The Man in the Iron Mask (1998/I)

Director:

Randall Wallace

Writers (WGA):

Alexandre Dumas père (novels)
Randall Wallace (screenplay)

Release Date:

13 March 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Drama | History

Tagline:

For the honor of a king. And the destiny of a country. All for one.

Plot:

The cruel King Louis XIV of France has a secret twin brother who he keeps imprisoned. Can the twin be substituted for the real king?

Plot Keywords:

Twin | Mask | Iron Mask | Musketeer | Twin Brother

Awards:

3 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Leonardo DiCaprio	...	King Louis XIV / Philippe
Jeremy Irons	...	Aramis
John Malkovich	...	Athos
Gérard Depardieu	...	Porthos
Gabriel Byrne	...	D'Artagnan
Anne Parillaud	...	Queen Mother Anne
Judith Godrèche	...	Christine (as Judith Godreche)
Edward Atterton	...	Lt. Andre
Peter Sarsgaard	...	Raoul
Hugh Laurie	...	King's Advisor
David Lowe	...	King's Advisor
Brigitte Boucher	...	Madame Rotund
Matthew Jocelyn	...	Assassin
Karine Belly	...	Wench
Emmanuel Guttierez	...	King's Friend

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sequences of violence and some sensuality/nudity.

Runtime:

132 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Peru:PT | Netherlands:MG6 | Iceland:12 | Spain:7 | South Korea:15 | Argentina:13 | Belgium:KT | Chile:TE | Finland:K-12/9 | France:U | Germany:12 (w) | Ireland:12 | Mexico:B | Norway:11 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:12 | USA:PG-13 | Australia:M | Brazil:14

Filming Locations:

Castle, Vaux-le-Vicomte, Seine-et-Marne, France

Company:

United Artists Corporation

Trivia:

This is the third in a trilogy of the Alexandre Dumas père novels about the adventures of Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, which also include 'The 3 Musketeers' and 'Twenty Years Later'.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: In the final scene where the Kings' guards form up to shoot the musketeers and Philippe, the click of cocked hammers is heard. However, the guards are using matchlocks, which are correct for the period, but they cannot make that sound. They would make no sound at all until fired.

Quotes:

[the Four Musketeers and Phillipe are trapped by riflemen at the other end of the hallway]
Aramis: D'Artagnan... They're young Musketeers. They've been weaned on our legends. They revere us. It is an advantage.
Porthos: Yes. Why don't we charge them?
D'Artagnan: I trained these men. They will fight to the death. But if we must die - if WE must die - let it be like this.
[He draws his sword and points it at the floor. Aramis, Porthos, and Athos, join their swords with his]
Athos: One for all. All for one.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in A Little Thing Called Murder (2006) (TV)

Dumas would have been pleased (perhaps)

This 1998 movie provides everything a swashbuckling cape-and-sword flick should - legendary heroes, a cruel villain, noble sentiments, touches of love and sex, some slapstick, picturesque scenery, sumptuous interiors and of course dashing swordplay (the last perhaps a little limited by the maturity of some of the principals).

It has also some reasonably intelligent dialogue, provided by writer/producer/director, Randall Wallace, and spoken in part by two of the finest voices in the business - Jeremy Irons (Athos) and John Malkovich (Aramis). Gerard Depardieu (Porthos) and Gabriel Byrne (D'Artangnan) are the other two of the original 3 + 1 Musketeers.

The villainy of the young King Louis 14 is provided by Leonardo DiCaprio, who may be too wishy-washy for some tastes, though he certainly has the veneer of elegance needed for the part. One niggle I have is, that it would have been better if he had been instructed to pronounce Athos either with a short a or a long a (preferably the former) and not alternate between the two.

The plot, like the Dumas novel on which it is based, has no less, and no more, credibility than is appropriate for this type of film - for anyone interested in the real events and rumours surrounding the Man in the Iron Mask, I recommend this website - http://www.royalty.nu/legends/IronMask.html

One aspect of the film I find amusing is that in this version of a quintessentially French story, the only French actor in the quartet of heroes, Gerard Depardieu, plays the part of a uncouth, lecherous buffoon; while an Englishman, an American and an Irishman provide the grace, heartfelt speeches and depth of character. I wonder how that went down with the audience in France.