Le roi de coeur

My mother had seen King of Hearts years ago, when she was in college. When I was about seven or eight (a few years ago, she rented the movie. Most of the movie is in French and it had subtitles, so even though I could just barely understand what was being said, I had a wonderful understanding of what was going on. It's the type of movie where what's on screen is enough to let a person get a gist of the scene. When I first saw the movie, I remembered how lovely the music was, how I grew to love the "crazy" people from the asylum, and how beautiful the movie was. When my mom bought the movie, we watched it constantly. I still watch it at least once a month. It's one of my favorite movies. I really do love the music. For me, it simulates fun insanity. I love every single aspect of King of Hearts. If you ever have a chance to see it, then go! Go see King of Hearts!

One of the biggest cult films of the 60s and 70s* is now back for a brief theatrical run on it's way to Blu Ray and Streaming courtesy of a new 4K Restoration by the Cohen Media Group to commemorate its 50th Anniversary. The restoration looks fine, if not extraordinary (it may look better on Blu-Ray since most theaters will be showing it via 2K DCP).

Reviewing the film for the first time is a bit tricky in light of its formidable cult history. At the time, it's success was often chalked up to as a counter-culture commentary on the insanity of the Vietnam War. By the 80s and 90s, KING got tabbed as 'of its time' and 'dated' (a term I despise).

In 2018? With distance, one can look at it as the timeless fable it always was at its core. A British soldier Plumpick (Alan Bates) is sent to a small German occupied village in WWI on a spy mission. Unbeknownst to the Allied forces, the village has already been evacuated and the Germans have also left (leaving a nasty surprise behind). In a bizarre turn of events, the village's only inhabitants are the patients at an insane asylum. The patients soon dub Plumpick their de facto ruler - 'The King of Hearts'. Not content with just a 'King', the patients dress up and become characters of their own - everything from Dukes and Duchesses, to Prostitutes and Madams. A particularly winsome lass, Coquelicot (Genevieve Bujold) is presented as a possible Queen to the 'King'.

There is much frivolity and preciousness on hand, much of it entertaining, and much of it cloying (and all of it will be found offensive to many people offended at its portrayal of the mentally ill). De Broca's direction and the script by Daniel Boulanger and Maurice Bessy moves in fits and starts. How enjoyable one finds it will depend on one's tolerance for such whimsy. The performances are energetic and its no wonder Bujold (in her yellow tutu) soon became an international name.

The film's message that the insanity of war would be no different with the actual 'insane' in charge (if not better off!) is facile, of course, but, one can see how it would have had resonance during a time of war, protest, assassinations and such. It's like Renoir's RULES OF THE GAME as played by mad fools. But, rather than just saying it's 'dated' and 'of its time' (just as facile, in my book), its better to just look at KING OF HEARTS as fairy-tale for all times. * After not doing much business in its initial run, KING OF HEARTS had a legendary 4 to 5 year run (depending on the source) at the now defunct Central Square Cinemas in Boston. During that period it spread to midnight shows, college campuses and revival houses across the country. It remained in regular revival house distribution into the 80s.

It's World War I, and a Scottish Private named Plumpick (Alan Bates) is ordered to infiltrate a French village and stop a bomb that the Germans have planted from going off. Upon arriving, Plumpick discovers the entire village deserted, except for the patients of the local insane asylum, who have been left behind. The patients soon escape the asylum, play dress-up with the various clothes they find lying around the village, and take it over. Not only this, but they crown Plumpick their king! With the German army still in the vicinity nearby, Plumpick must find the bomb, diffuse it, and save his "subjects" from certain death....

An all-time foreign film classic, "Le Roi De Coeur," aka "King Of Hearts," is a marvelous movie, full of sweetness, charm, and both clever comedy & fine drama that also comments very well on the stupidity of war. Alan Bates, who sadly passed away recently, is simply wonderful as Private Plumpick, as is the lovely Genevieve Bujold as the young patient named Poppy that Plumpick falls for, and Adolfo Celi is quite funny as Plumpick's stuffy superior officer. The rest of the film's big ensemble cast, whether playing the asylum patients or various soldiers, are all excellent, too.

The only thing that stops "King Of Hearts" from being perfect is that it *could* very well be argued that the insane asylum patients in this movie aren't...well, *insane* enough. They may speak strangely to one another or to Private Plumpick, but, for the most part, they act & behave quite coherently. But other than that, "King Of Hearts" is a very charming foreign film, and one of the very best films of the late, great Alan Bates. Definitely seek this one out.

Perhaps I am biased because the female lead, Genevieve Bujold (Coquelicot / Poppy) reminds me of a young French girl whom I fell in love with, and then lost, 40 years ago - the very same year that I first saw the film (1966 or early 1967).

But personal memories apart, it is stunning to watch how French director Philippe de Broca managed to fuse hilarious fun and melancholy reflection in a mold that is an incredible mixture. There is fairy tale, commedia dell'arte, circus, slapstick, comedy, romance - and World War I carnage. Among the supporting roles, the cast features some of the foremost French actors of those times; and it is obvious that they enjoyed every bit of it, especially as they put in a number of biting quips along with marvelous cameos.

This is what happens: For one day Private Charles Plumpick (Alan Bates) becomes, rather against his will, the mock king of a group of lunatics. This motley crowd have escaped from their asylum and have temporarily taken possession of a deserted town in Northern France between the 1918 front lines. Eventually Plumpick owes it to his lunatic friends that he survives when his Scottish battalion and their German counterpart meet in battle. There seems to be no way out of the madness of war. But don't miss the penultimate scene! (Rumour has it that it was censored in the American version at the time...)

My favorite scene is when young, innocent Coquelicot takes the shortest way from the brothel (well - it's a French film, isn't it?) to the town hall to meet her loved one, the King of Hearts - using two telegraph wires as a tightrope.

Why the film was a flop in its own country, and why neither a DVD or at least a video tape is available in France, I simply do not understand. Is it because only the French speak French but the Scots speak English and the Germans speak German? (Note de Broca himself, very early in the film, in a 5 second cameo as Private Adolf Hitler!) No need to worry - there are subtitles to help you along. Actually the DVD recently on sale in the USA *is* the original French version! Subtitled, and uncensored, to be sure.

I cannot deny that the film does have its shortcomings. The story is somewhat inconsistent, there seem to be goofs galore, continuity is lousy. But then it seems that de Broca had to make do with a lousy budget, too. And what he has created is essentially a dream which opposes to the nightmare of war a vision of humanity. In such dreams inconsistency, goofs and lousy continuity do not really matter. So it is still 10 out of 10.

I saw King of Hearts on its original release when I was 15. For 35 years it has remained one of my favourite movies; perhaps the number one. Nothing in particular about the film so qualifies it. I like quite a number of "better" films, but KOH touched me in a way that stuck. It is an authentic movie; the reality is as simple as the english speaking english, the french french, and the germans german. The crazy people are sane, the sane people crazy. It is funny and tragic and perhaps a little too quirky but ... if you haven't tried it on you should.