A Masterpiece!

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

The Three Musketeers (1948): Dir: George Sidney / Cast: Gene Kelly, Lana Turner, Van Heflin, June Allyson, Angela Lansbury: Pure swashbuckling action that is often corny but also entertaining. I never understood the title since Gene Kelly shows up and ends up becoming a fourth Musketeer. Why not call it The Four Musketeers? At any rate he shows up and ends up in confrontation with the original three Musketeers but after they are nearly arrested, they fight the odds and tick off a lot of high rise officials. There are two lovely femme fatales in this film. One of course, he cannot seem to trust, and the other one risks herself while Kelly follows her around in deep suspicion. There is no point to this spectacle but it is entertaining with its sword play and its lame kill scenes where people drop without any puncture wounds. One can say that children would not be able to watch it then. Kelly is in top spirit as the new Musketeer. Van Heflin plays a fellow Musketeer who seems more experienced with the sword. Lana Turner and June Allyson are the two ominous women and there are jewels involved here as well. Angela Lansbury plays Queen Anne who acts as one of the film's symbols of authority, which the Musketeers make little regard for. This is the typical version of the classic story and it represents it effectively right down to the point of the fourth sword. Score: 7 / 10

This is actually a pretty good movie. it is also the first Gene Kelly film i have seen where he doesn't sing or dance. and who would have thought Angela Lansbury from "murder she wrote" was a hottie. on the DVD of the signature collection the picture is great. it is obvious that they have remastered it extensively. Van Heflin(Athos) is a new name for me, i found him to be a great actor. he gave a believable and stellar performance. he literally stole every scene between him and Gene Kelly(D'Artagnan). even though i find Kelly to be a decent actor, i found him to be inferior to most of the cast. regarding action the duel scenes was believable and well thought out but the scenes on the rooftops Kelly's stunt man showed some incredible acrobatics equivalent to those in "Casino Royale".

What a pleasure... Speed, tense, action, drama, love... even death...Everything I would like in such a musketeers story is there ! It's just amazing !The film is set on a fast tempo, with excellent acting, I almost won't detail, nor explain... other did !In fact not only for families, but great family entertainment movie...I like a lot George Sidney's Scaramouche, too, saw it two or three times,but find out with surprise, that I even prefer this one in term of spectacular and skillful sword fights, with a very pleasant and convincingly developed story, characters included.In Scaramouche, for me, still a strong favorite of mine, some parts are a little too "kitsch".And in this film, I do not have such impression like that.Gene Kelly's energy and athletic qualities are just used in the best way,not to mention his smile !June Alison is quiet excellent as Constance Bonacieux,as obviously Lana Turner is absolutely superb in her bitchy Lady de Winter's role.Vincent Price is a real delight, as the powerful and subtle Richelieu...Van Heflin's Atos part, convinced me too...I wonder what would think Mr Alexandre there in Heaven ? Would he agree ?Even if it doesn't fit completely to his great story ?Never mind !... would he say ? Oh, pretentiously my guess will be yes !For us, mortal... Full pleasure...Ps It seems that Mr Sidney is a top director in these kind of adventures... Young Bess (1953, with Charles Laughton) only noted a low 6,6 on IMDb, got also my favors, alongside with Scaramouche... 10* from me too, all of them, may be technically slightly generous, but following my heart... Anyway I want to see more of what he did !

just for the record... one of those quotes is wrong...on the "quotes" section of the listing, there is a particular one which I remember well, and double-checked with the movie, just to be sure. it is listed as: Constance Bonacieux: Whatever my reputation or my D'Artagnan's, I don't take love lightly.not only is the quote slightly in error, but the character is wrong. this statement was made by Countess de Winter when D'Artagnan comes to visit her after she's received the "letter from the Count de Ward", and it runs thus: Countess de Winter: Whatever my reputation, my D'Artagnan, I don't take love lightly.just thought any fans or the staff would like to know this