I used a service similar to incogni (may have been incogni I forget), yes these types of service contact companies that hold your details. What they don't tell you is those companies then email you asking for more details so they can delete your details and won't do it unless you provide them... My inbox was spammed hard and you end up having to do the work yourself. I wonder if any incogni users could comment on their experience.
My favorite memory of this movie is standing in line at some fast food place and listening to a dude in front of me complain to his friend about how he waited the whole movie for the mask to have powers and it never happened. Something like "Man, that mask didn't do nothin'. It was just some old-time movie!"
Hehe I always loved the accents in this movie full of Frenchmen. DiCaprio doing an American accent, Depardieu doing a French accent, Irons with an English accent and Malkovich doing a Malkovich accent.
You could always look at that as French regional accents, though since these aristocrats all probably come from the same place, it probably doesn't work.
Aramis was a priest in the books, too. Like 80% or more of his entire character is the tension between him being a priest and him being a swashbuckler.
@@vpapako The books are truly great, and everybody should read them. They are much raunchier than any of the films; they are also much more convoluted and complex. In the first book of the series, The Three Musketeers, all four heroes are on the same side. In the second book, Twenty Years After, it is D'Artagnan and Porthos who work together against the rebels (la Fronde), two of who are their old friends Athos and Aramis. In the third book, The Vicomte de Bragelonne, all four are old, and it is D'Artagnan and Athos who are against Porthos and Aramis. By the end of this third book (the final part of which is The Man in the Iron Mask) three are dead, and only one survives (and it's not whom you think).
That's my only problem with the new French version where Rómáin Duris plays Aramis. I feel like he insisted that Aramis had to be sexy. He's tormented by his relationship with God, but he also fucks women and tortures people for fun and profit.
My favorite portrayal of these characters will always be from the two films in the 70's. Michael York as D'Artagnan, Oliver Reed as Athos, Richard Chamberlain as Aramis, and Frank Finlay as Porthos. They eventually come back together to do The Return of the Musketeers, based on Twenty Years After.
I've LOVED this movie ever since I was a kid, not necessarily for historical reasons but because I just really enjoyed it, haven't seen it in YEARS, this is a completely unexpected nostalgia hit and I can't thank you enough for it Mr Hodges!
Funniest thing about this movie was casting a teen heart throb.. And putting a mask on him hahaha Though it's not completely fair to blame only the king, like Russia the church was absolutely leeching society to death with their greed
This was my grandma's favorite movie, she passed a little while ago and watching this brought fourth a flood bittersweet memories. Not your intention but thank you
I've heard that the man in the iron mask was actually just a common prisoner and that his guard (Bénigne Dauvergne de Saint-Mars) asked him to wear the mask so that it would make him look like he was in charge of a very important prisoner
The "Philip as King Louis XIV brought peace and prosperity" part never bothered me because I like the interpretation of this movie as an Alternative History where Louis XIV is replaced before he can fully cause the damage history remembers him for, thus averting many tragedies. Eddit: Fixed mistake.
I'm pretty sure he's remembered for being the imbodyment of absolute monarchy. I've never seen peoples first thought of him being any damage he may have done.
To be honest the age was crazy and full of wars and abherrent waist of lives. Every country in Europe took part in it, my guess is that the worst harm Louis XIV did to France was his court intregues and constant politicking that stood in the way of efficient armies leadership, and of course his terrible social management.
I think the movie's ending is a paralell universe where the twin DOES get on the throne and does all that stuff. But because that's another universe, we're in the one where Louis wins and parties until he dies
morning peasent think most are we last centery europeans rather as house is an american show and why he recognized as that before blackadder of old...@@nunyabidness674
One thing that’s usually left out of the basic analysis of Louis boy’s life is that the pomp and parties weren’t just their for his enjoyment. Nobles would have to spend lavishly, many impoverishing themselves in the process, and travel to Versailles instead of Paris surrounded by the kings men to garner favor with the king. Louis spent his childhood threatened by his nobles and he built a way to keep them dependent and incapable of rebellion. But great solutions have a nasty way of backfiring from time to time.
@@nathanb5579 not sure if this is a serious question or not but I’ll answer it anyway. His solutions crippled the government’s flexibility to the point that making moves that would prevent the revolution would topple the pillars the crown rested on.
Yes he was a nasty piece of work. There are no toilets on the ground floor, so the place stank especially during summer. Louis had an enlarged bladder, so could hold it in for a long time. No nobles were allowed to relieve themselves in his presence, which I guess added to the palace festivities. He spent almost all his wealth on wars, including the War of the Spanish Succession, so that by the time his grandson - Louis XVI came to finance support for the Americans, he had to borrow heavily, and bankrupted France, which caused the French Revolution. Butterfly effect.
@@pendlera2959 yes they did for private use, go look at Versailles, and search for a 17th century WC. Good luck with that - there ain't any. Charles Windsor has a fantastic collection of them, including one with Hitler's face in it. The chamber pots were in bedrooms, not the formal areas.
I weirdly like that everyone just spoke in their own accent. It adds to the fantasy aspect. I actually admire the movie more, knowing the true history behind it.
It was, as is with all, fiction. The history of France during the Middle ages is above, all; up to interpretation. So many details. So many characters; most of whom were perceived by authority. The truth is in there... Somewhere.
There was this TV show on bbc 2 hosted by Jean Paul gaultier and another French man. They highlighted the kinky stuff the europeans were up to. It was called eurotrash. People from Belgium talking about bestiality in a broad Newcastle accent.
From what I've heard the only inaccuracy would be the sailors daring to throw an oily rag at the journalist on board (who held the rank of an officer).
@@slowerthinker The movie takes place during U-96's 7th deployment. It's fairly accurate. However, U-96 didn't sink after returning to port. She would go on and complete another 4 deployments. By 1943, she was being used as a training vessel before being decommissioned in 1945. She would be sunk in an air raid a few weeks later.
@@balabanasireti yeah ! That scene where his top generals start stuttering " Mein Fuhrer...." and Hitler goes " nein! Nein! Nein! Nein! Nein!" is hopefully true😄 an epic meme
Not a historical gripe, but it was always problematic that D'Artagnan defended the tyrant Louis purely because he was his son. Once he finds out he has a spare, a more moral spare, he turns on his tyrranical son. That and he doesn't turn on Louis because of the countless wrongs the king's committed against his own people and D'Artagnan's friends, but the wrongs Louis committed against D'Artagnan's other son.
@@pritammitra1605D'Artagnan turns on his own son, Louis, to help Athos' adopted son, Phillipe, who is D'Artagnan's other son, but not because Louis murdered Athos' biological son, Raoul, so Louis could take Raoul's fiance, Christine, as a concubine.
There is a 3 Musketeers movie from the 1970’s where the guy who played the Skipper on Gillian’s Island played Porthos. Apparently his Dad had played Porthos in a black and white movie and it was a life long aspiration of him to follow in his footsteps. I don’t know who his agent was but they must have been incredible to get him that role after he was typecast as the Skipper.
@@earlleeruhf3130 Wasn’t Alan Hale Jr. also in Man In The Wilderness which was the same story as The Revenant? It’s so weird to see hem as anything but the Skipper.
He’s awful. The best early film by Jennifer de Cuppochino is What’s Eating Gilbert Grape. Dreadful performances by Jeremy Irons His Shirts and John Monkey Nuts
When he was playing the king I hated him, when he was playing the twin brother I liked him. I figured, at that point, that he must be a pretty good actor.
I love this movie. It's about as historically accurate as Bill and Ted movies, but it has good action, great characters and the ending always brings a tear to the eye.
Great video as always, thank you very much. I'm french and Alexandre Dumas is one of my all time favourite authors, ever since I'd learned how to read I literally devoured his books! My grandmother had the complete collection (and believe me that's A LOT of books!) and I can remember being 7 or 8 and always carrying with me one of these big red volumes, and reading it on every occasion I could find, even in holidays on the beach! His books were actually the root of my passion, still to this day, for literature and History. 😊
I would like to meet you sometime, One of my favorite novels when I was in primary school was The Three Musketeers, while I've had an interest in history since I was much younger.
All we need now is for Dom Noble to do a Lost in Adaptation on The Vicomte of Bragalonne vs The Man in The Iron Mask as a counterpoint. Because this film is both ahistorical and very different from the book! (Especially as it's just the last third of it!) And yet I remain fond if it. If treated as its own thing, it's pretty good!
I watched this when I was halfway through college. So I was familiar with the history of France at that point. I knew this movie was mostly bullsh!t, but I still love it, because it's a great work of historical fiction, done well on the movie screen. That's really all I can ask for.
I remember seeing this in theaters when I was 10 years old and I absolutely loved it. 1998 was jammed pack with great period piece films like Saving Private Ryan, Titanic, Man in the Iron Mask, The Mask of Zorro, and L.A. Confidential. I'm still mad that Shakespeare in Love took home Best Picture over Saving Private Ryan at the Oscars.
Dumas father was imprisoned by napoleon out of sheer Jealousy. I think this story of his dad was the basis of “the man in the Iron mask” which also influenced “the count of montecristo” as his dad was know to be “the” greatest swords man.
I really loved this movie. Here is a suggestion if you also love this movie. Pair it up with the 1993 Disney The Three Musketeers. I know they have different actors and were from a different production company. However, the two really seem to flow together.
@@DIEGhostfish There is, but the '73 and '74 films adhere closer to the events of source novel, whereas the '93 version is closer to the fast and loose nature of this film.
This was one of my favorite movies when I was a kid in the 90s. It is simply a good story- but what made this movie for me is the beautiful music composed by Nick Glennie-Smith. The music reminded me of the beautiful Golden Age of hollywood music with a late Baroque/Enlightenment period flair. Kind of like Max Steiner's music (Gone with the Wind, Little Women, Casablanca, and much, much more). The beautiful scenery in this film made me want to travel to France, which I do every few years.
I am having a tough morning because I have surgery on Wednesday and this has just cheered me up so much! It was one of my favs! LOVE THIS MOVIE! thank you :)
Excellent choice, Nick! One of my favourite movies of all time despite several warts (John Malkovich's jarring American accent being the worst of these) and while it plays fast and loose with historical facts, it is rich in historical detail, even little things like what happens when you charge a Martello head-on. (You die like Raoul) The scenes in the palace are fantastic, Leonardo DiCaprio is a perfectly arrogant Sun King, Porthos made me a fan of Gerard Depardieu and I can never see anyone else but him when I imagine the character. Thanks for covering it, I hope this video inspires a new generation to enjoy this fantastic movie.
I believe the ending was always meant to be this is an alternate history. Because real history the man in the Iron Mass died in the Bastille. So we got the bad Louis XIV.
Can't you renounce an oath? Oh no I sense a 3 hour Google rabbit hole coming my way as I try to answer that & it turns out to be One Of Those Questions --- the "sounds easy; not easy" ones.
I absolutely love your videos and the way you untangle reality from movies and the creative process behind them. I was watching All The President's Men recently and I was wondering how close the movie was to the real investigation and I feel like you could make a really interesting video about a historical event that most people are familiar with but know very little about. Cheers!
The main motivation behind moving to Versailles was also controlling the nobles, the peasants were rioting often, but Louis was most of all shocked by a nobility revolt during his childhood that could have killed him, la Fronde (the slingshot ^^). Versailles was away from the capital and there was a system to keep nobles in check there ^^
Exactly, it wasn't just some fancy palace built because why not? It was made so king Louis could centralize power around himself and destroy the power of the nobility which held emence power before and after him.
@@kingofcards9516 Did it though? It concentrated some of the aristocracy in one place while marginalising others but that's really one big toxic cesspit in the making. We make a lot of the courtly functions that were being sold for money but we forget that these positions usually gave you access to the King and might open other doors for you. Ultimately, the French aristocracy would be more powerful than ever before in some ways and it would push his successors towards a policy of stagnation and reaction that would end with the revolution.
I love when you put out a video because its so well done. You arent pumping a video out every week but take your time. Id rather have one good one a month or every few months that you take your time with than multiple ones per month with the value of the video going down. Keep it up :)
Nick Hodges, & History Buffs, where have you been all my life? I was scrolling through RU-vid 3 days ago, and came across History Buffs for the first time. I may become an addict, having seen 6 or 7 episodes so far........stellar
Would love a review of The Alamo (2004), it's a good movie that was made with the same kind of love as Gettysburg and often finds respectable middle-ground with the history and the fantasy surrounding the Alamo
The best adaptation of Dumas' work are the 1970s films with Michael York as D'Artagnan, Oliver Reed as Athos, and Charlton Heston as Richelieu. I will glady challenge anyone who thinks otherwise to a duel, -at the Luxembourg at three o'clock!
Great video as always, this is my favorite film. Ps.: in the books, at least in the first novel, Aramis becomes a priest, but before that, both he and Porthos were two Don Juans.
Thank you for reviewing this one! It was fun to watch, and (as always) I enjoyed learning the extra historical bits I didn't already know. I've always loved this particular adaptation of "The Man in the Iron Mask", despite its flaws and hilariously over-the-top dramatics -- perhaps even because of it. But then, I'm kind of a sucker for costume period dramas...
YESSS!!! Another History Buffs!!! Can’t wait to watch a new one!! I love binging these videos over and over again. It’s one of my favorite channels. ❤️❤️❤️
I just rewatched the film today and I love this movie. It's a film that I could watch over and over again. The A list ensemble was immaculate. And then of course I had to come here and watch the History Buffs review again.
You have been my favorite RU-vidr since the channel started! I'm a teacher and I'm always referring your videos to students who like history and/or movies
I haven't watched this movie since I was a kid. It's really funny to realise how star-studded it is. :D (It's especially funny to see that Hugh Laurie actually also was a serious French aristocrat at one point.)
A lot of people have asked, why Loui XIV did not simply have the Masked Prisoner executed. The best answer I have seen is that, despite all his faults, Louis did not have people executed who had not committed a Capital Crime.
@@williamkarbala5718 the theory I’ve read that makes the most sense to me is that he was a butler or carriage driver for one of the high ups in the court. Not someone who would merit the king’s attention, but had spent enough time around the nobility and knew their dirty laundry.
Such a coincidence that I start this the same day I start the Three Musketeers once again. Highly recommend the book and the way the characters lived and died.
I fully approve of the idea of you putting out videos more often! However, don't do it to the point that you get burned out! You do what's good for you, and we'll absolutely be happy whenever a new video comes out.
I watched this movie for the very first time because you posted this video and wanted to watch it before hearing what you had to say. Great video and thanks for expanding my movie repertoire!
@@glennross85 Dude, they were the original musketeers. They were called musketeers because they were the only troops equipped with muskets. That's like calling them marines but them never going to sea. Anyway, it's not a big deal, just something I found interesting so I made a comment.
They used muskets in war. Matchlock and flintlock muskets were a slow firearm to load and fire, you could fire perhaps 3 shots in a minute. It wasn' t practical to use anywhere bit in a military formation.
This movie made me believe I could throw a sword sideways, have it spin perfectly and cut through gushing water from a fountain, and then hit a man in the chest with precision some yards away. Now that is suspension of disbelief at its finest. (Serious note: I still enjoy watching this movie)
It's been awhile since I've seen it, but this was one of my favorite movies when I was younger, mainly because I was a big fan of the Three Musketeers movie from 1994.
This is a very intresting Buffs, because you mix History, and fiction. Very good episode. I am wondering if you could make a video about 2005 Munich, 2005 Joyeux Noel, 1999 The messenger: The story of Joan of Arc, 1990 Bugsy, or 2012 Argos.
Wow, that was a quick time between uploads, Nick! Thanks! I personally love this movie despite its flaws, and I’m glad you covered it. If I may make a request: could you please consider Downfall(2004)? It’s a chilling, yet brilliant(and n my opinion, nearly flawless)depiction of the last 10 days of Adolf Hitler, and how absolutely mad he was down in the Führerbunker. Please, thanks, and keep up the amazing work!
My grandmother was watching this movie once and I walked into the room right as they were putting the mask back on Leo. His screams scared the shit out of me as a kid game me nightmares
I enjoyed the movie and found the ending quite chilling, but I couldn't help but wish that the Three Musketeers had been played by Richard Chamberlain, Frank Finlay and especially Oliver Reed. Now that's (or should I say those, for infamous reasons) the movie I'd like you to cover!
Nick, love your channel, and your historical analysis. Could you possibly do an episode on the movie 'Breaker Morant', a fascinating look at the Boer War. Keep up the great work!!
I didn’t know The Man In The Iron Mask was based on a true story. Plus Louis XIV had a big impact on my country’s (Ireland) history when he backed the ousted James II in his bid to regain the English crown from William III.
I'm genuinely surprised you don't have a video on Patton yet. I just saw it and thought surely History Buffs can tell me more. I love your videos, can't wait till you get around to it.
I wondered if you would mention the painting of the old real Louis XIV in the background in one or more scenes of the movie (the famous portray by Rigaud). Declaring Louis XIV a great king in the end of the movie at least reflects some opinions about his reign. Voltaire and other contemporary historians called it "the great period" as we see an enormous output in industry, arts, technic etc. during the period of Louis XIII to Louis XIV. Louis XIV ended the civilwars in France during Mazarin's reign. We see somehow stability which gave the chance for France to start expansion of the territory. On the other hands hundreds of thousands of French soldiers were killed during the wars and the protestants had to leave their homes (although some stayed).
Always interesting to see your movie essays! Is there a chance you would cover "Les Misérables" at some point? (While the musical movie adaptation would come to mind, a better version to review would be the French TV miniseries/"movie" with Dépardieu as Jean Valjean and Malkovich as Inspector Javert), as it covers quite some history on the life post-French Revolution France (and the June Rebellion, which most likely would've been largely forgotten if not for Victor Hugo)
I might check out that mini series. I love the early 90s movie with Liam Neeson and Geoffrey Rush, but it had to mercilessly cut stuff for time. No Eponine, no Enjolras.. Still prefer it to the musical movie adaptation 🙄 although I love the musical. Either way, a series obviously has the chance to cover so much more. Tell me, though, what kind of accent does Malkovich have in it?😅
As someone who grew up in france I would like to put something forward, despite all the problems louis the 14th caused, he is still considered one of the best kings of france by most people. Just behind Charlemagne of corse
The victors write history. But they're often more insidious than their predecessors in that any opposition was more brutally culled to 0. One way to evaluate such potential is to firstly, look at amount of detraction from contemporary sources... if nearly none exist, you can bet it was culled. Because that's very unusual. The other is to just take on face value their achievements that were so highlighted. Were they, in the end really significant life changing for the majority things? Or were they superficial even carnival act stunts? And what is praised? And why was it praised? Who could it have hurt? And who did it hurt?
Just a modern day example at this very moment, the North Koreans are lead to believe the present dynastic ruling family are near divine and the best thing that could have ever happened to them. All while the nation starves and is at the mercy of a outright tyrannical dictatorship where all opposition is sent to work camps or simply killed.
So I always go back and rewatch the films you cover, and then come and watch your uploads. I thoroughly enjoyed the BBC show The Musketeers and they even had an episode about King Louie's twin. So I was excited to go back and watch The Man In The Iron Mask. Loved it when I saw it in the theater, but lord this was hard to rewatch. Don't know why, but this movie just didn't grab my attention during the rewatch. Finally finished the movie after two days, now I can watch your upload. :)
I've never heard of this, but wow, what a story & quite a mystery, I love it. I find it funny how they say Louis was France's best king, I think I heard Napoleon laughing from his coffin.
