Director Frank Lloyd certainly cranked out some high caliber films, including MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY (1935) and FOREVER AND A DAY (1943), but in my view IF I WERE KING rates his finest achievement.
To that end, he is immensely assisted by top cinematography and editing from Theodor Sparkhul and Hugh Bennett, respectively, and a clever, lively dialogue script from Justin McCarthy with the assistance of the up and coming Preston Sturges. Nearly 90 years on, it remains a spruce screenplay with sharp repartee to spare.
Needless to say, peerless acting down to the smaller parts. Ronald Colman delivers one of his more famous roles as poet and thief François Villon, Frances Dee radiates beauty and grace, and Basil Rathbone simply steals the show with his canny, suspicious, intrigue-loving Louis XI.
To be honest, I do not see IF I WERE KING as a swashbuckler. Lead Colman does very little sword fighting, Rathbone none, the crowd engages in most of it and it is difficult to discern who fights who. Instead, I find this an interesting glimpse at social values of the time, and how even at this early stage the seeds were being planted in Paris for the 1789 revolution. That said, there were clear government-convenient moments, such as when Louis XI asks of Villon what he would do if he were king: "Would you abolish taxes?"
Villon vibrantly replies in what must be music to all governments' ears: "No!" and he lists the steps he would take, namely distribute food among the populace of Paris to stave off the attack by the Burgundian forces. Pity - I have never understood the reason for having to pay taxes so that costs IF I WERE KING a star.
Jokes aside, a real must-see film. 9/10.
To that end, he is immensely assisted by top cinematography and editing from Theodor Sparkhul and Hugh Bennett, respectively, and a clever, lively dialogue script from Justin McCarthy with the assistance of the up and coming Preston Sturges. Nearly 90 years on, it remains a spruce screenplay with sharp repartee to spare.
Needless to say, peerless acting down to the smaller parts. Ronald Colman delivers one of his more famous roles as poet and thief François Villon, Frances Dee radiates beauty and grace, and Basil Rathbone simply steals the show with his canny, suspicious, intrigue-loving Louis XI.
To be honest, I do not see IF I WERE KING as a swashbuckler. Lead Colman does very little sword fighting, Rathbone none, the crowd engages in most of it and it is difficult to discern who fights who. Instead, I find this an interesting glimpse at social values of the time, and how even at this early stage the seeds were being planted in Paris for the 1789 revolution. That said, there were clear government-convenient moments, such as when Louis XI asks of Villon what he would do if he were king: "Would you abolish taxes?"
Villon vibrantly replies in what must be music to all governments' ears: "No!" and he lists the steps he would take, namely distribute food among the populace of Paris to stave off the attack by the Burgundian forces. Pity - I have never understood the reason for having to pay taxes so that costs IF I WERE KING a star.
Jokes aside, a real must-see film. 9/10.