The Three Musketeers (1973)

Overview

Richard Lester’s 1973 adaptation of The Three Musketeers is one of the most energetic, irreverent, and stylish takes on Alexandre Dumas’s classic novel ever put to screen. Blending period-authentic detail with slapstick humour and modern wit, this version offers a refreshing departure from the more stately or romanticized adaptations that preceded it.

Made as a joint British-Spanish production, the film boasts a dazzling international cast and was so jam-packed with material that it ultimately had to be split into two films—the second being The Four Musketeers (1974), released a year later. The result is a two-part epic that balances broad comedy, intricate plotting, and thrilling swordplay with unexpected depth and visual flair.

Plot Summary

The film adapts the early chapters of Dumas’s novel, following d’Artagnan (Michael York), a hot-headed but idealistic young man who travels to Paris to join the King’s Musketeers. There he meets three famed swordsmen:

Athos (Oliver Reed), the brooding, alcoholic nobleman with a mysterious past

Porthos (Frank Finlay), the flamboyant, fashion-conscious bon vivant

Aramis (Richard Chamberlain), the religiously-inclined romantic

After some initial duelling mishaps, the four become fast friends, united by their loyalty to King Louis XIII and their opposition to the sinister scheming of Cardinal Richelieu (Charlton Heston) and his icy enforcer, Milady de Winter (Faye Dunaway).

The plot revolves around a conspiracy involving Queen Anne (Geraldine Chaplin) and a set of diamond studs given to her lover, the Duke of Buckingham (Simon Ward). Richelieu plans to expose her infidelity to weaken her political standing, and it falls to the musketeers—and particularly d’Artagnan—to retrieve the diamonds from England before a royal ball.

Performances

Michael York as d’Artagnan

York brings youthful exuberance, physical agility, and boyish charm to the role. He convincingly plays the part of a country bumpkin-turned-hero, often with a self-deprecating naivety. His comedic timing is sharp, and he proves capable in the film’s many physical set-pieces.

Oliver Reed as Athos

Reed delivers a standout performance as the tortured, sardonic Athos. With his commanding presence, wry delivery, and undercurrent of melancholy, Reed gives the film one of its few genuinely dramatic arcs. His performance hints at deeper psychological trauma, especially concerning Milady de Winter.

Raquel Welch as Constance Bonacieux

Welch plays Queen Anne’s loyal (and accident-prone) maid, adding a strong dose of physical comedy. Though her role borders on farcical at times, she brings charm and sweetness to the film. Her performance won her a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy.

Richard Chamberlain (Aramis) & Frank Finlay (Porthos)

Chamberlain gives a suave, slightly pompous performance as Aramis, while Finlay shines with comedic flair as the preening Porthos. Both are delightful and flesh out the ensemble with unique personality quirks.

Charlton Heston as Cardinal Richelieu

Heston gives a surprisingly restrained and menacing performance as Richelieu. Rather than playing him as overtly evil, he portrays the cardinal as cold, calculating, and driven by political ambition.

Faye Dunaway as Milady de Winter

Dunaway is steely and enigmatic, radiating danger beneath a mask of elegance. Her chemistry with Reed’s Athos is compelling, and though her character's arc is more fully developed in The Four Musketeers, her presence is haunting.

Action and Swordplay

Lester’s version delivers some of the most grounded, chaotic, and realistic fight scenes ever captured in a Musketeers film. The swordplay is unpolished and gritty, often played for laughs—characters trip, slip, and break furniture, making fights seem unpredictable and dangerous.

Rather than choreographed duels of elegant fencing, these are brawls that reflect the unpredictable nature of real combat in narrow streets and taverns. This approach enhances the film’s sense of realism and undercuts traditional swashbuckling glamor, giving the action a visceral edge.

Tone and Humour

What truly sets this adaptation apart is its witty, irreverent tone. Richard Lester infuses the film with a Monty Python-esque sensibility, combining period authenticity with modern irony. Visual gags abound: malfunctioning weapons, mistaken identities, pratfalls, and moments of low comedy are interspersed with the serious stakes of court intrigue and espionage.

The humour never feels anachronistic, however—it emerges naturally from the absurdities of the time, emphasizing the bumbling incompetence of kings and courtiers alike. Even the musketeers themselves, while skilled, are portrayed as flawed and sometimes ridiculous.

Production Design and Costumes

Shot largely on location in Spain, the film features sumptuous sets and authentic locations, giving it a dusty, lived-in look that captures the rough-and-tumble texture of 17th-century France. The costume design by Yvonne Blake is outstanding—opulent, flamboyant, and richly detailed. The contrasting aesthetics between royal court, military barracks, and urban squalor add depth to the visual storytelling.

Music

The playful and baroque-inflected score by Michel Legrand underscores the film's whimsical energy and sense of adventure. It complements the light tone without ever overpowering the scenes.

Behind the Scenes and Controversy

The film was originally shot as a single epic but later split into two parts (The Four Musketeers being the second). This decision, made without the actors’ consent, led to legal disputes and eventually to the creation of the so-called “Salkind Clause” (named after producers Alexander and Ilya Salkind), which required producers to clarify how many films would be made from a single shoot.

Legacy

Lester’s The Three Musketeers remains one of the most beloved and inventive adaptations of the classic novel. It revitalized the swashbuckler genre for the 1970s and inspired a wave of similarly irreverent period films. Its sequel, The Four Musketeers (1974), completes the story with darker themes and greater emotional payoff.

This version has endured for its distinctive balance of comedy, action, and drama, and for showcasing the musketeers not as idealized heroes, but as roguish, relatable figures caught in political gamesmanship.

Conclusion

Richard Lester’s 1973 The Three Musketeers is a rollicking, razor-sharp retelling of Dumas’s tale, filled with colourful characters, gleeful chaos, and a surprising amount of historical grit beneath its comic exterior. Powered by a superb cast, inventive direction, and grounded swordplay, it stands the test of time as both a faithful adaptation and a bold reimagining.

Whether you're a Dumas purist or simply a fan of adventurous historical cinema, this film offers high entertainment with artistic flair—and more than a few laughs.

A witty, swashbuckling triumph that breathes new life into classic adventure through humour, grit, and style.