The Three Musketeers / The Four Musketeers: Two Films by Richard Lester, Spine #1263, will be released in the Criterion Collection on May 27th, 2025.
As a child of the 90s, I grew up with Stephen Herek’s (Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, The Mighty Ducks) version of The Three Musketeers. It’s not particularly well-regarded these days, but with a cast including Charlie Sheen, Kiefer Sutherland, Chris O’Donnell, and Tim Curry, it perfectly encapsulated its era and served as a solidly entertaining swashbuckler, at least through the eyes of a seven-year-old boy.
I was aware of other adaptations, including Richard Lester’s (Superman II, Superman III), but for decades, Harek’s film was my sole experience with the characters of Alexandre Dumas’ iconic novel on screen. Now, with a digitally remastered 4K edition coming to the Criterion Collection, I’ve seen what is arguably the superior adaptation.
The Three Musketeers and The Four Musketeers plot
d’Artagnan (Michael York) dreams of becoming a musketeer. When he befriends Athos (Oliver Reed), Porthos (Frank Finlay), and Aramis (Richard Chamberlain), he joins the three musketeers as they fight to stop Cardinal Richelieu (Charlton Heston) as he plots to undermine the king.
The review
The Three Musketeers is an instantly recognized title, whether you’ve read the books or seen the movies. The trio (and eventual quartet) of heroic swordsmen is as embedded in popular culture as The Three Stooges. But I suspect that Richard Lester’s adaptation of the iconic novel is underseen by the younger generation. With any luck, the Criterion Collection’s 4K release will change that.
With a superb cast, including Charlton Heston and Christopher Lee delivering devilishly fun performances as the film’s antagonists, Lester perfectly captures the fun and lighthearted nature of Alexandre Dumas’ timeless novel. There’s never a dull moment to be found, and the stories are told in a surprisingly thrilling way. Though the sword fights lack the level of choreography that modern audiences have come to expect, the stunt work is impressively accomplished.
It’s hard to describe a vibe, but the vibe of these two adaptations is why they work so well. They both serve as the type of spirited, lighthearted adventure story we don’t see anymore. I’m not certain if I ever read the novel, perhaps as a reading assignment in high school, but as I watched Michael York, Oliver Reed, and the others bring these characters to life so vibrantly, I felt as though I was within the pages of the source material. That’s high praise for an adaptation of such a beloved story.
The special features
Each film is presented on a 4K UHD disc, presented in Dolby Vision HDR as well as a Blu-ray with the special features. Included in the special features is Two for One, a new documentary from critic David Cairns and The Saga of the Musketeers, a two-part documentary from 2002 with interviews from the cast and crew members. Also included is The Making of “The Three Musketeers, trailers and an essay by film critic Stephanie Zacharek.
Would I recommend this purchase? Yes. I think most viewers know what they’re going into when they hear the title The Three Musketeers, and if that excites them, then they’ll love these movies.
Is it worth a blind buy? Yes. Again, if sword fights and romance are what you want, you could do a lot worse than this duo of films.
Purchase your copy of The Three Musketeers / The Four Musketeers: Two Films by Richard Lester from the Criterion Collection here.
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