The Man in the Iron Mask (1939 film)
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| Directed by | James Whale |
| Produced by | Edward Small |
| Written by | George Bruce |
| Starring | Louis Hayward Joan Bennett Warren William Joseph Schildkraut |
| Music by | Lucien Moraweck |
| Cinematography | Robert H. Planck |
| Editing by | Grant Whytock |
| Distributed by | United Artists |
| Release date(s) | July 13, 1939 |
| Running time | 110 min. |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The Man in the Iron Mask is a 1939 American film very loosely adapted from the last section of the novel The Vicomte de Bragelonne by Alexandre Dumas, père, which is itself based on the French legend of the Man in the Iron Mask.
The film is notable for containing the first screen role for Peter Cushing.[1] It was also notable for being the source of several subsequent remakes. The film was directed by James Whale and stars Louis Hayward as royal twins, Joan Bennett as Princess Maria Theresa, Warren William as d'Artagnan, and Joseph Schildkraut as Nicolas Fouquet.
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[edit] Plot
The 1939 adaptation alters history significantly by making Fouquet (Joseph Schildkraut) a thoroughly evil, scheming mastermind. He, d'Artagnan (Warren William) and the musketeers are the only ones who know of the existence of a twin brother, and Fouquet uses his influence to keep everyone silent. The main story was changed by portraying Louis XIV as selfish, cruel, and incompetent, and Philippe the kind-hearted brother who is raised by d'Artagnan and the musketeers and does not even know that he has an identical twin.
When the truth is discovered, Louis XIV has Philippe imprisoned with an iron mask placed on his head, hoping that Philippe's beard will grow inside the mask and eventually strangle him. Philippe is rescued by the musketeers, who break into the sleeping Louis's chamber and imprison him in the mask. The guards drag off Louis and lock him in the Bastille, mistaking him for the escaped Philippe.
When Louis manages to get a message to Fouquet, he is freed, and a chase by coach ensues to stop Philippe from cementing an alliance with Spain by marrying Princess Maria Theresa (Joan Bennett), whom he loves, and taking Louis' place on the throne. The coach is waylaid by the musketeers, who all die heroically, but Fouquet and the real Louis XIV are also killed when the driverless coach plunges off a cliff. The mortally wounded d'Artagnan survives long enough to exclaim "God Save the King!" at Philippe's wedding, and then falls dead in the throne room. Philippe finally assumes the throne.
[edit] Cast
- Louis Hayward as King Louis XIV / Philippe of Gascony
- Joan Bennett as Princess Maria Theresa
- Warren William as d'Artagnan
- Joseph Schildkraut as Fouquet
- Alan Hale as Porthos
- Miles Mander as Aramis
- Bert Roach as Athos
- Walter Kingsford as Colbert
- Marion Martin as Mademoiselle de la Valliere (as Marian Martin)
- Montagu Love as the Spanish ambassador
- Albert Dekker as King Louis XIII
[edit] Influence
Most subsequent film versions, including the 1977 version and the 1998 version, have followed the basic outline of the 1939 film, not of the original novel or the 1929 film.
Steve Harris, kept the name of his band, after seeing the film in 1975. His band, Iron Maiden became an influential heavy metal group. In the movie the torture device are mentioned.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- The Man in the Iron Mask at the Internet Movie Database
- The Man in the Iron Mask at AllRovi
- The Man in the Iron Mask at the TCM Movie Database
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