The secret of the iron mask

In order to make himself popular with the people again, the French king Louis XIV hatches a mad plan. Fouquet, who is loyal to him, is to kidnap Louis' unknown twin brother Phillipe and lock him in an iron mask. On the arrival of the Spanish queen Maria Theresa, who wants to marry Louis for financial reasons, Phillipe is to impersonate the king and die in a faked assassination attempt. A short time later, Louis emerges unharmed to prove the immortality of the French king. The plan fails. Phillipe survives the assassination and falls in love with Maria. Together with the four musketeers, he wants to free Maria from the hands of Louis.

The English title The Fifth Musketeer suggests that the film is a sequel to The Three Musketeers, but in fact the film is based (in part) on the novel Le Vicomte de Bragelonne ou Dix ans plus tard by Alexandre Dumas. Shot in the late 1970s, the film version is surprisingly plain and strongly reminiscent of the cloak and dagger films of the 1950s. Only the sometimes self-serving nude scenes by Ursula Andress and Emmanuelle star Sylvia Kristel hint at a certain will to reform. It seems that they didn't really know what to do with Sylvia Kristel other than show her only barely clothed or not clothed in many situations. With Cornel Wilde, Ian McShane, Alan Hale Jr, Lloyd Bridges and José Ferrer, the film has a top-class cast, but unfortunately lacks momentum at times. Filming was done in Vienna, with Schönbrunn Palace serving as Louis XIV's seat of power.

US version heavily shortened

In the US, the film was released in a heavily cut version. All nude scenes were cut out of the film, and various violent peaks were also removed. However, the work was not completely consistent, because in some places, the naked breast of Sylvia Kristel still briefly flashes through. In order to reduce the runtime even further, many shots were shortened, sometimes by just one second. At one point, there is an alternate shot of Sylvia Kristel getting dressed again after her night of love with Phillipe.

The cuts in the US version are well placed and do not stand out.

The US DVD further has brief misses smaller than one second that are not listed in the report.

Picture Comparison:

US DVD:

German DVD:

Runtimes:

US DVD: 103:19 min.
German DVD: 115:50 min.

Comparison between the US DVD by Sony and the German DVD by Pidax.

[00:01:43][00:01:37]

The black screen after the opening credits is longer in the German version.

German version: 1 sec.


[00:02:46][00:02:40]

In another shot, people are putting on clothes.

German version: 5 secs.


[00:03:20][00:03:17]

During the training fight, Porthos runs up to Philippe. Cut to Philippe.

German version: 3 secs.


[00:03:37][00:03:36]

Porthos laughs longer.

German version: 1 sec.


[00:03:56][00:03:55]

D'Artagnan is seen longer after Colbert went to Athos. The next scene with the fight starts earlier.

German version: 3 secs.


[00:04:06][00:04:07]

Philippe is pressed against the wall for a longer time. After that, the man is seen earlier.

German version: 1 sec.


[00:05:00][00:05:00]

D'Artagnan is seen longer after sending Philippe away.

German version: 1 sec.


[00:05:22][00:05:22]

Colbert can be seen for a longer time.

People sneak up to the castle.

Philippe comes to Marianne and asks if he can help her. She says that everything is already prepared. From D'Artagnan, he gives her a kiss. He asks her what she knows about Colbert.

German version: 22 secs.


[00:05:59][00:06:20]

The horse can be seen for a longer time. The next shot in which the dead dog is discovered starts earlier.

German version: 1 sec.


[00:06:08][00:06:29]

The man is pulled away for a longer time. In the next shot, Philippe puts the bread on the table.

German version: 6 secs.


[00:07:06][00:07:32]

The man and Philippe are seen earlier.

German version: 1 sec.


[00:07:15][00:07:41]

The attackers are seen earlier, before Philippe kicks them.

DF: 1 Sek.


[00:07:22][00:07:48]

Athos and the man draw their rapiers.

German version: 2 secs.


[00:07:27][00:07:55]

The attacker continues to charge forward. The next shot starts earlier.

German version: 1 sec.


[00:07:55][00:08:23]

The man can be seen earlier.

German version: 1 sec.


[00:09:14][00:09:41]

One of the men is surrounded by the attackers. Philippe rushes to his aid.

German version: 7 secs.


[00:09:32][00:10:05]

In one shot, the attackers are pushed back.

German version: 2 secs.


[00:10:30][00:11:02]

One of the attackers continues to slide down the rope. The man calls out to Sergeant.

German version: 3 secs.


[00:10:50][00:11:24]

The man comes with Marianne and shouts for people to throw away the rapier. The man calls out to him where he has been for so long.

German version: 5 secs.


[00:10:57][00:11:35]

Porthos is seen longer as Marianne is murdered.

German version: 1 sec.


[00:12:43][00:13:18]

People are being pushed away from the carriage by the soldiers. Philippe looks out from the carriage.

German version: 14 secs.


[00:14:16][00:15:01]

The two men run away after seeing the made mask.

The musketeers are taken to the castle. The captain says that they should be guarded. The musketeers realize that they cannot resist.

German version: 15 secs.


[00:16:19][00:17:15]

The soldiers are seen earlier as Philippe puts on the mask.

German version: 2 secs.


[00:16:26][00:17:23]

Fouquet and the captain can be seen earlier.

German version: 3 secs.


[00:17:55][00:18:52]

Fouquet steps away from the window. Louise de la Vallière is then seen in a carriage. She is surrounded by people who call her the king's whore. A man throws a doll on a gallows into her carriage.

German version: 34 secs.


[00:18:15][00:19:45]

The scene in which Louise is berated by the people follows in the US version after the captain is murdered.

US: 34 sec.


[00:21:06][00:21:57]

Louise continues to undress in front of the king.

German version: 5 secs.


[00:21:08][00:22:04]

After the short cut to the king, Louise removes his wig and joins him in bed.

In the next scene, the musketeers are seen sitting in their cell. Aramis shouts that he succeeded in bringing about any desired result with his two dice. D'Artagnan tells him to roll two sixes, which he succeeds in doing. The guards become curious and approach the cell. Athos whispers to the others that Aramis should show the guards. The guards step back at first, but then become curious. The musketeers grab the guards' hands and are able to escape from the cell. When they run through a corridor, the captain is already standing there with some soldiers. He orders them back to the cell.

[img-065. jpg]

German version: 2:39 min


[00:24:55][00:28:20]

As Philippe is taken upstairs, the German version cuts to the king changing clothes. Louise is with him.

German version: 10 secs.


[00:29:00][00:32:25]

Philippe (as king) continues to drive away in the carriage. People crowd the grille.

German version: 10 secs.


[00:32:08][00:35:34]

On the boat, Maria says to her maid that she thinks the king is quite handsome.

German version: 4 secs.


[00:32:12][00:35:42]

In the US, the previously mentioned scene follows after the boat was seen.

US: 4 sec.


[00:35:30][00:38:49]

Philippe continues to turn after fending off the attacker. After that, Maria is seen earlier.

German version: 1 sec.


[00:35:33][00:38:53]

The attacker with the axe stands up.

German version: 1 sec.


[00:35:40][00:39:01]

Philippe hits the attacker's throat with his rapier.

German version: 1 sec.


[00:36:05][00:39:25]

The king begins to sing with joy after the noticed the clouds of smoke from the attack.

German version: 5 secs.