If I Were King (1938)
“If I were king–ah love, if I were king!
What tributary nations I would bring
To stoop before your scepter and to swear
Allegiance to your lips and eyes and hair.
Beneath your feet what treasures I would fling:
The stars should be your pearls upon a string,
The world a ruby for your finger ring,
And you should have the sun and moon to wear,
If I were king…”Recited by Ronald Colman as poet/thief François Villon in If I Were King (1938)
It will come as no surprise to anyone who has spent more than a few minutes perusing this website that Preston Sturges is my favorite filmmaker. In my opinion he was not only Hollywood’s wittiest screenwriter; he was also the greatest director of screen comedy in film history. Consequently, whenever there is a new home video release of a title associated with Sturges, I make it a priority to review that movie. This is one such review. I was able to get an early look at Kino Lorber Studio Classics’ upcoming Blu-ray of director Frank Lloyd’s If I Were King (1938). The screenplay for the film was one of many jobs that Preston Sturges completed during his first decade in Hollywood, prior to being given the opportunity to direct his own scripts. Despite being a work-for-hire job, If I Were King was a project that Sturges enjoyed and of which he was deservedly proud.
The film is a highly fictionalized drama involving real historical figures during the reign of King Louis XI of France. At the time, France was at war with Burgundy and the Burgundians had the city of Paris bottled up, causing a shortage of food (especially among the lower classes). Speaking of lower classes, François Villon (Ronald Colman), a thief with the heart of a poet, raids the royal storehouses with his band of rogues. When he brings the ill-gotten food and wine to a local tavern to distribute Robin Hood-style, he unknowingly brags of his thievery in front of a stranger, who is actually King Louis XI (Basil Rathbone) in disguise. A scuffle ensues, in which Villon unknowingly kills a traitor that the king was trying to ferret out. The king feels that he should both hang Villon for his thievery and reward Villon for ridding him of an enemy, so he decides to do both. The King makes Villon the chief constable for one week, giving the thief the opportunity to save Paris with his wits and woo noblewoman Katherine DeVaucelles (Frances Dee) with his poetry, before hanging on the gallows at week’s end.
Preston Sturges’ directorial efforts of the 1940’s were almost entirely screwball comedies, but his early writing jobs were more varied (largely due to Sturges’ lack of control over what he was assigned). If I Were King gives us an excellent opportunity to see how Preston Sturges’ comic sensibilities fared when applied to another genre. The answer is “very well indeed,” at least based on this one project. Sturges was assigned to adapt a 1901 stage play by Justin Huntly McCarthy, which had been previously adapted during the silent era. Sturges largely ignored the play and the history it was based on, opting to create a character piece with fanciful versions of Villon and King Louis. The result was an Errol Flynn-like historical drama with wittier banter and florid poetry (some of which is verse written by the real-life Villon, translated from the French by Sturges himself; while other verses Sturges made up out of whole cloth).
Sturges was not only happy with the writing assignment; he was happy with the choice of director. Frank Lloyd was one of the most respected directors in Hollywood, having won two “Best Director” Oscars (for 1929’s The Divine Lady and 1933’s Cavalcade) as well as having been nominated for the highly successful Mutiny on the Bounty (1935). If I Were King is a handsome production, with opulent sets, elegant costumes (Edith Head), and silvery cinematography (Theodor Sparkuhl). Apparently, Sturges had no complaints over Lloyd’s handling of his script (which was a rarity), and the cast were well chosen to put the best spin on his material.
I can’t imagine a better actor for the part of François Villon than Ronald Colman. He looked more youthful than his 48 years and was able to adeptly handle both the linguistic eloquence and physical grace the part required. Best of all, he had one of the most magnificent voices in motion picture history. Sturges must of gotten a thrill out of hearing his poetry delivered in Colman’s cultured, lavender tones.
Colman is more than matched by Basil Rathbone, in an atypical performance as the comic villain. Taking on a stooped posture, a shuffling gait, and a high pitched voice, complete with a witch’s cackle, this is Rathbone having fun in a way he rarely got to enjoy. He’s having the time of his life (seemingly channeling Margaret Hamilton), and he earned a “Best Supporting Actor” nomination in the process.
Frances Dee is fine as the female lead and primary love interest. However, if I have one criticism of the film, it is that Ellen Drew is so dynamic as the third-wheel in the love tricycle (how’s that for a metaphor) that it is difficult to understand why Colman’s character would prefer Dee.
All in all, If I Were King is a delightful confection, which should appeal to fans of Preston Sturges or Ronald Colman or historical dramas or swashbucklers or romances or just good movies in general. The movie and the new Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics are both highly recommended.
USA/B&W-101m./Dir: Frank Lloyd/Wr: Preston Sturges (based on the play If I Were King
by Justin Huntly McCarthy)/Cast: Ronald Colman, Basil Rathbone, Frances Dee, Ellen Drew, Sidney Toler, Heather Thatcher, C.V. France, Henry Wilcoxon, Alma Lloyd
For Fans of: If you love the classic, historical swashbucklers of Errol Flynn, you’ll probably enjoy Preston Sturges’ wittier take on the genre.
Video: On February 7th, Kino Lorber Studio Classics will release a Blu-ray of If I Were King, sourced from a new 2K master. Overall, it is an excellent presentation of the film, especially for a title of its age. The image is sharp, clear, and displays natural film grain. There is a prominent scratch on the left side of the screen during the opening of the first reel, but after that, the image is near pristine. I wasn’t at all bothered by that one noticeable imperfection, as it made the experience feel a bit more like watching an actual projected image. The DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono sound is also quite clear, without age-related hiss. This is likely the best the film will ever look on home video. Don’t hesitate to pick up this beautiful disc.
Special Features include:
- A new audio commentary by film historian and writer Julie Kirgo: This is an excellent overview of the film, covering the historical basis of the story (which was mostly ignored by Sturges); background on the writer, director, cast, and crew; behind-the-scenes information about the production; and plenty of informed opinions on the quality of the movie itself.
- The original theatrical trailer for If I Were King
- Bonus trailers for Beau Geste, Union Pacific, Arabian Nights, Reap the Wild Wind, and Against All Flags
- Optional English subtitles for the film
Streaming: At the time of this review, If I Were King was unavailable to stream on any of the major subscription services. It was also unavailable to download as a digital rental or purchase.
More to Explore: If you want to check out a few of the other films written by Sturges prior to his promotion to director, I would recommend Easy Living (1937) and Remember the Night (1940).
Trivia: In the silent 1920 version of If I Were King, William Farnum starred as François Villon. Farnum also appears in the Frank Lloyd version in the smaller role of General Barbezier.
For More Info: The biographies Christmas in July: The Life and Art of Preston Sturges by Diane Jacobs and Frank Lloyd: Master of Screen Melodrama by Anthony Slide will give you the background on the talent behind If I Were King.
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