The Man in the Iron Mask
Directed by	James Whale
Produced by	Edward Small
Written by	George Bruce
Starring	Louis Hayward Joan Bennett Warren William Joseph Schildkraut
Music by	Lucien Moraweck
Cinematography	Robert H. Planck
Editing by	Grant Whytock
Distributed by	United Artists
Release date(s)	July 13, 1939
Country	United States
Language	English

The Man in the Iron Mask (1939) is a American film very loosely adapted from the last section of the novel The Vicomte de Bragelonne by Alexandre Dumas, père, which is itself based on the French legend of the Man in the Iron Mask.

The film is notable for containing the first screen role for Peter Cushing,^[1]. It was also notable for being the source of several subsequent remakes. The film was directed by James Whale and stars Louis Hayward as royal twins, Joan Bennett as Princess Maria Theresa, Warren William as d'Artagnan, and Joseph Schildkraut as Nicolas Fouquet.

Contents 1 Plot 2 Cast 3 Influence 4 References 5 External links

[edit] Plot

The 1939 adaptation alters history significantly by making Fouquet a thoroughly evil, scheming mastermind. He, d'Artagnan and the musketeers are the only ones who know of the existence of a twin brother, and Fouquet uses his influence to keep everyone silent. The main story was changed by portraying Louis XIV as selfish, cruel, and incompetent, and Philippe the kind-hearted brother who is raised by d'Artagnan and the musketeers and does not even know that he has an identical twin.

When the truth is discovered, Louis XIV has Philippe imprisoned with an iron mask placed on his head, hoping that Philippe's beard will grow inside the mask and eventually strangle him. Philippe is rescued by the musketeers, who break into the sleeping Louis's chamber and imprison him in the mask. The guards drag off Louis and locked him in the Bastille, mistaking him for the escaped Philippe.

When Louis manages to get a message to Fouquet, he is freed, and a chase by coach ensues to stop Philippe from cementing an alliance with Spain by marrying Princess Maria Theresa, whom he loves, and taking Louis' place on the throne. The coach is waylaid by the musketeers, who all die heroically, but Fouquet and the real Louis XIV are also killed when the driverless coach plunges off a cliff. The mortally wounded d'Artagnan survives long enough to exclaim "God Save the King!" at Philippe's wedding, and then falls dead in the throne room. Philippe finally assumes the throne.

[edit] Cast

• Louis Hayward as King Louis XIV / Philippe of Gascony
• Joan Bennett as Princess Maria Theresa
• Warren William as d'Artagnan
• Joseph Schildkraut as Fouquet
• Alan Hale as Porthos
• Miles Mander as Aramis
• Bert Roach as Athos
• Walter Kingsford as Colbert
• Marion Martin as Mademoiselle de la Valliere (as Marian Martin)
• Montagu Love as the Spanish ambassador
• Albert Dekker as King Louis XIII

[edit] Influence

Most subsequent film versions, including the 1977 version and the 1998 version, have followed the basic outline of the 1939 film, not of the original novel or the 1929 film.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• The Man in the Iron Mask at the Internet Movie Database
• The Man in the Iron Mask at Allmovie
• The Man in the Iron Mask at the TCM Movie Database

v • d • e Films directed by James Whale Journey's End (1930) · Waterloo Bridge (1931) · Frankenstein (1931) · Impatient Maiden (1932) · The Old Dark House (1932) · The Kiss Before the Mirror (1933) · The Invisible Man (1933) · By Candlelight (1933) · One More River (1934) · Bride of Frankenstein (1935) · Remember Last Night? (1935) · Show Boat (1936) · The Road Back (1937) · The Great Garrick (1937) · Sinners in Paradise (1938) · Wives Under Suspicion (1938) · Port of Seven Seas (1938) · The Man in the Iron Mask (1939) · Green Hell (1940) · They Dare Not Love (1941)