O Mosqueteiro

"The Three Must-Get-There's" is a delightful, funny and incredible comedy, even for a German aristocrat who doesn't have any sense of humour ( or at least doesn't understand hypothetical Frenchified funny situations ), starring the great Herr Max Linder. This film was the last of his American period, and unfortunately Herr Linder would only star in two more films before his tragic ending. "The Three Must-Get-There's" is a parody of Herr Douglas Fairbanks' character and films, so this time Herr Linder takes off his characteristic hat and suit and puts on a longhaired French wig and one of those bizarre French regional costumes, Herr Linder being at ease with such clothes and making fun of those strange habits of his countrymen, such as being a musketeer, indeed a peculiar job even for the French.

The film is a brilliant comedy full of linguistic puns and excellent visual gags wherein nothing is what it seems at first sight ( Dart-in-Again crosses the English channel in a sailing horse! ), mixing up the old with the new ( Dart-in-Again uses a horse or a motorcycle, depending on his purposes ) in an original and unexpected way, and full of funny stunts perfect for this kind of film genre, that give the film a rhythmic pace in order to depict the adventures of the musketeers and their efforts to retrieve the Queen's brooch from her lover before the King notices.

"The Three Must-Get-There's" is an excellent example of the inventiveness, originality, elegance and humour of one of the greatest comedians of silent film history.

And now, if you'll allow me, I must temporarily take my leave because this German Count must keep his serious German sneer after having been amused with such funny French things.