The King and the Chorus Girl

If you like 1930s romantic comedies, you will probably enjoy this movie. I almost didn't watch it because of a few negative comments on this website, but I'm glad I decided to give it a try. The dialogue reflects Groucho Marx's style. The performances by Joan Blondell and Fernand Gravet give the movie a warmer, more personable, romantic feeling than Groucho is known for. If you don't set your expectations too high after seeing Groucho's name associated with the movie, you will enjoy the movie very much. I certainly did, and I'd like to watch it again with my husband.

Joan Blondell is sexy, in a frumpy sort of way, and she somehow manages to be both pretty and ugly at the same time. Think of her as the Lisa Kudrow of her day. In this movie Joan acts opposite Fernand Gravet, Belgium's greatest import since waffles. Try not to think of him at all. And they both act opposite Edward Everett Horton, a whimsically asexual chap who elevated flittering to an art form. Think of him as the Jm J. Bullock of his day. But, of course, the actors are secondary to the screenwriter in this pleasantly forgettable film, as the man behind the typewriter was none other than Groucho Marx, the Groucho Marx of his day. Groucho's contributions to the screenplay are most noticeable near the beginning, in scenes of forced banter between Gravet and Horton, which only proves how unfunny Groucho the writer can be without Groucho the actor delivering the lines. If you're truly interested in how funny Groucho the writer can be, then avoid this film and read his autobiography Groucho and Me, or The Groucho Letters. If you want to see Joan Blondell in something good, rent A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. And if you absolutely must have a dose of Edward Everett Horton, watch Bullwinkle.

This very amusing picture justifiably sits alongside the absolute best of the Fred and Ginger or Jessie Matthews romantic comedies. It's also a lot more fun than THE PRINCE AND THE SHOWGIRL. The silly story and the characters are believable enough to fully engage with - you feel involved.

There were there people who scoffed haughtily at this at the time. It was accused of being formulaic, predictable and corny. Well of course it is - that's what makes so brilliant!

Yes, it is formulaic - it's honed and tuned to perfection so that you know exactly what you're going to get. It was known what boxes needed ticking to make a classic rom-com, and that's just what you get with this.

Yes it's also predictable but that gives you that reassuring comforting feel. You're not going to get stressed watching this, whatever silly challenges and obstacles arise, you know they'll sort it out by the end.

Corny? Yes but not in a sugary, sentimental way. When made properly by a top director such as Mervyn LeRoy and co-written by Groucho Marx, corny can be funny.

Joan Blondell enjoyed the opportunity to do something a little different and with a bigger budget to what she was often in and you can sense her new found energy and enthusiasm. She is perfect in the role and from the moment she appears you're fully on board. For the next hour and a half, your entire life exists just to make sure she gets the happy ending she deserves.

Fernand Gravey is also perfect as the bored, over-entitled deposed young king. Despite all the cliches, he gives character absolute authenticity. He's actually more believable (and certainly more likeable) as a troubled monarch than that Edward VIII chap who was making all the headlines at this time.

This movie is an absolute delight and I cannot believe it's not considered a minor classic. Joan Blondell and Fernand Gravey have an incredible chemistry - so many reviewers have talked about how witty and sexy Blondell is in this movie, but so is Gravey (grrrr!)! I kept laughing out loud, and when I looked up the movie here to read more about it and saw that it was co-written by Groucho Marx, so many things made sense as to why the banter is so witty. Solid supporting cast - Edward Everett Horton is awesome as always, but Alan Mowbray in this comic role is also a delight. What an incredibly under-rated movie - definitely my favorite of all the many, many royalty-falls-in-love-with-commoner films.

Enjoyed this classic 1937 film which was a very cute comedy about a King played by Fernand Gravet,(Alfred Bruger VII) who falls in love with a chorus girl played by Joan Blondell, (Miss Dorothy Ellis). Alfred Bruger the King fell in love almost immediately after viewing her as a chorus girl and wound up taking her to his home and she locked him in his own bedroom and would not let him out. There is plenty of comical games being played between this couple and they both fall deeply in love with each other. The King even hires an entire cruise ship to capture Dorothy Ellis in an effort to propose to her and never let her get away. Edward Everett Horton,(Count Humbert Evel Bruger) gave a great supporting role and added plenty of comedy in many scenes. If you look close, you will see Jane Wyman, (the former wife of President Ronald Regan).