Portraying the Musketeer in Cinema
From the very first pages of the novel Dumas sketches a precise portrait of d’Artagnan, an 18-year-old Don Quixote with an angular face. In early illustrated editions, however, the hero’s features are softened and given grace and flair—images that were to be successfully brought to the screen.
Finding d’Artagnan’s Face
In the early days of cinema Maurice Leloir’s drawings greatly influenced the casting of d’Artagnan. In 1912, in Henri Pouctal and André Calmettes’s film, Émile Dehelly, the eternal young lead of the Comédie-Française, played the hero. In 1921 Henri Diamant-Berger cast Aimé Simon-Girard, then thirty-two years old and with a youthful face and agile silhouette that suited Leloir’s ideal perfectly.
That same year Douglas Fairbanks played d’Artagnan in the American version. Although close to forty years old, he still had a youthful appearance and a fit body, performing all his own stunts. Both films were highly successful and set a precedent for d’Artagnan’s cinematic portrayal: a genuine athlete capable of stunts and with a vigorous look.
D’Artagnan as a Star
The year 1948 marked the release of George Sidney’s adaptation starring Gene Kelly. Kelly showcased all the qualities of d’Artagnan’s success: athletic skill, elegance and eternal youthfulness. He modeled his performance on Douglas Fairbanks, and fast-paced sequences are a central feature of the film.
In André Hunebelle’s 1953 version, well-known stars of the time played the roles; Georges Marchal portrayed d’Artagnan, while Bourvil played Planchet. Marchal became recognized as the reference for the athletic interpretation.
During the 1950s, d’Artagnan was mainly played by stars whose reputations were already established.
In 1961 Bernard Borderie’s two films aimed to remain as faithful as possible to Dumas’ novel, again starring prominent actors, with Gérard Barray—a specialist in swashbuckler films—playing the physical role of d’Artagnan.
D’Artagnan: Handsome, Athletic, and in His Thirties
In 2011 Paul W.S. Anderson’s fantasy version followed the tradition: Logan Lerman, who played d’Artagnan, was 29 and underwent intensive fencing training. The two latest films by Martin Bourboulon confirm the trend, with François Civil portraying d’Artagnan.
Cinema has reshaped the character’s image for modern audiences. D’Artagnan is now athletic, much older than eighteen, and embodies the contemporary ideals of masculine beauty.
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