There's no shortage a Musketeers adaptions; this one is a success even if there are some shortcomings. What does work: The overall plot is made very clear, and during confrontations the costumes serve to distinguish the players - so it's easy to follow, even for children. There are some good outdoor shots, and most of the interior sets serve their purpose, too. As to acting, Gene Kelly brings his roguish charms and athletics to d'Artagnan, and he also carries himself well after tragedy strikes. Lana Turner as Charlotte de Winter is equally good, overacting just like warranted by the broad melodram and exhaling just the right amount of menace.What does not work so good: The other actors pale a bit besides the starring duo, especially Vincent Price as Richelieu is not very menacing, nor do we believe in his intellectual schemer. The music is very in-your-face (just my opinion, of course) and rarely lets the actors work their magic. But the biggest problem is the pace: We hurry from key scene to key scene without a chance to catch some breath, it's so jumpy the plot is in constant danger of getting whiplash syndrome. And said key scenes are also often extremely short - d'Artagnan marries Constance in 5 seconds and gets widowed in 20.Despite those shortcomings, a hearty recommendation - it's a fun adaption with not a single boring moment.

Gene Kelly's athleticism which is usually on full display in his musical films is given full reign in MGM's big budget adaption of The Three Musketeers, a tale very often told on the big screen. Personally I don't think the movies ever got it quite right, especially when none of the three best actors suited to play D'Artagnan, Errol Flynn, Tyrone Power, and Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. never got a crack it on the big screen.The Seventies had an all star epic filming of the Alexandre Dumas classic, but I'm betting that Richard Lester so wished he had all his players under contract to the same studio as Louis B. Mayer did. Look down the cast list, Mayer barely went outside his studio for a player.I don't think I have to relate any of the plot, one of the most familiar in the world. Gene Kelly fresh off the farm from Gascony with the usual bumptiousness associated with folks from that area of France gets himself in hot water with three Musketeers of the King's personal guard Van Heflin, Gig Young, and Robert Coote. But before fighting any duels with them all three join forces to defeat and send packing some of Cardinal Richelieu's guards. The other three like Kelly's style and he's a musketeer from then on.That particular duel is choreographed as Kelly would do in any of his numbers in his musicals. It's so good I expected a song to be coming forth almost any minute. This is where Kelly the dancer and choreographer gets to shine.The rest of the cast is of high quality with Frank Morgan as King Louis XIII, Angela Lansbury as Queen Anne of Austria, Vincent Price as the clever Richelieu, Ian Keith as Price's attack dog Rochefort, Lana Turner as Milady DeWinter who attacks in other ways for Richelieu, June Allyson who's a little too much like her Americanized girl next door as Constance for my taste, John Sutton as the English Prime Minister the Duke of Buckingham, and Keenan Wynn as the loyal if not too bright servant of D'Artagnan.Milady DeWinter is one of the most evil women in literature and Lana Turner was up to the job. Watching her it's like she channeled back her performance in The Postman Always Rings Twice for this role.I was curious however that I could find no reference in the film to Richelieu being a Cardinal. In the film he's simply referred to as Richelieu. Note there is no trace of any clerical garb on Vincent Price. My guess is that MGM didn't want to offend the Catholic Church by having a prince of said church shown as the villain. Also as the Cold War was going into deep freeze, Pius XII and his church were seen as an anti-Communist bulwark.Though I wish that one of the three stars I cited above had ever gotten to play D'Artagnan, The Three Musketeers from MGM in 1948 is not a bad version and Gene Kelly's fans will enjoy it immensely.

"The Three Musketeers" is an adaptation of Alexandre Dumas' novel of the same name. The film features sweeping scenes, bright costumes and classical themes. Gene Kelly does well in an energetic performance as D'Artagnan. The rest of the cast is solid as well, particularly Lana Turner and Vincent Price as the scheming villains.The film features a number of sword fights which are well staged, but become repetitive. The filmmakers tried to balance the action scenes with the intrigue of Dumas' novel. This was welcome, but I found the film had tedious stretches and didn't completely capture the excitement of the novel.

Gene Kelly is the best thing this film has going for it… he captures the adventure, spirit, and humor of both the literary work and the classic interpretation by Douglas Fairbanks. The film should have taken out all of the other "big name" stars, trimmed the script down (to give Mr. Kelly's character a singular focus), and -- this might have been a classic.If they HAD to keep one of these actresses, I'd keep Angela Lansbury, but in the role Lana Turner played. If Ms. Turner had to be in this movie for box office appeal, I'd try her in the de Winter role. June Allyson doesn't belong in this picture, in any role.Kelly is terrific. His swordly scenes are a highlight, and the film's expense is obvious. Perhaps they should have played up, rather than play down, the sexual situations -- it's strange to see Kelly kissing everyone in sight, before settling down to one interest. I'm not suggesting the film be explicit, just a bit more bawdy.****** The Three Musketeers (1948) George Sidney ~ Gene Kelly, Lana Turner, June Allyson