Other mistake: When the Musketeers are charging the firing squad at the end, they only have about 20 yards to run which they should cover in just a couple seconds, but somehow it takes them much longer to reach the other men. This is especially noticeable since they're running at full speed. (This has nothing to do with editing or slow-motion, as most of the shots are shown in real time, at regular speed.)
The Man in the Iron Mask (1998)
1 other mistake
Directed by: Randall Wallace
Starring: Jeremy Irons, John Malkovich, Leonardo DiCaprio, Gabriel Byrne, Gerard Depardieu
Visible crew/equipment: In the very first scene, the boom mic is very obvious at the top of the screen.
Athos: D'Artagnan, I have never known a finer man than you nor cared more for a friend, but if this king harms my son merely to take a lover, then this king will become my enemy. And so will any man who stands between that enemy and me.
Trivia: If you look in King Louis' bedroom, there is portrait of the real King Louis XIV.
More questions & answers from The Man in the Iron Mask
Join the mailing list
Separate from membership, this is to get updates about mistakes in recent releases. Addresses are not passed on to any third party, and are used solely for direct communication from this site. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Check out the mistake & trivia books, on Kindle and in paperback.
Answer: It is partially true. Author Alexander Dumas based his character on records that were recovered about an unknown prisoner whose identity was kept secret by a black cloth that constantly covered his head. The facts gradually changed as a myth grew up around this account, and the cloth mask was eventually said to be iron. This person, who is believed to have been of high rank, was incarcerated in several prisons, including the Bastille. Dumas adapted the legend for his novel and made the unknown man the twin brother of King Louis XIV. However, the man's true identity has never been discovered. The movie has also distorted historical facts about the Bastille. It was originally built as a fortress during The Hundred Years War, and only later was it used as a prison. (It only held about 50 people.) When it was stormed by French peasants in 1789, there were only seven inmates, and it is believed the rioters were actually looking for ammunition rather than attempting to free prisoners.
raywest ★