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#REDIRECT [[Man in the Iron Mask (disambiguation)]]
There have been several movies entitled '''''The Man in the Iron Mask''''', all based on the final section of the novel ''[[The Vicomte de Bragelonne]]'' by [[Alexandre Dumas]], which was itself based on the [[18th century]] [[myth]] of [[the Man in the Iron Mask]].
The plot involves [[D'Artagnan]] and [[the Three Musketeers]] and an identical twin brother of King [[Louis XIV of France]].
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However, the novel and the filmed versions of the tale have
{{R from incomplete disambiguation}}
some very interesting differences in how they portray the Royal
}}
Twins and in how the present the plot to switch them. It is
well worth renting both the 1929 silent version and the 1998
remake, as well possibly as the 1977 television version, and
contrast them with the novel and with one another.
In Dumas' original novel, although the plot to replace King Louis
XIV with his twin brother is foiled, the twin brother is depicted
as a much more sympathetic character than the King. In the 1929
silent version starring Douglas Fairbanks, Senior, as D'Artagnan,
the King is depicted favorably and the twin brother is depicted
as a pawn in an evil plot, so the plot's being foiled by D'Artagnan
and his Three Musketeer friends is made to seem condign.
But in the 1998 version, the King is depicted very negatively
while his twin brother is portrayed with considerable sympathy.
So the plot to switch the two brothers is presented as an attempt
to save France from a very bad king, by replacing him with the one
man in France who has an equal claim. D'Artagnan finds himself
torn between loyalty to his King and loyalty to his Three Musketeer
friends; the way in which this conflict is resolved provides much
of the dramatic tension in this version.
----
The 1929 silent version was the last silent film produced
by, and starring, Douglas Fairbanks, Senior. It starred
Fairbanks as D'Artagnan, Marguerite De La Motte as his beloved
Constance (who is killed early in the film to protect the
secret that the King has a twin brother), Nigel De Brulier
as the scheming Cardinal [[Richelieu]], and Ulrich Haupt as the
evil Count De Rochefort. The original 1929 release, though
a silent film, actually had a soundtrack: several short
narrations delivered by Fairbanks (in a rather orutund
manner -- it was no wonder he was much less successful in
"talkies" than he had been in the silent era), and a musical
score with a few sound effects. In 1952 it was reissued,
with the printed intertitles removed and a narration voiced
by Douglas Fairbanks JUNIOR added. In 1999, with the cooperation
of the Library of Congress and the Museum of Modern Art, Kino
Video released a DVD of the 1929 version. No film copy with
the soundtrack of the Fairbanks SENIOR speeches existed, but
phonograph records of them did exist, so using digital techniques
the sound from these was synchronized with film footage. For this
reissue, a new score was commissioned from composer Henry Sharp.
The Kino disk also includes excerpts from the 1952 version, some
outtakes from the original filming, and some textual background
material from the program for the 1999 premiere showing of the
reconstruction.
Note that this version was entitled ''The Iron Mask''
and is available from Kino Video, www.kino.com
----
The 1939 film was directed by [[James Whale]]. It starred [[Louis Hayward]] in the double role of Louis XIV and Philippe.
----
A 1977 television movie starred [[Richard Chamberlain]] in the double role of Louis XIV and Philippe, [[Patrick McGoohan]] as Fouquet, and [[Louis Jourdan]] as D'Artagnan.
----
The 1998 movie was written and directed by [[Randall Wallace]].
Its cast included [[Leonardo DiCaprio]] in the double role of Louis XIV and Philippe, [[Gabriel Byrne]] as D'Artagnan and [[Anne Parillaud]] as [[Anne of Austria]]. The three musketeers were portrayed by [[Jeremy Irons]] ([[Aramis]]), [[John Malkovich]] ([[Athos (fictional character)|Athos]]), and [[Gérard Depardieu]] ([[Porthos]]).
*In this version the ''man in the iron masked'' is introduced as number 24601 - the prisoner number [[Hugo]] gave to his character in [[Les Misérables]] [[Jean Valjean]].
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