Richard Lester's knockabout, anarchic 1973 take on Alexandre Dumas's classic is unlikely to be surpassed, and this version for the grown-up Brat Pack is misconceived from start to finish. Kiefer Sutherland, Charlie Sheen and Oliver Platt are the swashbuckling trio, Chris O'Donnell is the idealistic D'Artagnan who joins their cause and Rebecca De Mornay the sinister Milady. The aim looks to have been a sort of "Young Swords", but the Americanisations constantly jar and the action set pieces are clumsily handled by director Stephen Herek.

D'Artagnan travels to Paris hoping to become a musketeer, one of the French king's elite bodyguards, only to discover that the corps has been disbanded by conniving Cardinal Richelieu, who secretly hopes to usurp the throne. Fortunately, Athos, Porthos and Aramis have refused to lay down their weapons and continue to protect their king. D'Artagnan joins with the rogues to expose Richelieu's plot against the crown.