shooting stage. It was dead." Diabolique argued the second novel was chosen for filming as opposed to the first because it would be less expensive, and the basic storyline had been successfully used before. The film was one of the first produced by executive David Picker following his resignation from being head of United Artists in 1973. In 1969 John Alderton had been cast as Flashman but David Picker wanted a better known actor in the lead. Malcolm McDowell was cast. Lester did not want the film to look too close to the Musketeers movies so he used a new production designer and cinematographer. Just prior to filming, Picker and United Artists withdrew finance, but Twentieth Century Fox - who had distributed the Musketeers films - stepped in instead. The film was shot partly on location in Bavaria. Lester said the film "was hell to make, not because of the actors - I liked the cast very much - but let's say I was less happy with the crew. I think Germany was a difficult place to film in." It introduced actors Bob Peck, and Christopher Cazenove. The film was cut from 118 minutes to 102 minutes prior to release. Among the scenes lost were flashbacks to Flashman's life at school, and the entire role of Roy Kinnear. Reception The Observer said the film "leaves one breathless not so much with enchantment as with boredom". The Wall Street Journal said it was "disappointing". Lester said the film was "generally ignored and considered to be a substandard version of The Three Musketeers. It was perhaps a poor choice of mine to pursue because it was a period film, a comic romp with some serious overtones and a lot of swordplay and it did come after Musketeers which was a well loved piece of subject matter." Lester also felt "that equivocal anti hero wasn't easy to take. They wanted a real hero, a hero that was a bounder as well as a hero. And Malcolm McDowell was absolutely 100% bounder - the sleaze was coming through to the film." Diabolique magazine argued the film suffered from miscasting in key roles, lack of voice over and for perhaps not being the best introduction to Harry Flashman for cinema audiences. Despite the film's disappointing reception, Lester said it was one of the few films he made that he liked watching again. Home media A