The Return of the Musketeers *** (1989, Michael York, Oliver Reed, Frank Finlay) – Classic Movie Review 2321

Director Richard Lester revisits his triumphant successes of 1973 and 1974, The Three Musketeers and The Four Musketeers, for this belated 1989 sequel that rounds up the original 70s Musketeers (Michael York as D’Artagnan, Oliver Reed as Athos, Frank Finlay as Porthos and Richard Chamberlain as Aramis). 

As Alexandre Dumas père’s source novel Twenty Years After says, it’s 1649, two decades on from the events of the first movies, and the swashbuckling quartet are reunited by France’s Queen Anne (Geraldine Chaplin), worried by revolutionary events across the Channel in England.

Cardinal Mazarin (Philippe Noiret) hires the impoverished D’Artagnan to find the other Musketeers. Their quest is to try to rescue King Charles I (Bill Paterson) and save him from execution from Oliver Cromwell (Alan Howard) who has overthrown him. D’Artagnan comes up against Rochefort (Christopher Lee) when he helps the Duc de Beaufort (Eusebio Lázaro) escape from prison. But, meanwhile, Milady de Winter’s daughter Justine (Kim Cattrall) swears vengeance on the foursome for her mother’s death.

It’s a welcome, entertaining third boisterous slapstick comedy adventure, with enough action, sword fighting, knockabout fun and pretty scenery to keep it enjoyable. It certainly has the advertised swashbuckling action, comedy capers and rollicking adventures. But, still, it’s a pale reflection of the exhilarating two original films. Perhaps, understandably, everyone was subdued by the shocking death of beloved star character actor Roy Kinnear (playing Planchet) after an appalling riding accident during filming.

On September 19 1988 while filming in Toledo, Spain, Kinnear fell from his horse, sustaining a broken pelvis, and died from a heart attack the next day at a Madrid hospital. Lester subsequently quit his career as a film director and afterwards worked only sporadically. Kinnear’s role was completed by a double and a British actor as a soundalike. Chamberlain quit the film because he was angry at what he saw as the producers’ lack of reaction over Kinnear’s death, explaining why Chamberlain’s role is brief.

Also in the cast are C Thomas Howell as Raoul, David Birkin as Louis XIV, Billy Connolly and Jean-Pierre Cassel as Cyrano de Bergerac. Lázaro, Cassel and Noiret are dubbed by British actors. George Macdonald Fraser’s screenplay is based on Alexandre Dumas père’s novel Twenty Years After.

Charlton Heston couldn’t reprise his role as Cardinal Richelieu was dead in 1649 when the film’s set. But Lester had a painting of Richelieu created, with Heston as the model. Seen at the beginning of the film, the painting was given to Heston after filming.

© Derek Winnert 2015 Classic Movie Review 2321

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com