The Man in the Iron Mask (I) (1998)

John Malkovich: Athos

Photos 

Quotes 

• Porthos : [he puts the rope around his neck and prepares to jump]  Farewell cruel world... farewell to useless Porthos.

  [jumps] 

  Athos : [Aramis and Athos are watching the building from the outside]  What was that?

  Aramis : It's all right; I sawed the beam.

  [the building promptly collapses, and Athos stares at Aramis in disbelief] 

  Aramis : Well, I'm a genius, not an engineer!

• Athos : What is Porthos doing?

  Aramis : Walking into the barn naked, or so it would seem.

  Athos : But what is he doing?

  Aramis : About to hang himself, I suppose; he's been threatening to do it for months.

  Athos : Hang himself?

• [the Four Musketeers and Phillipe are trapped by riflemen at the other end of the hallway] 

  Aramis : D'Artagnan... They're young Musketeers. They've been weaned on our legends. They revere us. It is an advantage.

  Porthos : Yes. Why don't we charge them?

  D'Artagnan : I trained these men. They will fight to the death. But if we must die - if WE must die - let it be like this.

  [He draws his sword and points it at the floor. Aramis, Porthos, and Athos, join their swords with his] 

  Athos : One for all. All for one.

• Athos : [to Phillippe]  Yes, Raoul is my reason, but not in the way you think. Once I, once all of us believed in spending our lives in the service of something greater than ourselves. Aramis had his faith, Porthos his lust for life, D'Artagnan his devotion, and I had Raoul. But we all had a common dream. That one day we would finally be able to serve a king worthy of the throne. It is what we dreamt, what we bled for, and what we have spent a lifetime waiting to see. I taught Raoul to believe in that dream. And now my son is dead. So I am here to find out if his life was in vain. And the only one who can answer that question is you.

• Athos : No, wait. With a king it is so.

  [meaning the way Philippe is holding the goblet] 

  Athos : [he shows him, pinching the goblet between thumb and forefinger] 

  Athos : Servants have touched the goblet of the King, therefor he will touch it as little as possible. Again.

  [Phillippe tries it and the goblet slips from his fingers, crashing onto his plate and spilling onto everything] 

  Phillippe : I am sorry!

  Athos : No. No! Do not be sorry! There are no mistakes when you are the King! You must never apologize. The King cares for nothing and for no one.

  Phillippe : Is that the kind of king you wish me to be? Or do you say this to me because your son is dead?

  [Athos is silent, he shoves back from the table and turns away] 

  Phillippe : Forgive me, I would never mean to disrespect...

  Athos : I am not... I am not angry with you. Do you understand? Good. Of course we wish you to be a good king. But first you must pass as Louis, and Louis is cold and cruel. The eyes of this King say that he cares for nothing at all but himself. You eyes ask too much. You shouldn't care about... about me... you shouldn't care...

  [his voice breaks] 

  Athos : You mustn't ask about my son...

  [he leaves the room, weeping] 

• Porthos : [the Musketeers have just broken into the Bastille to free Philippe]  It worked!

  Athos : Of course; it's a prison. There's no trouble getting in, the problems will come when we want to get out.

• Athos : D'Artagnan, I have never known a finer man than you nor cared more for a friend, but if this king harms my son merely to take a lover, then this king will become my enemy. And so will any man who stands between that enemy and me.

• [Athos and Aramis hear Porthos scream] 

  Athos : What happened?

  Porthos : Kidney stones. It hurts when I piss. It hurts when I shit. I'm just a fat old fart with nothing to live for anymore. I'm going to hang myself, as soon as I'm sober.

• Athos : You came to restrain me?

  D'Artagnan : I came to give you hope.

• Athos : You want me to do the impossible and you want me to do it alone?

• Athos : What is Porthos doing?

  Aramis : Walking into the barn naked, or so it would seem.

• Athos : The next time we meet, one of us will die!

• Athos : I belong to the past, when uniforms were black and grown men wore them.

• Athos : You have the heart of a king.

• Athos : It has everything to do with it. The king is a dog. A dog and a coward.

• Athos : You're the traitor.

• Athos : What gives you the right to judge me, to play God with the lives of others? Is it because you're so much holier than everyone else?

  Aramis : Well yes, there is that. But also because I'm more intelligent than anybody else.

• Athos : Does the King have trouble finding women? Does he have trouble filling his bed? I served his father. Until I retired, I served him. And now, to seduce a woman who will mean nothing to him once he has had her, he would put my son's life in danger?

• Athos : When the great D'Artagnan visits, he must be offered the best wine.

  D'Artagnan : And if the great Athos offers, then the great D'Artagnan must drink.

• Athos : That is your plan? Exchanging one for the other? It's ludicrous!

  Aramis : I can assure you, it's brilliant.

• Athos : It is a trap, but we have no choice. If Phillippe is in the Bastille, then to the Bastille we will go.