Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-05-25
The Three Musketeers


worlo OF ours today, IN any country
IN Europe or IN the United states, as
10 the greatest tive novels or romances
ever Written in any language--lt Is
quite certain that the Inree MusKe-
Ieers, by Alexander dumas, the elder,
would De included IN every list. FRO
vldeo, however, that the vote woulo De
taken among the reading pubic OF
eacn country. 1t would matter hot'
the number of votes, so lar as the
Inree Musketeers is concerned, Wheth-
er one hundred or ten thousand, thls
immortal work of Dumas would re
celve q unanimous choice as one Oh
the nye. Statesmen, scientists, clergy
men. poets-the great lntellects OIL
every calling and vocatlon-eVen nov
ensts and romance writers themselves
Tor nearly a century past, have sue
cnmnen 10 the charm OF this fasclnat-
ING work, and rendered it due hom-
aye. Not even my own friends are
quite SO dear to me as D'Artagnan -
wrote robert Louis Stevenson
ii Dumas is famous tor any one
quality 1t is for action. Inc story
moves rapidly and brilliantly, with
out a dun or hating page. Consist
inc manly of sparkling and selntll-
laCmg dialogue, Just enough descrlp-
ton 10 be ilIumlnative ana never ted
lous. there is a vividness and nervous
ACTIVITY that sweeps the reader off his
teet, and carries him along on tlde
OF GREATNESS interest.
We have described the essentials
for a great Movie Drama. Action Is
the chief requislte-a rapid-tire de-
velopment Of plot-and series OF
continuous surprises. Add to this
that lnetfable quality known only 10
genius: the creation Of living, breath
ing, human entities as the characters,
ana you nave the greatest OF photo
plays.
SO much for the play itself. Now
as to the players! Douglas Fair
banks makes the ideal D'Artagnan'
The fierce, fiery, intrepid Gascon,
whose very breath OF lie Is adven-
ture; VINO is as proud as Lucifer and
as poor as a church-mouse; the soul
OF chivalry; yet with a heart as tender
as a maidens; handsome, of course;
with nerves OF adamant, and muscles
OF steel; the best fencer in three king
doms; with that assurance In Gas
con, which in others would be mere
boast and bravado; all these things
Douglas Fairbanks does not only act
but IS! TO see him is a revelation. 1t
is by farther best work he has ever
done; and is encouraging IN that 1t
points out the heights to which he may
attain; higher he could not 90. Given
the vehicle he has the genius
For our own part, we do not hest
tate to say that the Three Musketeers
is by far the best work he has ever
put on the screen. 1t carries US back
to the days of Louis Kill, and Charles
l., in the early years of the 18th cen
tury. The architecture, the landscape,
the manners, the customs, and the
costumes are all portrayed to the
life. Historically it is painting
made at the time and on the spot.
The other characters, too, display
the greatest talent. They are all inn
bued with the spirit of the story and
seem to belong to a past age. The
Cardinal is n splendid reproduction OF
the willy diplomat who ruled France
the Duke Of Buckingham is the hand
soonest cavalier of the English Court,
who broke the hearts Of women and
the heads of his enemies. Father JOS
eph seems to have stepped out of an
old canvas, ghostly and mysterious.
Athos, Porthos, and Aramis could not
be improved on. Anne of Austria,
Constance, and Milady, are lovely and
womanly; and the last, terrible, as
well!
The fencing scenes are the climax
Of skill. Fairbanks does apparently
impossible feats.
This great photoplay is really IN
surpassable and should be seen by
every man and woman and every
youth and maiden in Alexandria
Clean as a hounds tooth, as true
to the life of the days in which it IS
laid, as the image in mirror-it Is
THE most interesting and fascinating
drama yet made visible to the eye by
the moving camera. We have seen 1t
twice and shall see it yet third time
this week, here at home. We have
read the novel ten times: We hope to
sec it on the screen, with Douglas
Fairbanks as the star, at least as
many times in as many years.