The Man in the Iron Mask is a 1998 British/American historical action film directed, produced, and written by Randall Wallace. It uses characters from Alexandre Dumas' D'Artagnan Romances, and is very loosely adapted from some plot elements of The Vicomte de Bragelonne. It also bears several similarities with the 1939 film version. The movie centers on the aging Musketeers Athos, Porthos, Aramis and D'Artagnan and the reign of King Louis XIV of France. It attempts to explain the mystery of the Man in the Iron Mask, using a plot most similar to the 1939 film. Despite receiving a rather mixed... to negative critical response, scoring a 33% "Rotten" rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it was successful financially. France is under the reign of the militaristic King Louis XIV , who is bankrupting the country with his unpopular wars. When starving peasants in Paris start to riot for food, he responds by ordering his chief advisor, Pierre , to send them rotten food - although he later orders Pierre executed for this and all rioters shot dead. Meanwhile, the King wallows in hedonistic luxury and seduces a parade of women.
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| Release date: | March 13, 1998 |
| Directed by: | Randall Wallace |
| Rated: |  |
| Runtime: | 132 Minutes |
| Producer: | Randall Wallace, Russell Smith |
| Editor: | William Hoy |
| Music by: | Nick Glennie-Smith |
| Cinematography: | Peter Suschitzky |
| Screenplay by: | Randall Wallace |
| Estimated budget: | $35,000,000 |
| Adapted from: | The Vicomte de Bragelonne |
| Genre: | Action, Adventure |