If I Were King Movie Review 1938

Colman, of the impeccable diction, stars as swashbuckling 15th-century French poet Francois Villon, who matches wits with King Louis XI (Rathbone), and falls in love with aristocratic Katherine de Vaucellos (Dee). He even manages to save Paris by leading a peasant army against the invading Burgundians. Probably the best scenes are the witty repartee between Colman and Rathbone, each trying to best the other. Also filmed as 1927's "The Beloved Rogue" (with John Barrymore) and the operetta "The Vagabond King."

Distribution

Universal Studios Home Video, 100 Universal City Plz., Universal City, CA 91608-9955, Phone: (818)777-1000, Fax: (818)866-1483, URL: http://www.universalstudios.com, Remarks: Does not handle retail queries from consumers; contact your local video distributor.

Available on VHS
Running time 102 minutes.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Romantic Adventures, Paris, Royalty, Period Piece: 15th Century, Swashbucklers

Screenplay

Preston Sturges

Cast

Ronald Colman, Basil Rathbone, Frances Dee, Henry Wilcoxon, C.V. France, Ellen Drew, Sidney Toler, Heather Thatcher, Stanley Ridges

Cinematography

Theodor Sparkuhl

Director

Frank Lloyd

Music

Richard Hageman

Producer

Paramount Pictures