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

Jeremy Irons: Aramis

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!

• Aramis : Perhaps you should take his offer. We're dead anyway.

  Porthos : He's right, D'Artagnan.

  Phillippe : Wait. Bargain me to Louis for all your lives. You've done your best. Please let me go.

  D'Artagnan : No, I cannot do it. Even if I could give up my king, I could never give up my son.

  [they all look at him, thunderstruck] 

  Phillippe : Your son?

  D'Artagnan : I loved your mother. I love her still. You are my son. I never knew you existed. And I never felt pride as a father... until this moment.

• 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.

• Aramis : Sometimes there are more important things in life than a good pair of tits.

  Porthos : Really? If you can name me one thing that is more sublime than the feel of a plump, pink nipple between my lips, I'll build you a new cathedral.

  Aramis : Forgiveness...

  Porthos : Forgiveness...?

  [Porthos farts] 

  Porthos : There... i am i forgiven? Come on... am i forgiven?

  [play fight ensures between them] 

• Aramis : I'm a genius, not an engineer.

• Porthos : Aramis, is this the way to hell?

  Aramis : Hell may be our destination, but not this trip.

• Aramis : Athos, if we fail in this - and we probably will - it will be an honor to die beside you.

• Aramis : The King has ordered me to seek out the secret general of the Jesuits and kill him.

  Porthos : You should let the secret general worry about that.

  Aramis : Therein is the problem. I am he. I am the general of the order of Jesuits.

• Porthos : [a naked Porthos has tried to hang himself but failed]  Aramis! You sawed the beam! You knew I would I try to hang myself and you sawed the beam! Admit it. Admit it!

  Aramis : Of course I knew! And now that you've got the idea of killing yourself out of your head you can stop boring everyone and be useful for a change. And put some clothes on!

• Queen Anne : Aramis!

  Aramis : I have come to ask whether you believe that just as one lie can destroy a life, so one truth can make it whole again.

  Queen Anne : I have prayed every day for such a miracle.

• Aramis : When I discover the identity of this Jesuit rebel, I will kill both him and the man who told me.

• Porthos : Stop praying and revel with me, Aramis! I need my spirits lifted. I'm old, I'm weak, my strength is gone.

  Aramis : Porthos! I'm praying.

  Porthos : I just said you're praying. Are you deaf, too? I know you're blind, because if you'd seen the tits that just walked out of here, you'd have tears in your eyes.

• Aramis : [narrating]  The Man in the Iron Mask was never found. It was whispered among his jailers that he received a royal pardon and was taken to the country where he lived quietly, often visited by the Queen. The King known as Louis XIV brought his people food, prosperity and peace and is remembered as the greatest ruler in the history of his nation.

• Aramis : We are offering you the chance to be King.

  Phillippe : No, you are offering me the chance to pretend to be King.

• Aramis : You grow fond of him. That is good.

• Aramis : I have prayed every day for forgiveness. But now I realize that forgiveness must come from you before it can come from God.

• Aramis : You are surrounded by beauty, by intrigue, by danger, what more can a man want?

• Athos : What is Porthos doing?

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

• Aramis : Porthos... don't you understand? I'm trying to PRAY!

  Porthos : You're always praying!

• Aramis : [explaining to Phillippe that he's the one who put him into the mask]  For my country, for my king, I brought peace with your life and with my soul.

• Aramis : Why are you so glum?

  Porthos : I expected action. There was no fighting, there was no killing. I was useless.

  Aramis : Porthos, I grow tired of this attitude. You're surrounded by beauty, by intrigue, by danger. What more can a man want? The robins are singing, the pigeons are cooing. Can't you listen to their song?

  [he walks off in disgust; Porthos takes off his hat when something falls on it to reveal it's bird-dung] 

• Aramis : If Porthos is determined to end his life, he's bound to seek the opportunity, isn't he?

• 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.

• Queen Anne : Bless me Father, for I have sinned.

  Aramis : So have I.

• [first lines] 

  Aramis : Some of this is legend, but at least this much is fact. When rioting citizens of France destroyed the Bastille, they discovered within its records this mysterious entry: "Prisoner number 6-4-3-8-9,000 - - the Man in the Iron Mask."

• D'Artagnan : I cannot betray - my King. I will defend him with my life.

  Aramis : Then God go with you, for none of us will.

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

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

• Aramis : This is not for me, Athos. This is for everything we once were, and might be again.

• Queen Anne : I have failed - to save a son who died within an iron mask.

  Aramis : No! That mask was the creation of Louis. But now God and we have the chance to make a miracle, that could strip all masks away forever.

• Aramis : In the morning, you order that Athos, Pathos, and Aramis be brought to the palace as your advisors. And all will be well.

• Porthos : D'Artagnan watches everything. We have to be lucky.

  Aramis : We make our own luck tonight.