MJ's View: Fifty years later, Richard Lester's "The Three Musketeers" is still one for all.

The Musketeers: Porthos (Frank Finley), Athos (Oliver Reed), D'Artagnan (Michael York) and Aramis (Richard Chamberlain)

NOTE: News of Richard Chamberlain's death came while I was writing this blog. As such, some of the final comments, though initially unplanned, have become part of this remembrance. With Chamberlain's passing (Oliver Reed died in 1999; Frank Finley in 2006), Michael York is now the only living member of Lester's Musketeer Corps.

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Fifty-one years ago on March 29, 1974 (gulp...yes I remember that far back), Richard Lester's not-quite-campy, totally irreverant, Beatles-esque take on Alexandre Dumas' classic novel, The Three Musketeers, had its Royal Premier in London (it had previously opened in Paris in December 1973). A year later, in February 1975, its "sequel," The Four Musketeers, was released.

At the time, the first installment, subtitled "The Queens Diamonds," was touted as a new interpretation of Dumas' beloved adventure tale, cheekily described in its trailer as "second only to the Bible" in terms of historical popularity, and solidifying director Lester's reputation as a flamboyant filmmaker, one who could encapsulate both "the vitality and triviality" of an era with a single camera shot or gesture. In many ways, The Three Musketeers extended to great effect the zany quick-cut tempo of the Beatles' romps, A Hard Days Night (1964) and Help! (1965), as well as his earlier work with Peter Sellers, 1959's The Running Jumping and Standing Still Film.

Lester originally intended to make an epic swashbuckler, with George McDonald Fraser's screenplay clocking in at over three hours, including an intermission. But when production delays threatened to postpone the film's planned release, Lester & Co. (including producers Alexnder and Ilya Salkind), decided to cut the film in two and release them one year apart. The cast and crew, however, had signed on to make one film, and when news of the split was announced, they were none to happy about the ole cut and switch.

"Two for the price of one," co-star Charlton Heston quipped when informed of the two-for-one arrangement. Actors and technicians were eventually compensated for making two movies, thanks to the Screen Actors Guild intervening and creating "The Salkind Clause," a now-famous contractual arrangement which requires producers to state up front how many movies they are making.

Whether it was one or two movies, I didn't care. I'd become a huge fan of Michael York - still/always one of my top two or three favorite actors, though most people never know who he is. Their loss. York may not be an Oscar winner or a household name, but he's had a distinguished career in a slew of fine films: from Zeffirelli's groundbreaking Romeo and Juliet (1968) to devlishly good cult classics like Something for Everyone (1970) to more popular fare like Cabaret (1972), Murder on the Orient Express (1974), and Logan's Run (1976). For me, after reading The Three Musketeers in French for my Honors French class that same year, York was the perfect D'Artagnan: he had the fair, finely chisled features of the passionate Gascon Dumas carefully describes in the novel's early chapters.

Though some critics argued that York was enough of a "leading man" to command the romance necessary for D'Arganan's multiple love interests, I will respectfully disagree. Five decades later, I still found myself smiling (and swooning a bit), at his sometimes innocent, often clumsy attempts at flirtation and foreplay. There is something disarmingly sweet and cool about his mannerisms.

Completing Lester's exquisite casting as York's comrades-in-arms are Oliver Reed as the brroding, dark, mysterious and cynical Athos (typecasting here, given Reed's reputation as a hard-drinking, quick-fisted rabblerouser on and off-screen), Frank Finley as the sartorially spendiferous Porthos (lesser known to American audiences, but a British fan fave), and American TV actor/heartthrob Richard Chamberlain (here continuing his transformation to reputable film actor).

In addition, Lester added to his international case with supporting turns from Charlton Heston (a credible Cardinal Richelieu), Simon Ward (Duke of Buckingham), Geraldine Chapline (Queen Anne), Jean-Pierre Cassel (Louis XIII), Faye Dunaway as the treacherous Milady de Winter, and - in a surpise turn for many - Raquel Welch as the clumsily dim-witted Constance Bonacieux, D'Arganan's main love interest. Welch won a Golden Globe for her supporting performance, showing the world in ways that Madonna, Sharon Stone and, most recently, Demi Moore - have done - that sexy, beautiful woman can also (always?) be talented.

I wasn't sure how The Three Musketeers would play after fifty years, but I was pleasantly surprised at how well it holds up. Though I've seen it many times, it's been a while since I sat down to watch it start-to-finish. The opening credits, which I've always found visually stunning, remained so, with Lester blurring the lines between sword and human as D'Artagan practices his fencing skills with his father. Michel Legrand's score sets the tone for the action adventure to follow, deftly switching moods and melodies as we follow the young Gascon's journey toward the Queen's Guard.

Lester's skill balancing the power struggle between the monarchy and the Catholic church, specifically, the battle to expose Queen Anne's suspected indiscretions and satiate Cardinal Richelieu's personal ambitions is done deftly and delicately: we never lose sight of the issues at stake, even if some of the physical battles are punctuated with slapstick. Determined to shatter the Hollywood myth of the perfectly agile swashbuckler, Lester infuses moments of humor at every turn: no spitoon goes uptipped, no mud puddle left untouched as the musketeers battle the Cardinal's guards to protect the Queen's honor.

Yet, even with the pratfalls and tongue-in-cheek humor, Lester never loses his focus on the plot and the adventure at hand. He manages the sizeable cast of characters with ease, giving enough individual development to keep the story moving and the players' movtives identifiable. Underscoring all the moving parts and palace intrigue are some nicely placed historical details, from the beautifully designed costumes to the intricate period details like dogs serving as chess pieces and palaces with secret rooms. The Three Musketeers was nominated for several BAFTA's including cinematography, costume design and won the British Film Award for Best Comedy. Not too shabby, considering this is mostly a tale of a grand escapade and not a serious exploration of European politics.

In all, I was pleasantly surprised that my time in early seventeenth century France flew by, recapturing some of my initial delight in the movie's dazzling swordplay and seductive romance. Remembering the experience watching The Three Musketeers became part of my early love of cinema, and it was fun to revisit it all these years later, this time a bit wistfully, as I was reminded how influential art can be in shaping how we see the world and he we navigate within it.

We'll probaby never know the impact this Solomon-like division had on The Three Musketeers and The Four Musketeers, as both "The Queens Diamonds" and the sequel, subtitled "Milady's Revenge," did fine at the box office. But I will always believe that a grand, three-hour epic, complete with intermission, would have offered an even deeper, expansive movie experience, especially given the scope and range of tone and emotion across both films. As it stands, both films are terrific, with the first being more light-hearted, while the second ventures into darker, more sinister territory about human nature and personal retribution, but seeing both of them at once would have been one powerful wallop of adventure, romance, humor, and vengeance.

Epilogue

So ever since I can remember, I've loved anything that had to do with the performing arts. I loved TV actors, movie actors, musicians. I would have been glued to the TV non-stop had m parents not put parameters on my viewing (such as it was in the 60s and 70s). When I took ballet lessons at age four and later, music lessons at age seven, I was always in my element. No one ever had to prompt me to practice. I raced home from school every day eager to learn a new song or to practice a more familiar one. Going to see a movie at the theater was an extra-special experience, one that I continue to cherish as it holds so many warm memories of time spent with my parents and my aunt Helen. Some of those I've already written about here, but there are more that are likely to unfold in future blog posts.

At any rate, I idolized entertainers, and one day, my mom told me that, if I really wanted to, I could write my favorites a fan letter (mind you, I was probably about six years old). I only learned later that, as a teenager, she's penned a heartfelt missive to Clark Gable. My very first fan letter was sent to Richard Chamberlain, written c1965. In it, I explained that I was too young to watch "Dr. K.," but that my mom loved the show. I also had his 45 rpm recording of "The Theme from Dr. Kildare: Three Stars Will Shine Tonight" b/w "A Kiss To Build a Dream On." (I still have that record somewhere among my childhood mementos).

About a month later, a small 3x5 autographed postcard came in the mail, autographed by Chamberlain himself. I was delighted, and carefully attached it to the mirror on my dresser. It was a prized possession, for sure. One morning, as I was getting ready for school, my mom peeked in and reminded me not to "go gaga" (Sorry, Lady G) about celebrities because, well, I'd never meet them, so not a good idea to waste time thinking about the possibilities.

I can't say I took my mom's advice as, over the years, I have had my share of celebrity crushes, though I have never descended into stalker fandom or changed my life decisions in the hope of hooking up with one of them. Receiving Chamberlain's photo fueled my motivation and, for a while, writing fan letters became a favorite activity. To this day, I keep a scrapbook filled with photos of everyone from Gene Kelly to Patty Duke to the Monkees, and my most prized photo is the personally autographed 8x10 from Tom and Dick Smothers.

In more than a few cases, my work life has allowed me to meet my idols. Thank you, Rick Springfield, Chris Isaak, Alan Alda, Dick Smothers, Gloria Steinem, Bon Jovi and others, for not completing ruining my impressions of you. There is an adage that you should never meet your heroes because they'll likely disappoint you. I am grateful for those fleeting, thoroughly memorable opportunities, even if they are more like Camelot's King Arthur: "brief, shining moments" that may not be lasting, but over a lifetime, can be sustainable.

But Richard Chamberlain was my first celebrity crush (well, after Ricky Nelson), and the first one I felt a kind of connection to, even if it was mostly in my pre-adolencent head. To watch his movies now, as I do other actors who have passed, will present a new challenge. It is still difficult for me to watch Robin Williams. Even though I never met him, his screen presence left such a profound impact on me as a movie lover and film historian, so vibrant was his aura that it's still difficult to think of him in the past tense.

But onward we go and Chamberlain left an impressive film and television legacy. Though he once said he never wanted/expected to be remembered, his thespian catalogue will long be reviewed and evaluated as one of the best of its time.

Regarding The Three Musketeers and The Four Musketeers, I thoroughly enjoyed my little jaunt down memory lane, encouraged by a Facebook feed from Michael York's home page that acknowledged the anniversary of its release. Compared to current cinema, both movies lack the sophisticated CGI technology and special effects that dominate today's action movies. But Lester's verions remain the most authentic and faithful to Dumas' novel, both are cinematic and historical period pieces. Each film in its own way, captures the grit and glamour of the age, enticing us to take a closer look at politics and pleasure that defined a bygone era.

Stream them back-to-back, if you can. Both are currently available on Amazon Prime and Apple-TV. Please do not be confused/enticed into watching more recent versions, like the one from 1993,which is capitalizes on the then-hot heartthrob crew of Charlie Sheen, Kiefer Sutherland, Oliver Platt (?) and Chris O'Donnell. Eew.