The Man in the Iron Mask is producer Edward Small’s 1939 version of the popular Dumas classic, directed by James Whale.
The title character is the legitimate King of France, imprisoned by his pretender-to-the-throne twin brother (both roles are played by Louis Hayward, with an uncredited Peter Cushing doubling for Hayward in the “over the back” shots).
Warren William plays musketeer D’Artagnan, who rallies his swashbuckling companions Porthos (Alan Hale), Athos (Bert Roach) and Aramis (Miles Mander), to rescue the real King, whom they have raised from infancy.
The commercial appeal of The Man in the Iron Mask led to producer Small’s big screen adaptation of another literary source, The Son of Monte Cristo, in 1940.
Released: April 12, 1939
Oscar Nominations: 1
Original Score: Lud Gluskin and Lucien Moraweck
Oscar Awards: None
Oscar Context:
The winner of the Scoring Oscar was Herbert Sothart for The Wizard of Oz.