Aka - Il Colpo Segreto di D'Artagnan
This Italian version of the Three Musketeers has plenty of swordplay and
a few astonishing stunt falls that had to hurt, but it never quite grabbed
me. When there was no fighting going on, it was a struggle to stay interested
in it. For one thing the film only has two of the Musketeers. Whether it
was for budgetary reasons who knows but I felt a bit cheated not getting
Athos and Aramis. Were they on vacation? Instead, we get D'Artagnan and Porthos
working together to save the Kingdom. And in a small twist Cardinal Richelieu
is a good guy in charge of the Two Musketeers. The filmmakers - directed
by Siro Marcellini (Black Tigress with Lola Falana) - bring in an American
to play D'Artagnan. George Nader. He was another one of many Americans whose
career never took off in Hollywood who found success in Europe. He is best
known for the role of American FBI agent Jerry Cotton in eight films. He
makes a decent enough Musketeer - dubbed into Italian of course - but handsome
and handy with a blade.
Word has reached Richelieu that that there is a conspiracy to overthrow the
King - Luigi in this Italian version - and put his brother on the throne
with the help of the Queen Mother. But the King wants proof before he starts
cutting off heads and so the Cardinal turns to his old foe D'Artagnan to
bring him evidence. D'Artagnan finds his good friend Porthos leaning against
a tree in the countryside and talks him into joining. Porthos if you recall
is the strong one and often throws aside his sword just to bash people.
They infiltrate a meeting of the conspirators but are discovered and have
to fight their way out. D'Artagnan is wounded and of course finds sanctuary
in the home of the lovely Diana (Alessandra Panaro -Treasure of the Aztecs)
and her equally lovely maid (Magali Noël - La Dolce Vita, Rififi) -
very convenient for the two Musketeers. A number of action scenes that are
well done and as I mentioned before, a few stunt men take some long falls
shown in from top to the crash with no edits. The two damsels are always
in distress because the head conspirator is Diana's uncle and wants her hidden
hoard of gold - and tortures her for it. Kisses follow.
In color and in Italian with subs. Apparently, there is a cheap b&w version
out there from Something Wierd.
