Quand la femme est Roi

Before cousin oscar (hale) can travel to graustark to take over the monarchy, he is injured. In desparation, beverly (davies) does drag to fill in at the prince's introduction. When assassins try to take out "the prince", dantan the local goat herder (moreno) comes to the rescue. But when beverly falls for him, she is still posing as the prince, so there's the dilemma! Some interesting trivia comes with this production.. right at the open, marion davies' name is about twice as large as her co-star antonio moreno. This was about halfway through davie's film career; she had been acting for about ten years, and would act (and produce) for another ten years. Larger than life davies was allegedly the live in girlfriend to newspaper publisher william hearst, who had helped to bump her acting career into gear. Directed by sidney franklin; made some pretty major films, even nominated for "good earth". According to wikipedia dot org, the story is based on the 1904 novel by george mccutcheon. The very last scene is in color. You'll be blinded by the reds and the sparkles! A rarity in the 1920s. For more early early films made on color film, see the list of early color feature films at wikipedia. There aren't many prior to 1920, and it was pretty rare for another twenty years. It's a really good restoration, with all new music. The story is all quite silly, but fantasies that take place in far off, exotic lands are always fun to watch.

Marion Davies stars as Beverly, an American student who gets talked into masquerading as her cousin Oscar after he gets injured in a skiing accident. Oscar (Creighton Hale) was just about to travel back to Graustark to claim the throne and secure the country from the evil General Marlanax (Roy D'Arcy). Of course there are complications when she falls for her bodyguard, Antonio Moreno, a goatherd who rescues the "prince" from an ambush.

Davies is a delight. The scene in which she must drain a huge tankard of beer (as a toast to the army) is hilarious. At a great ball, Davies manages to talk the scheming Carlotta (Paulette Duval) into taking off her gown, which Davies escapes with to flirt with Moreno. All is well when Oscar finally appears in Graustark.

Davies impersonated young men in many of her films (MARIANNE (both silent and talkie versions), LITTLE OLD NEW YORK, Hollywood REVUE OF 1929, and WHEN KNIGHTHOOD WAS IN FLOWER come to mind). Davies also masquerades is many other films: in QUALITY STREET as her own niece, OPERATOR 13 as a black servant, EVER SINCE EVE as a frumpy secretary, GOING Hollywood as a French maid, etc.

BEVERLY OF GRAUSTARK was a big hit at the box office and is said to be Davies' most profitable film for MGM.

BEVERLY OF GRAUSTARK is little more than cinematic cotton candy, but what a confection it is! Marion Davies is hilarious as the American woman thrust into European intrigue when she has to impersonate her male cousin who just happens to be royalty. Her mission is complicated by her feelings for hunky bodyguard Antonio Moreno. Throw in Roy D'Arcy as a delightful mustache-twirling villain and you've got a great cast.

Sidney Franklin directs and gives the movie real energy. The settings are glamorous and the movie ends with a stunning Technicolor ball. It's the kind of escapism Hollywood once made it's stock in trade and it's one of Davies' best vehicles from her heyday.

Marion Davies is absolutely adorable as Beverly, an American college girl who must masquerade as her cousin, Prince Oscar of Graustark, lest he lose the throne. There is some interesting chemistry as she (in male drag) falls in love with her bodyguard... and he certainly seems to be smitten with the young "prince" too! Anyone who doubts Marion Davies talents as a comic actress should view this film.

Marion Davies returns unfinished from finishing school because her cousin, Creighton Hale, has completed negotiations to be crowned King of Graustark. A skiing accident puts him in a hospital bed. If he doesn't show up, evil General Roy D'Arcy may succeed in a coup. So they dress up Miss Davies in men's clothes and send her off as her cousin. On the way in, she and faithful Duke Albert Gran are almost assassinated, but sheepherder Antonio Moreno rescues them. Miss Davies appoints him her bodyguard. She wants him close, and not just to guard her body.

There are major differences between this movie version and the George Barr McCutcheon novel it's based on. Mitteleuropean politics are cut out in favor of a big final reveal. Also, there's no cousin Creighton. In the book, Beverly Calhoun is mistaken for the reigning Princess of Graustark, whose friend she is. These changes allow more romance and let Miss Davies dress in men's clothes, as she has in at least three of her earlier movies. This was, after all, a starring vehicle for Miss Davies, and Hollywood liked to recycle elements that had worked in previous shows. Moreno is dashing; Miss Davies mugs a lot when called on to do manly things, and there's a sumptuous finale in nicely preserved two-strip Technicolor. Ben Model offers a nice organ accompaniment on this Undercrank co-production with the Library of Congress. It's a fine vehicle for Miss Davies, showing her as beautiful, a good silent actress, and a willing and excellent farceur.