Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #7906 in VHS
• Released on: 1998-08-04
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Formats: Black & White, Closed-captioned, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of tapes: 1
• Running time: 101 minutes

Customer Reviews

VILLON A'LA COLMAN.
Vagabond - roustabout Francois Villon lived in Paris of the 15th century, during the reign of Louis XI. Villon was arrested in a tavern brawl in which the Grand Constable of France was wounded. The perversely sly king was taken with Villon's speech and manner and made him into the Grand Constable for a week............John Barrymore starred in the 1927 silent version entitled THE BELOVED ROGUE; in 1930, Rudolph Friml scored the Broadway musical THE VAGABOND KING which starred Dennis King. In this Paramount film from 1938, Colman is on view in one of his more charming and carefree incarnations as the reckless poet given to romantic flights of fancy & the daring adventurer who's resourceful in a crisis. With elegant grace, he woos his lady fair, played by Frances Dee, and with a slyness spritually saturnine as Rathbone's own, he fences with the crafty king, knowing full well his very existence is on the line. Only Colman, with his eloquent speaking voice, could recite poetry as beautifully: "If I were king - the stars should be pearls upon a string"...... Although the sets, crowd scenes and Preston Sturge's script failed to completely disguise the creaky stage orgins of the piece, it's a beautiful production nevertheless.

A TOUR DE FORCE...
The velvet voiced Ronald Colman triumphs in the role of Francois Villon, a roguish poet who verbally duels with the canny and crafty King Louis XI of France, played with artistic abandon by Basil Rathbone in an Oscar nominated performance for Best Supporting Actor.

A series of circumstances finds Villon made Chief Constable of France by the King's decree. He is given a week to save the City of Paris from the Burgundians, who remain encamped on the outskirts of the city, waiting to move in and depose the King. The people of Paris are on the verge of revolt due to some serious food shortages and draconian punishments meeted out in the name of the King's justice. It looks like the beginning of the end for the King.

Villon, however, manages to change the people's sentiment. He uses his power to open the King's food storerooms to the people. He tempers justice with mercy, and he proves his loyalty to the king. He also wins the love of a beautiful princess, charmingly played by the lovely Frances Dee. In the end, he rallies the people of France in the name of the King and the Burgundians are defeated. This film, however, is not an action film. What is notable is the incisive and delightful repartee exchanged between Villon and the King. The dialogue flows fast and furious and is earmarked by a rapier like wit. Clever and sophisticated, it is an unusual costume drama fueled by an outstanding screenplay by the legendary Preston Sturgess.

Romald Colman fans will ejoy this film, as will those who enjoy historical dramas and period pieces.

Comedy Masterpiece!
This film is very near the top of my best comedies of the 20th century. Why? It's a great story of a rogue who accidentally catches and kills a high ranking traitor to the King of France. Because he boasted that he would be a better king then the one who was standing incognito in the room with him, The King makes him governor of all France as a combined punishment and reward. Preston Sturges' colorful commentary is delivered by one of the finest and funniest casts ever assembled. Basil Rathbone was nominated for an Oscar for his ingenious portrayal of the wily and eccentric King Louis XI. As the King enters the torture chamber to force a confession from a traitor's messenger he comments: "What an odd smell in here...as if someone had burnt the Roast!" The line is funny on paper but when Rathbone delivers it in a high nasal and rolls the 'r' in 'roast' almost beyond reason, it's hilarious. Ronald Colman has the lion's share of funny lines, poems and quips. His sensitive reading of the romantic moments make his unexpected jokes all the more delightful. Convinced that he is being removed from the dungeon to be hanged, he makes up a little poem for the bar wench who loves him so she won't cry: "Here goes Francois, child of France, to swing into his final dance, his neck at last will have the chance....to weigh the tonnage of his pants!" A dark statement to be sure but delivered with such wide-eyed innocence as to be intoxicatingly funny. Every supporting actor is funny and engaging and the script is endlessly entertaining. This movie has just been made available to the public (I had to tape it from late night cable TV). I watch it at least once a year. Now it's available to us all. If you love classic comedy, you will treasure "If I Were King."