Of the dozens of film versions of Dumas' The Three Musketeers, this 1953 film version is one of the few to remain faithful to the source. As always, the story begins when farm boy D'Artagnan (Georges Marschal) rides into Paris, intending to become a King's Musketeer. En route, he manages to offend Porthos (Gino Cervi), Athos (Jean Martinelli) and Aramis (Jacques Francois), challenging all three to a duel at the same time. The foursome eventually becomes fast friends, uniting against such common enemies as Cardinal Richelieu (Renaud Mary) and Milady DeWinter (Yvonne Sanson). The plot then segues into the efforts of the Musketeers to save the honor of Queen Anne. The film is stolen by Bourvil as D'Artagnan's slovenly lackey Placher.