All for One and One for All--And What About All the Rest?

The Three Stooges never played them; neither did the Marx Brothers. But the Ritz Brothers did. Errol Flynn, king of the swashbucklers, never unsheathed a sword in this classic tale of derring-do--but Gene Kelly and Charlie Sheen have.

Yes, Alexandre Dumas’ “The Three Musketeers” has been adapted to film many times (not to mention a short-lived TV series in 1956 and Broadway musical in ‘85), the most recent being the current Disney release, which opened Friday. In the tale, young D’Artagnan, a rawboned but valiant Gascon comes to Paris in 1625 to join the musketeers of King Louis XIII. He becomes a protege of three veteran musketeers, joining them in foiling various plots by Cardinal Richelieu and his henchmen, Rochefort and Countess DeWinter, to usurp power from the throne.

Because not all interpretations of the classic adventure are equally classic, here’s a guide to which of the “Musketeers” currently available on large screen and small buckles its swash with the greatest panache.

*

“The Three Musketeers” (1935)

Directed by Rowland V. Lee; screenplay by Dudley Nichols and Rowland V. Lee; 90 minutes; B&W; Imagine Entertainment

CAST: Biggest names are Walter Abel (D’Artagnan) and Paul Lukas (Athos), which tells you something about the charisma level.

HOW MUCH OF THE BOOK IS USED: Approximately the first half, with the Countess DeWinter-Athos plotline from the second half.

CHIEF BAD GUY: Rochefort (Ian Keith), who wants to usurp the throne from both King Louis XIII and Cardinal Richelieu.

MUSKETEERS’ PROFILE: Nearly invisible. Athos gets the best scenes; the other two (Moroni Olsen, Onslow Stevens) are there to fill out title quota.

STYLE: Flat and theatrical, like something staged for a proscenium arch.

SWORDPLAY: Looks like it was choreographed by Busby Berkeley.

HOW LONG D’ARTAGNAN HAS TO GET FROM PARIS TO ENGLAND AND BACK WITH THE QUEEN’S DIAMONDS?: Six days.

OVERALL SWASHBUCKLE RATING: 1

*

“The Three Musketeers” (1948)

Directed by George Sidney; screenplay by Robert Ardrey; 127 minutes; color; Critics’ Choice Video.

CAST: Semi-star-studded: Lana Turner (Countess DeWinter), Gene Kelly (D’Artagnan), Van Heflin (Athos), June Allyson (Constance), Vincent Price (Richelieu). Heflin seems miscast, Turner too modern; Kelly mugs.

HOW MUCH OF THE BOOK IS USED: All of it, with alterations.

CHIEF BAD GUY: Richelieu, who wants to provoke war with England, usurp throne.

MUSKETEERS’ PROFILE: Athos steals the spotlight; Porthos and Aramis (Gig Young, Robert Coote) there to cover his back, not much else.

STYLE: Studio-era glamour: lavish costumes and sets; outdoor locations look like golf courses.

SWORDPLAY: Acrobatic and vigorous, particularly Kelly’s gymnastic star turns, including one swordfight on horseback.

HOW LONG D’ARTAGNAN HAS TO GET FROM PARIS TO ENGLAND AND BACK WITH THE QUEEN’S DIAMONDS: Nine days.

OVERALL SWASHBUCKLE RATING: 3

*

“The Three Musketeers” (1974)

Directed by Richard Lester; screenplay by George McDonald Fraser; 105 minutes; color; International Video Entertainment.

CAST: Stellar, including Michael York (D’Artagnan), Faye Dunaway (Countess DeWinter), Oliver Reed (Athos), Frank Finlay (Porthos), Richard Chamberlain (Aramis), Charlton Heston (Richelieu), Raquel Welch (Constance), Christopher Lee (Rochefort).

HOW MUCH OF THE BOOK IS USED: The first half.

CHIEF BAD GUY: Richelieu, using Rochefort and Countess DeWinter as his henchmen.

MUSKETEERS’ PROFILE: Healthy. Reed’s a bearlike Athos, Finlay a dandy Porthos and Chamberlain a charming Aramis. Actual character development.

STYLE: A dusty, realistic look, with a nod to Brueghel.

SWORDPLAY: Smashing, including a swordfight in the dark with lanterns, as well as broad slapstick.

HOW LONG D’ARTAGNAN HAS TO GET FROM PARIS TO ENGLAND AND BACK WITH THE QUEEN’S DIAMONDS? 14 days.

OVERALL SWASHBUCKLE RATING: 5

*

“The Four Musketeers” (1975)

Directed by Richard Lester; screenplay by George McDonald Fraser; 108 minutes; color; International Video Entertainment.

CAST: Same as 1974 “Three Musketeers.”

HOW MUCH OF THE BOOK IS USED: The second half.

CHIEF BAD GUY: Countess DeWinter, in tandem with Richelieu. Richelieu wants king to lose war to Protestant rebels so he can assume power; DeWinter wants revenge on D’Artagnan and Constance.

MUSKETEERS’ PROFILE: Less than in the first for Porthos and Aramis; Athos gets all the good scenes because his past marriage to DeWinter is revealed.

STYLE: Same as ’74 (it was shot at the same time).

SWORDPLAY: Terrific, including a swordfight on ice and a rousing final battle between D’Artagnan and Rochefort.

HOW LONG D’ARTAGNAN HAS TO GET FROM PARIS TO ENGLAND AND BACK WITH THE QUEEN’S DIAMONDS: Not applicable.

OVERALL SWASHBUCKLE RATING: 5

*

“The Three Musketeers” (1993)

Directed by Stephen Herek; screenplay by David Loughery; 110 minutes; color.

CAST: Callow star power: Chris O’Donnell (D’Artagnan), Kiefer Sutherland (Athos), Rebecca DeMornay (Countess DeWinter), Oliver Platt (Porthos), Charlie Sheen (Aramis), Tim Curry (Richelieu).

HOW MUCH OF THE BOOK DO THEY USE? The title, the characters--and little else.

CHIEF BAD GUY: Cardinal Richelieu, who plots with Rochefort and Countess DeWinter to assassinate the king.

MUSKETEERS’ PROFILE: Porthos is the life of the party, but Athos and Aramis both get plenty of screentime as well.

STYLE: Post-MTV action-comedy; though shot in Vienna, it looks like a newly constructed backlot set.

SWORDPLAY: Pretty pitiful--like guys pretending to fence.

HOW LONG IT TAKES D’ARTAGNAN TO GET FROM PARIS TO ENGLAND AND BACK WITH THE QUEEN’S DIAMONDS: In this version, he never even gets as far as England.

OVERALL SWASHBUCKLE RATING: 2