THE FOUR MUSKETEERS

CAPSULE REVIEW –– More of a continuation of THE THREE MUSKETEERS than a true sequel – they were shot back-to-back – this installment follows D'Artagnan (York) and his musketeer friends as they fight for the King against protestant rebels. Their old enemies – the Cardinal Richelieu (Heston), Milady de Winter (Dunaway) and Rochefort (Lee) – continue to plot against the Queen and her lover, the Duke of Buckingham, while attempting to settle their personal vendettas against D'Artagnan. When his lover, Constance (Welch), is kidnapped, the four set out to find her and get entangled further in the Cardinal's web of intrigue. Swordfights, lovemaking and witty banter ensue. Our heroes get into and out of more dangerous situations than seems humanly possible. What makes it so fun is the energy, talent and choreography of the players. This is a darker tale than the first with Dunaway taking a major role. As good as she is, the film spends too much time with her and not enough on our musketeer fellows. If you blink, you'll miss Chamberlain and Finlay and that's a real shame. Their charm and wit are sorely lacking in this escapade. We do get more of Oliver Reed, which is a plus. Nobody broods more sexily than him. While not as exciting as the first, it's still one of the better swashbuckling adventures out there.