Almost everything is wrong about the first episode of the 10-part BBC adaptation of The Three Musketeers, which starts on Sunday. Played by Luke Pasqualino, 23, its D'Artagnan is no teenager (the novel calls him "Don Quixote at 18"), and is not marked out by accent as a Gascon. The Musketeers's opening sequence meddles with Alexandre Dumas's beginning so it resembles a modern movie thriller's violent prologue, thereby distorting D'Artagnan's motivation when he meets and joins Aramis, Athos and Porthos. Wintry rain and snow make his journey to Paris hazardous, although Dumas sets his initial chapters in April.
Val says What I disliked about it watching last night was the English speaking actors giving the whole show an american gangster feel with no notion or regard to the french language. I had been so looking forward to it. Malc says "so did you want them speaking " allo, allo French."
No, why not choose French speaking actors to give some authenticity.
It reminded of the film just watched " The Statement" were Michael Caine played a Frenchman, just did not work.
Malc says it was not as good as " The Three Mouseketeers" by Disney,
John Dugdale in the Guardian agrees with me.
But Louise does not
What I dislike about productions that are set in one country and acted by people of another country is where the cast feel oblidged to put on an accent. I find this completely pointless as in reality, they would be speaking their native tongue. It would be much more authentic to use subtitles. However, in my view it makes much more sense to have the cast speaking, in the case of the Musketeers, which is a UK production, English, with an English accent. Like they did with Wallander (the UK version).
The series is only based on Alexandre Dumas' book and as such it will be mostly made up for good telly. A bit like Robin Hood, but less entertaining.
Louise
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