This isn't quite as funny as the first film, but that's only because the drama and action kick into high gear here. Oliver Reed and Faye Dunaway play their story out quite remarkably, and the transformation Michael York goes through from head-strong foolishly brave farm boy with a broken sword to the battle weary Musketeer who is strong enough to stand up to Richelieu and beat him at his own game is really a delight to watch. Two really superior films.
*note: don't bother with 1989s "The Return of the Musketeers". Lester brings most of the wonderful cast back, but this time Dumas' story ("Twenty Years After") just isn't as fun, and unfortunately Lester is only given 100 minutes to tell it this time, where he falls into the same cram-it-all-in traps as other filmmakers adapting "The Three Musketeers". It's fine as a curio, as it is fun to see this cast play these characters again, and they do have a couple of nice moments, but it just isn't up to the standards they themselves set.
*note: don't bother with 1989s "The Return of the Musketeers". Lester brings most of the wonderful cast back, but this time Dumas' story ("Twenty Years After") just isn't as fun, and unfortunately Lester is only given 100 minutes to tell it this time, where he falls into the same cram-it-all-in traps as other filmmakers adapting "The Three Musketeers". It's fine as a curio, as it is fun to see this cast play these characters again, and they do have a couple of nice moments, but it just isn't up to the standards they themselves set.