Richard Lester is one the directors who has most appreciated the attraction of shooting films in Spain, and this humorous version of the Dumas classic, although intended as a single film, finally became two, with the resulting law suits from disgruntled actors.
The royal palace of Aranjuez near Madrid made a believable substitute for Versailles, having been built in 1722 when Spain was just getting used to Frenchified ways under the newly installed Bourbon dynasty following the War of Spanish Succession. Another old favourite, the royal summer retreat, La Granja, Segovia, 34 kilometres north west of Madrid also served as Versailles, and was also built by the first Bourbon monarch Felipe V, while the Alcázar of Segovia was used for the scene of Charlton Heston’s ‘benevolent’ torturing of Spike Milligan, playing a character remarkably similar to himself, with goon voice included.
