The Man in the Iron Mask

Alexander Dumas's 1850 adventure—the final part of his multi-volume Three Musketeers saga—revolves around Philippe, twin brother of King Louis XIV, who was kept imprisoned by royal advisers until being freed and briefly replacing Louis on the throne. A story filmed many times (most famously with Leonardo DiCaprio), this British version—directed by Mike Newell, broadcast on NBC in 1977, and starring Richard Chamberlain in the dual role of Louis/Philippe—is hardly faithful to Dumas, portraying Louis as a smug, nasty fellow allied with the wicked Fouquet (Patrick McGoohan), while Philippe is not only presented as righteous, but also the legitimate ruler unjustly kept from the crown. Of the Musketeers, only D'Artagnan (Louis Jourdan) is retained, becoming an essential cog in the plot devised by Colbert (Ralph Richardson) to switch the twins for the sake of France. But if you can ignore creative license, this is an entertaining yarn, beautifully shot by ace cinematographer Freddie Young in gorgeous locations. Among the performers, McGoohan oozes malevolence, Richardson exudes gleeful caginess, and Jourdan overcomes a ridiculous Prince Valiant haircut to deliver derring-do with aplomb. The major drawback is Chamberlain, once the go-to guy for miniseries and adaptations of classics, who is handsome but bland. And Jenny Agutter isn't much better as Louise, the damsel romanced by Louis and Philippe. Still, compared to other renditions, this one can easily be recommended. (F. Swietek)