The Man in the Iron Mask

• Director: Randall Wallace
• AMG Rating:
• Genre: Adventure
• Movie Type: Swashbuckler, Costume Adventure
• Themes: Righting the Wronged, Crowned Heads, Daring Rescues
• Main Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jeremy Irons, John Malkovich, Gérard Depardieu, Gabriel Byrne
• Release Year: 1998
• Country: US
• Run Time: 135 minutes
• MPAA Rating: PG13

Plot

Oscar-nominated Randall Wallace (Braveheart) made his directorial debut with this adaptation of the 1848 classic by Alexandre Dumas (1802-70), featuring Leonardo DiCaprio in a dual role. Years have passed since the Three Musketeers, Aramis (Jeremy Irons), Athos (John Malkovich), and Porthos (Gerard Depardieu) fought together with their friend D'Artagnan (Gabriel Byrne). The arrogant, tyrannical King Louis XIV (Leonardo DiCaprio) desires the beautiful Christine (Judith Godreche), so he orders her suitor Raoul (Peter Sarsgaard), the son of Athos, off to face death at the front. He also sends Aramis to kill the leader of a Jesuit rebellion. Louis is unaware that his loyal protector and informant, D'Artagnan, is the secret lover of his mother, Queen Anne (Anne Parillaud). Louis' younger twin brother, Philippe (also DiCaprio) is the man in the iron mask, imprisoned for the past six years. Arthos and Porthos plan to free Philippe, abduct Louis and replace him by putting Philippe on the throne. French location scenes include the Chateau de Fontainbleau. Previous adaptations: Allan Dwan's The Iron Mask (1929) with Douglas Fairbanks, the 1939 James Whale version with Louis Hayward, Patricia Medina in Lady in the Iron Mask (1952), Henri Decoin's Le Masque de Fer (1962), Mike Newell's 1976 TV movie with Richard Chamberlain, and Ken Annakin's The Fifth Musketeer (1978, aka Behind the Iron Mask) with Beau Bridges, Lloyd Bridges, Sylvia Kristel, Ursula Andress, Cornel Wilde, Jose Ferrer, Rex Harrison, and Olivia de Havilland. A second film titled The Man in the Iron Mask was released in 1998, a low-budget effort from director William Richert. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide

Cast

• Leonardo DiCaprio - Philippe
• Jeremy Irons - Aramis
• John Malkovich - Athos
• Gérard Depardieu - Porthos
• Gabriel Byrne - D'Artagnan

Anne Parillaud - Queen Anne; Judith Godrëche - Christine; Edward Atterton - Lieutenant Andre; Peter Sarsgaard - Raoul; Hugh Laurie - King's Advisor; Laura Fraser - Bedroom Beauty; David Lowe - King's Advisor

Credit

Francois de Lamothe - Art Director, Albert Rajau - Art Director, Cathy Sandrich - Casting, Amanda Mackey-Johnson - Casting, Rene Dupont - Co-producer, Paul Hitchcock - Co-producer, James Acheson - Costume Designer, David Tomblin - First Assistant Director, Frédéric Auburtin - First Assistant Director, Randall Wallace - Director, David Carrigan - Second Unit Director, William Hoy - Editor, Alan Ladd, Jr. - Executive Producer, Nick Glennie-Smith - Composer (Music Score), Anthony Pratt - Production Designer, Peter Suschitzky - Cinematographer, Randall Wallace - Producer, Russ Smith - Producer, Philippe Turlure - Set Designer, David A. Stephenson - Sound/Sound Designer, Randall Wallace - Screenwriter, Henry Habans - Second Unit Director Of Photography, Alexandre Dumas - Book Author

Similar Movies

The Three Musketeers; Blades of the Musketeers; Panache; Il Visconte di Bragelonne; The Musketeer