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Actor Vincent Cassel on playing Athos in 'The Three Musketeers: D'Artagnan', releasing April 6 in UAE

The film is the latest adaptation of the famous classic novel by French author Alexandre Dumas

Martin Bourboulon is the latest director to helm an adaptation of famous 1844 novel The Three Musketeers by French author Alexandre Dumas, bringing The Three Musketeers: D’Artagnan to the big screen.

Prominent former film adaptations of the novel include the The Three Musketeers (1993) that starred Charlie Sheen, Oliver Platt, and Kiefer Sutherland.

The novel has widespread historical and cultural influence, sparking dialogues amidst capturing the true essence of the era, and is a tale that encapsulates common themes of brotherhood, heroism, justice, equality, and adventure.

The story of The Three Musketeers: D’Artagnan is set in the early 17th century, where a young man, Charles D'Artagnan, is left for dead after attempting to save a woman from being kidnapped. Once he reaches Paris, he does everything to find the aggressors. He doesn't know that his quest will lead him to the heart of a war where the future of the kingdom itself is at stake, and he runs into the King's Musketeers corps, befriending the Three Musketeers along the way.

The period film stars Francoise Civil, Eva Green, Vincent Cassel, Roman Duris, and Vicky Kreps, among other famous names. The film’s production crew includes renowned cinematographer Nicholas Bolduc and composer Guillaume Roussel (Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides), with costumes designed by Thierry Delettre.

French actor Vincent Cassel (The Apartment, The Crimson Rivers, Partisan), who plays the Musketeer Athos, recently spoke about his role in the film.

Do you have any particular recollections about Alexandre Dumas’ The Three Musketeers?

Yes, because when I was a kid, I accompanied my father on the shoot of Richard Lester’s The Three Musketeers, in which he played Louis XIII. I remember an incredible set and I remember Michael York, Oliver Reed, and other great movie figures of that era. The enormity of the project left a mark, especially since I was a little boy.

Jean-Pierre Cassel also played D’Artagnan under the direction of Abel Gance in the comedy Cyrano and D’Artagnan. Both of you are obviously tied to this world!

Because we’re both French! I remember when I saw that sort of silly adaptation, when I was young as well. Honestly, this new adaptation directed by Martin Bourboulon is the first produced in France in a very long time. Many Anglo-Saxons took it up. So this is sort of a homecoming.

What does the character of Athos mean to you? How do you see him?

I like him a lot, because he’s the one who best unites the various episodes of Dumas’ saga, The Three Musketeers. He’s a man in torment, who carries the weight of his past on his shoulders, racked with remorse, shame and guilt – he is the vector of many emotions.

Unlike Porthos and D’Artagnan, Athos is caught in a contradictory movement – on the one hand, because of his function, he’s mobile, but on the other he is weighed down by his torments.

Athos says that he’d like to smile like D’Artagnan, but he can no longer be happy. He believes he is under the control of what happens to him.

It happens that I’m older than Athos. My age had to be useful to the role. So I had to play with that. I like to associate a character with an animal – for me, Athos is an old wolf. So I steered the combats in that direction, recalling that his experience was superior to his performance. He is a model for his fellow musketeers.

How did you, as someone who has often taken on very physical roles, prepare for this shoot?

The advantage of having practiced this profession for forty years is that you wind up having a little baggage. I have already used weapons and I’ve done a lot of riding. I just had to get back into it, because my gestures had to look right. The first days are difficult, then your confidence comes back. Mounts are different if you’re shooting a western or a swashbuckler. Athos is a true noble. He has to sit in his saddle accordingly, hands low.

How much did the costumes help you to play Athos?

It counts for a lot. Martin, his crew and I quickly agreed that Athos should dress in dark colours. We fleshed out his appearance as we went along. We had to flirt with the codes of the western, but never cross the line.

I wanted Athos to have long hair, because that allowed me to use his age and his moods, when they come to get him after a night of love or when he’s about to have his head cut off. When they cut his hair, it’s a blow to his honour, he is no longer special. I had just done a shoot where I had very short hair and no moustache, so I had a lot of latitude to create Athos’ appearance and I worked hard on it. We mixed the salt and pepper of his hair and moustache in order to find just the right blend for this tired, old grey wolf.

Because of my experience, I also wanted my costume to be comfortable, that is warm, supple, and lightweight, because we were going to do a lot of moving around for the exteriors. I also asked to wear a scarf, because I wanted to use the appearance of hair on my torso to make my character sexy, but I didn’t want to freeze my butt off when shooting at night in 40 degree weather! Anyway, the scarf made my character more aristocratic, so it was perfect.

How did Martin Bourboulon direct you?

When I asked him questions, he would answer, “Say it straight.” That fits him pretty well. Martin had a lot of confidence in the script and wasn’t trying to add extra flourishes. He gave us leeway, but he made sure he got everything he would need in editing.

What was it like working with the other actors?

For this film to work, there had to be good chemistry between the actors. I was very curious to meet Pio Marmaï (Porthos) and François Civil, and very glad to work with Romain Duris again. There was an easy fellowship between all four of us. We were just like the musketeers in the movie! We closed ranks. I think there was some mutual admiration between us all. This was my first time working with Pio and he has some crazy energy. He reminds me of Patrick Dewaere, minus the depression. I’ve always found Romain incredibly charming.

He’s perfect for Aramis. And who better than François Civil to play the role of D’Artagnan right now? He has a mad dog quality about him – he’s smart and ingenuous, making him perfect for the part. Eva Green and I had just spent three and a half months on another shoot together and I was thrilled to meet her again. I have a lot of admiration for her and we get along really well. Crossing swords with her again was such a pleasure. I knew she would make an extraordinary Milady.

Since Louis Garrel played Jean-Luc Godard, he’s acquired this incredible whimsy and here, he plays Louis XIII, as a king who grew up too fast, who’s awkward, a little pathetic and very touching. I think he’s fantastic.

The Three Musketeers: D’Artagnan is distributed across the Middle East by Phars Film and will release April 6 in UAE. (Story text: Supplied)