Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1512164
1 6 0 P E R S P E C T I V E | N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 3 The classic novel The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas has been translated to screen over fifteen times, not to mention many TV versions. One of the earliest renditions was a musical comedy interpretation produced in 1939 by Darryl Zanuck at 20th Century Fox and directed by Allan Dwan, starring Don Ameche and the Ritz Brothers, who were lesser known vaudeville performers. The Art Directors on the film were Bernard Herzbrun, who began his career at Paramount Studios in Long Island in 1926 before relocating to Los Angeles, and David Hall, who originally hailed from Ireland. Hall's fluid style is on display in this beautiful pencil sketch of D'Artagnan's room in Bernajou's home. This sketch provides a wonderful opportunity to compare this early Set Design concept for this classic story to more modern interpretations seen today. At the time, the movie received mixed reviews, The New York Times stating that "isn't a buzzing in your ears you've been hearing; it's Dumas spinning in his grave as the Ritz Brothers play his 'Three Musketeers.'" Since then, the film has become a comedy cult classic appearing on American Film Institute's 2000 list of the Top 100 Funniest American Movies. Hall's career was marked by many successes, including Academy Award nominations for his work on Wee Willie Winkie in 1937 and The Greatest Story Ever Told in 1965. He was an Art Director at 20th Century Fox for several years before moving up to Production Designer and then later working as an assistant director and associate producer for Lester Cowan. Some of his other prominent Art Direction credits include National Velvet (1944), Quo Vadis (1951), The Robe (1954), Ben-Hur (1959) and My Fair Lady (1964). RESHOOTS B Y L I S A C L A R K , A S S O C I AT E E D I T O R S E L E C T I O N S F R O M T H E A D G A R C H I V E S COURTESY OF THE ADG COLLECTIONS AT THE MARGARET HERRICK LIBRARY, A.M.P.A.S. A A. PENCIL CONCEPT SKETCH FOR THE 20TH CENTURY FOX FILM THE THREE MUSKETEERS BY ART DIRECTOR DAVID HALL.