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Richard Lester’s The Three Musketeers (1973), watched alongside its 1974 continuation The Four Musketeers, is the strongest all-round screen adaptation for viewers who want Dumas’s story with wit and lively swashbuckling. But the available evidence supports a considered shortlist—not a definitive ranking of ten across international films, television, and animation. This ranking compares seven notable feature-film versions, weighing adaptation choices, tone, action, and cast appeal.
How this ranking works
Alexandre Dumas’s 1844 novel has inspired screen versions since at least 1898, the year the British Film Institute identifies as the earliest film adaptation. There is no objective measure of “best,” and the films below do not all have equally rich records for direct comparison. The order is an editorial judgment based on how clearly each version offers a distinctive interpretation, its relationship to Dumas’s story, and its appeal as a screen adventure.
The list is an editorial shortlist, not an exhaustive top ten: the available records do not support three more entries with comparable confidence, particularly across international cinema, television, and animation. For the top choice, the story spans two separate films; they are not simply alternate titles for one release.
The best screen adaptations, ranked
1. The Three Musketeers (1973) and The Four Musketeers (1974), directed by Richard Lester
The best starting point is Lester’s two-film telling, with Michael York as D’Artagnan, Oliver Reed as Athos, Richard Chamberlain as Aramis, and Frank Finlay as Porthos. Faye Dunaway, Raquel Welch, and Charlton Heston round out a memorable cast. Turner Classic Movies describes George MacDonald Fraser’s screenplay as closer to Dumas than many screen adaptations, while also emphasizing the film’s slapstick and irreverent comedy. That combination makes it a particularly satisfying choice for viewers who want both the romantic adventure and a playful send-up of its conventions.
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Lester’s filmmaking gives the comedy room to happen in the moment: TCM notes that he filmed rehearsals and used multiple cameras, sometimes as many as five in a take. The 1973 production runs approximately 107 minutes, according to the British Board of Film Classification. Its story continues in the distinct 1974 film The Four Musketeers, so viewers seeking the complete arc should treat them as a pair.
2. The Three Musketeers (1921), directed by Fred Niblo
Douglas Fairbanks’s silent-era version is an essential choice for viewers interested in the star-driven adventure film. Rather than reproduce the full novel, it centers on D’Artagnan’s effort to recover Queen Anne’s diamond brooch. Turner Classic Movies documents substantial changes, including alterations to Constance’s relationship and the removal of her poisoning and Milady’s execution. It is better approached as a high-energy Fairbanks vehicle inspired by Dumas than as a close account of the book.
Rank #2
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The British Film Institute notes that two competing productions appeared in 1921 and that Fairbanks’s version eclipsed Henri Diamant-Berger’s in reputation. TCM reports a production budget of $748,768.76 and a U.S. gross of more than $1.4 million; these are historical reported amounts, not inflation-adjusted comparisons. The New York Herald, quoted by TCM, called it “A kind of combination of Dumas, Douglas, and delirium.”
3. The Three Musketeers (1948), directed by George Sidney
MGM’s 1948 film is the pick for an all-star studio production with a tongue-in-cheek streak. Its cast includes Gene Kelly, Lana Turner, June Allyson, and Van Heflin. The American Film Institute records that the film opened to mostly favorable reviews and that reviewers noted its unusual comic approach. It also records a contemporary objection to the portrayal of Richelieu—a piece of the film’s reception history, not a verdict on how modern audiences should respond.
Rank #3
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4. The Three Musketeers (1935), directed by Rowland V. Lee
This sound-era adaptation offers a useful contrast with the silent 1921 film. Turner Classic Movies names Walter Abel in the cast and highlights exciting fights choreographed by Ralph Faulkner. The available record does not establish how closely the film follows Dumas, so its strongest case here is as an action-oriented 1930s version rather than a fidelity benchmark.
5. The Three Musketeers (1993), directed by Stephen Herek
For a brisk 1990s studio interpretation, Herek’s film brings together Charlie Sheen, Kiefer Sutherland, and Chris O’Donnell. The AFI Catalog documents that Disney, Columbia/Vision International, and a TriStar project were in development around the same period, placing the film in a moment of competing adaptation plans. The available records do not establish a shared critical ranking against the other versions here; its place reflects its recognizable ensemble and its distinct period of production.
Rank #4
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6. The Three Musketeers (2011), directed by Paul W.S. Anderson
Anderson’s version is the action-forward option. The British Film Institute lists Germany, France, and the United Kingdom as its production countries, names Logan Lerman, Milla Jovovich, and Matthew Macfadyen among the cast, and gives a runtime of 110 minutes. TCM characterizes the approach as adding substantial CGI and Jovovich action stunts; that is its critical description, rather than a technical measurement. Choose it for a later studio spectacle, not on the assumption that it is a close adaptation.
7. The Three Musketeers (2023), directed by Martin Bourboulon
Bourboulon’s contemporary French-language screen cycle belongs on a shortlist of recent adaptations. The British Board of Film Classification records a 2023 UK classification and physical-media and video-on-demand categories. Those records establish release and classification details, but do not provide a substantive critical basis for ranking the film against the earlier versions. Its recent date alone is no reason to place it higher or lower.
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Which version should you watch first?
- For comedy and a relatively close adaptation: Start with Lester’s 1973 film, then continue with the separate 1974 The Four Musketeers.
- For silent-era star power and a radically streamlined plot: Choose Fairbanks’s 1921 film.
- For a playful ensemble studio picture: Try MGM’s 1948 version.
- For sword fights in a 1930s sound film: Lee’s 1935 adaptation is a worthwhile comparison, though the available record offers less detail on its story choices.
- For later studio interpretations: The 1993 film offers a 1990s cast, while the 2011 version leans into CGI-era action.
Why this is a shortlist, not a definitive top ten
The records support strong comparisons among the 1921, 1948, and Lester films, with useful production and cast information for several later versions. They do not give the 1939 musical comedy enough evaluative detail to rank confidently, nor do they establish three further candidates with comparable evidence. A genuinely comprehensive top ten would also need dedicated comparison of international, television, and animated adaptations. Claiming ten definitive places without that foundation would imply a breadth and certainty the evidence does not establish.
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