performances, particularly from William as D’Artagnan, Louis Hayward in the twin roles, Joseph Schildkraut as the creepy royal crawler Fouquet, Walter Kingsford as the hero’s court ally Colbert and Joan Bennett as the Spanish princess Maria Theresa wooed by the king.

Whale wasn’t too involved in the project, being unimpressed by Hayward and Bennett, as well as annoyed by producer Edward Small’s constant interventions. But it does not show in the marvellous end result, which turned out to be a surprise smash hit of the day. Lucien Moraweck and musical director Lud Gluskin’s stirring score was Oscar nominated.

After arguments, Whale was dismissed towards the end of filming and writer Bruce was awarded two weeks’ filming on his own screenplay.

The Man in the Iron Mask is directed by James Whale and George Bruce (uncredited), 112 minutes, is made by Edward Small Productions, is released by United Artists, is written by George Bruce, is shot in black and white by Robert H Planck, is produced by Edward Small, is scored by Lucien Moraweck and Lud Gluskin (musical director), with Art Direction by John DuCasse Schulze.

There is also a 96 minutes colorized version.

Peter Cushing makes his film debut playing Hayward’s double in the twin scenes, a part obviously cut from the print, but he was rewarded with a small real part as Second Officer, the king’s messenger, in which he enjoyed a swordfight with the Musketeers.

The Man in the Iron Mask was remade with Richard Chamberlain in 1977, in 1985 as a TV Movie, and again twice in 1998, one with Leonardo DiCaprio, The Man in the Iron Mask, and one with Timothy Bottoms, and also used as the basis for 1978’s The Fifth Musketeer.

Alan Hale Jr plays his father’s role of Porthos in the 1952 gender-swap version of the same tale, Lady in the Iron Mask.

James Whale is the director of Frankenstein, The Bride of Frankenstein, Journey’s End and The Old Dark House. Ian McKellen plays him in a biopic, Gods and Monsters.

The Prisoner of Zenda was filmed as The Prisoner of Zenda (1922), The Prisoner of Zenda (1937), The Prisoner of Zenda (1952) and The Prisoner of Zenda (1979).

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