Film Snail

6.8

If I Were King

NR·1938·101m

Adventure

History

Adventure

History

Summary

King Louis XI masquerades as a commoner in Paris, seeking out the treachery he is sure lurks in his kingdom. At a local tavern, he overhears the brash poet François Villon extolling why he would be a better king. Annoyed yet intrigued, the King bestows on Villon the title of Grand Constable. Soon Villon begins work and falls for a lovely lady-in-waiting, but then must flee execution when the King turns on him.

Cast

Ronald Colman

François Villon

Basil Rathbone

Louis XI

Frances Dee

Katherine de Vaucelles

Ellen Drew

Huguette

C. V. France

Father Villon

Henry Wilcoxon

Captain of the Watch

Heather Thatcher

The Queen

Stanley Ridges

Rene de Montigny

Bruce Lester

Noel de Jolys

Alma Lloyd

Colette

Walter Kingsford

Tristan l'Hermite

Sidney Toler

Robin Turgis

Colin Tapley

Jehan LeLoup

Ralph Forbes

Oliver le Dain

John Miljan

Thibaut d'Aussigny

William Haade

Guy Tabarie

Adrian Morris

Colin de Cayeulx

Montagu Love

General Dudon

Lester Matthews

General Saliere

William Farnum

General Barbezier

Paul Harvey

Burgundian Herald

Barry Macollum

Storehouse Watchman

May Beatty

Anna

Winter Hall

Major Domo

Francis McDonald

Casin Cholet

Ann Evers

Lady-in-Waiting

Jean Fenwick

Lady-in-Waiting

Jimmy Aubrey

Drunk (uncredited)

Guy Bellis

Third Officer (uncredited)

Lionel Belmore

Chief Steward (uncredited)

Ted Billings

Parisian Peasant (uncredited)

Ed Brady

Beggar (uncredited)

Henry Brandon

Soldier (uncredited)

George Bruggeman

Restraining Guard (uncredited)

Marie Burton

Girl (uncredited)

Ethel Clayton

Old Woman (uncredited)

David Clyde

First Officer (uncredited)

Bing Conley

Burgundian Knight (uncredited)

Alec Craig

Spy (uncredited)

Paula DeCardo

Dancer (uncredited)

Jane Dewey

Maid (uncredited)

Shorty English

Beggar (uncredited)

Ralph Faulkner

First Watch (uncredited)

Norah Gale

Lady-in-Waiting (uncredited)

John George

Beggar (uncredited)

Eddie Hall

Soldier (uncredited)

Darryl Hickman

Child (uncredited)

Shep Houghton

Burgundian Knight (uncredited)

Brandon Hurst

Beggar (uncredited)

Major Kieffer

Burgundian Knight (uncredited)

Claude King

Courtier (uncredited)

Judith King

Girl (uncredited)

Stanley King

Captain of Archers (uncredited)

Ian Maclaren

Beggar (uncredited)

Eric Mayne

Court Member (uncredited)

Merrill McCormick

Ruffian

Clive Morgan

Second Officer (uncredited)

Paul Newlan

Beggar (uncredited)

Carol Parker

Girl (uncredited)

Russ Powell

Ruffian (uncredited)

Ruth Rogers

Girl (uncredited)

John Roy

Restraining Guard (uncredited)

Ralph Sanford

Cook (uncredited)

Charles Schaeffer

Third Watch (uncredited)

Louise Seidel

Girl (uncredited)

Allen D. Sewall

Parisian Peasant (uncredited)

Count Stefenelli

Court Member (uncredited)

Dan Strebel

Second Watch (uncredited)

Evan Thomas

Officer (uncredited)

Cheryl Walker

Girl (uncredited)

Robert Wegner

Fourth Watch (uncredited)

Pat West

Bit Part (uncredited)

Dorothy White

Girl (uncredited)

Gloria Williams

Girl (uncredited)

Harry Wilson

Beggar (uncredited)

Crew

Director

Frank Lloyd

Screenplay

Preston Sturges

Theatre Play

Justin Huntly McCarthy

Reviews

Geronimo1967

June 20, 2022

This is a cracking bit of swashbuckling adventure with Ronald Colman ("Villon") and particularly Basil Rathbone (Louis XI) on top form. The former is a poetic vagabond, Robin Hood style, character who pinches what he can to help feed the population of a besieged Paris, whilst their King sits in his palace living the life of Riley. When the King's personal store is raided, the King's guard step up their searches and it isn't long before "Villon" is apprehended. The King is a wily old buzzard, though, and realising potential in this man of the people, appoints him to command the city and his armies and before long the people begin to change their previously hostile views of Louis XI and everyone focuses on the looming Burgundian attacks. Coleman reminded me of Errol Flynn here; he displays a charming intimacy with both his colleagues and the audience that is engaging. Rathbone - who lost out on the Oscar to Walter Brennan for "Kentucky" (1938) - is also excellent as the shrewd monarch who must hold his kingdom together, despite some pretty obvious character flaws! Frank Lloyd keeps the whole thing moving along swiftly, with plenty of action, pithy dialogue and duplicity writ large. If you like the genre, then you ought to love this - I really enjoyed it.