Newly arrived in Paris, young, eager D'Artagnan of Gascony seeks out his godfather, Captain de Treville, the commander of King Louis XIII's loyal defenders, the Musketeers, and expresses his desire to join their ranks. After cockily challenging Aramis, Athos and Porthos, the infamous Three Musketeers, to separate duels, D'Artagnan is set upon by Cardinal Richelieu's vicious guards and, fighting them off, wins the respect of the Musketeers. With the Three Musketeers' help, D'Artagnan finds first a servant named Planchet and then lodging in the house of the beautiful Constance, lady in waiting to Queen Anne. The aspiring Musketeer becomes entangled in the queen's platonic affair with the Duke of Buckingham, swearing to protect her against the traitorous intrigues of the usurping Duc de Rochefort. When de Rochefort discovers that the queen has given her valuable diamond brooch to Buckingham as a peace token, he suggests to the king that the queen be asked to wear the jewels at the king's anniversary celebration. The Three Musketeers and D'Artagnan undertake to retrieve the brooch in London before the ball, and are almost stopped by de Rochefort and his murderous accomplice, Lady de Winter. After chases, escapes and intense duelling, the brooch is returned to the queen in time to thwart de Rochefort's plot, and D'Artagnan is officially declared a full-fledged Musketeer.

Director:
Rowland V. Lee	Director
Otto Brower	Chase scenes dir by
Edward Donahue	Assistant Director
Cast:
Walter Abel	as D'Artagnan
Paul Lukas	as Athos
Margot Grahame	as Lady de Winter
Heather Angel	as Constance
Ian Keith	as De Rochefort
Moroni Olsen	as Porthos
Onslow Stevens	as Aramis
Rosamond Pinchot	as Queen Anne
John Qualen	as Planchet
Ralph Forbes	as Duke of Buckingham
Nigel de Brulier	as [Cardinal] Richelieu
Murray Kinnell	as Bernajou
Lumsden Hare	as de Treville
Miles Mander	as King Louis XIII
Ralph Faulkner	as Jussae
Stanley Blystone	as Villand
Wade Boteler	as Peylerand
Lucille Ball	as Lady in waiting
Cinematography:
Peverell Marley	Photography
Writer:
Dudley Nichols	Screenwriter
Rowland V. Lee	Screenwriter
Producer:
Cliff Reid	Associate Producer
Robert Sisk	Prod assoc
Editing:
George Hively	Editing
Music:
Max Steiner	Composer
Dance:
Fred Cavens	Dance arr
Art Director:
Van Nest Polglase	Art Director
Carroll Clark	Art dir assoc
Visual Effects:
Vernon Walker	Photography Effects
Costume-Wardrobe:
Walter Plunkett	Costumes
Art Department:
Thomas Little	Set Dresser
Sound:
John L. Cass	Recording
P. J. Faulkner Jr.	Mus rec
Film Production - Main:
Louis Vandenecker	Technical Advisor
Elizabeth McGaffey	Research

This film marked the screen debuts of Walter Abel and Rosamond Pinchot. Pinchot was the daughter of former Pennsylvania governor Gifford Pinchot. According to Hollywood Reporter news items, John Cromwell was first slated to direct the picture, and Francis Lederer was originally assigned to the role of D'Artagnan. Although credited on screen with dancing arrangements, Fred Cavens instructed the actors in fencing, according to various contemporary sources. Hollywood Reporter production charts add Henry Mowbray, Lionel Belmore and Mary McLaren to the cast, but their participation in the final film has not been confirmed. In September 1935, Hollywood Reporter announced that retakes were being filmed at RKO's "40-acre" ranch. The projected budget of the film was $1,000,000; however, according to a Hollywood Reporter news item, the picture was completed under schedule and under budget.
       Modern sources state that Lucille Ball appeared as an extra in the production. Among the many other film versions of Dumas' story are the 1914 Film Attractions Co. production, directed by Charles V. Henkel (see AFI Catalog of Feature Films, 1911-20; F1.4457); the 1921 Douglas Fairbanks production, directed by Fred Niblo (see AFI Catalog of Feature Films, 1921-30; F2.5665); M-G-M's 1948 version, directed by George Sidney and starring Gene Kelly; and Richard Lester's 1974 Twentieth Century-Fox production starring Michael York.

Based on the novel Les trois mousquetaires by Alexandre Dumas, père (Paris, 1844).