The Three Musketeers (1948)

An inexperienced youth (Gene Kelly) travels to Paris with the hope of joining the King's Musketeers. On his first day in Paris, he finds himself challenged to a duel by three of the King's Musketeers (Van Heflin, Gig Young, Robert Coote) but they soon put aside their differences when a mission from Queen Anne (Angela Lansbury) causes them to unite. Based on the classic novel by Alexandre Dumas and directed by George Sidney (THE HARVEY GIRLS). This rousing, splashy Technicolor MGM rendition of the Dumas tale has enough adventure and tongue in cheek to have served as the template for the 1973 Richard Lester version which pushed its tongue even further into its cheek. Compacting the lengthy novel into one movie (Lester split Dumas' opus into two films) gives short shrift to the second part of the film. As D'Artagnan, Gene Kelly is too mature for the role of the young swashbuckler but he uses his athleticism and dancer's grace to great advantage in the dueling scenes. Lana Turner makes for a deliciously evil Lady De Winter and Vincent Price is perfect as the wicked Richelieu though he's not a cardinal in this version in an attempt to placate the Catholic church. Only June Allyson as Constance seems awkward as if she realizes she's out of place in period films. With Frank Morgan, Keenan Wynn, Patricia Medina, John Sutton and Marie Windsor.