This version of The Three Musketeers is incredibly popular and I thought it would be a nice palette cleanser after the version I watched earlier this week. And sadly, it didn’t do anything for me.

And that’s horrible, because it’s got a great pedigree. Produced by the Salkinds who would go on to produce Superman the Movie, directed by Richard Lester, who directed A Hard Day’s Night, Help! and would go on to helm Superman II and III for the Salkinds.

Then there’s the cast, Oliver Reed, Richard Chamberlain, Michael York, Christopher Lee, Raquel Welch, Faye Dunaway, and Charlton Heston! There’s a script by George MacDonald Fraser who would pen the sequel, write the Flashman novels, and Octopussy. And a solid score by Michael Legrand.

The story is close to the original Dumas novel, but there is a lot of silliness and clumsiness on D’Artagnan’s part. Lester likes his comedy as seen by his work with the Beatles and on the Superman sequels, and there is a lot to be found in this film as well.

It’s supposed to be a romp, and while I can respect that, as well as a good swashbuckle, I just couldn’t get into it. I think I wanted it played a little more straight. Don’t get me wrong, I like the camaraderie, but it just didn’t work for me. I feel silly saying that, as I quite enjoyed the 1993 Disney version with Kiefer Sutherland.

Yes, filmmaking was different in the seventies, especially when compared to the filming style of today, but that has never stopped me from getting into older films. And the cast is solid, though I think they needed a stronger Porthos (Frank Finlay). The rest of the cast is immediately recognizable, but Porthos seems to be a throwaway – heck he doesn’t even make the poster.

There’s some nice sets, solid costumes, great locations. Everything should work, I should have been completely caught up in this. But it just failed to hook me. There may be a time in the future when it engages me, but for now, I’m just going to have to let this one go, and call it a miss.

I really wanted to like it, but it just seemed to sway from fun to silly and back again, and honestly, the fight sequences could have been stronger.

Sorry. I know a lot of people love this one. Maybe someone will make a version that I really get hooked on. I love the story, I know the beats that have to make it into the story, but this one wasn’t it.

Reed as Athos is fun, Chamberlain almost chews the scenery as Aramis, and York is the young impulsive D’Artagnan. Welch is beguling as Constance, and Lee is so delicious as Rochefort. But none of it worked for me as a whole.

Dammit.