Man in the Iron Mask dynasty, as well as in the House of Valois, Bourbon and lastly the House of Orléans. Alexandre Dumas explored a similar theory in his book "The Vicomte de Bragelonne", where the prisoner was instead an identical twin of Louis XIV. This book has served as the basis – even if loosely adapted – for many film versions of the story. According to Marcel Pagnol’s theory, this twin was then born in 1638, grew up on Jersey Island, being named James de la Cloche. Later he would have conspired against King Louis XIV besides Roux de Marcilly, and would have been
The Man in the Iron Mask (1939 film) desperate escapes seem to demand him. Louis Hayward can give a modern effete touch when that is needed in the double role he has, but he can't compete with his rapier or his acrobatics." The first film adaptation of Dumas' novel to allow for the lasting triumph of the good twin over the evil twin was Douglas Fairbanks' 1929 version of the tale, "The Iron Mask" (although in this case the good twin was the one already on the throne, raised under the tutelage of D'Artagnan, and it was he who had to be rescued when the evil twin was