Bardelys il magnifico

"In an age of light loves and lively scandals, a certain gentleman of France excelled in the noble art of getting himself talked about," introduces us to womanizing swashbuckler John Gilbert (as Bardelys). When Mr. Gilbert meets beautiful and rich Eleanor Boardman (as Roxalanne), he is dared to settle down and get married, on a bet. However, Gilbert's "rival in fashion and love" Roy D'Arcy (as Chatellerault) is also determined to win Ms. Boardman's hand, on orders from the King...

If "Bardelys the Magnificent" had not been lost for most of the 20th century, it would have built a reputation as a highly regarded and influential classic. The MGM personnel is first class, led by director King Vidor and cameraman William Daniels. Writer Dorothy Farnum gives Rafael Sabatini's story a very witty adaptation. Comic relievers George K. Arthur (the original Mike Myers) and Karl Dane are used well; it was after this film that they teamed up as a successful comic duo.

Gilbert's rambunctious sensuality is at its peak. It may not have been discussed, but Greta Garbo admired this film and had Gilbert do a version of his "Bardelys" character for "Queen Christina" (1933); her relationship with Gilbert has been documented, but she was also close with underrated co-star Boardman and Mr. Daniels, who photographed both films. A great cast and crew doesn't always guarantee high art in motion pictures, but it happens here. Everyone and everything is stupendous.

Some great moments tease along the way to a majestic (approximately five minute long) sequence involving Gilbert's escape from beheading. Don't miss this part (after about 75 minutes of running time), you'll want to play it again. Helping make "Bardelys" magnificent, the "3-D"-like escape sequence is certainly one of Mr. Vidor's greatest accomplishments. Thanks to everyone who worked with Eric Lange, Serge Bromberg and David Shepard in making "Bardelys the Magnificent" available.

********** Bardelys the Magnificent (9/30/26) King Vidor ~ John Gilbert, Eleanor Boardman, Roy D'Arcy, George K. Arthur

Based on a 1906 novel by Rafael Sabatini and subsequently dismissed as hack work by director King Vidor, 'Bardeleys the Magnificent' was a lost film until 2006, nearly a quarter of a century after Vidor's death.

It's certainly no 'Big Parade', although Eleanor Boardman (who married Vidor the same year it was made) would play the female lead a couple of year's later in Vidor's next major achievement, 'The Crowd', and is here a very attractive if too modern heroine (although that may be what makes her so attractive).

The emphasis is on romance rather than action, although enlivened by a last minute escape from the scaffold obviously based on Fairbanks but embellished (as elsewhere in the film) by Vidor's accomplished use of the camera.

Roy D'Arcy is a marvellous, sneeringly urbane villain who drops out of the film for quite a while; although during his absence an overdressed, baby-faced George K. Arthur enlivens the proceedings as a would-be villain hopelessly not up to the job.

Bardelys The Magnificent which put John Gilbert in strong competition with Douglas Fairbanks for screen's best silent swashbuckler is based on a novel by Rafael Sabatini who gave us much good material for those action adventure swashbucklers on the silent screen and in sound. We're far more familiar with work like Captain Blood, The Sea Hawk, and The Black Swan. Sad Bardelys The Magnificent never got a sound remake, the role would have fit either Tyrone Power or Errol Flynn perfectly. Especially Flynn because the story has elements of Don Juan which Flynn so successfully brought to the screen.

As the Don Juan of France, Gilbert as Bardelys is tricked into a wager with his court rival Roy D'Arcy that he can't get the hand of a young woman widely known for her virtue in those bawdy times of the court of Louis XIII. Later on through a combination of circumstances Gilbert arrives at Eleanor Boardman's estate incognito in the guise of a rebel to Louis XIII. He woos and wins her and as is usual in these romance stories actually falls for her. But you can already see he's got some real problems to win her.

John Gilbert was as dashing as any of the other noted swashbucklers of the screen. When dialog was given him when talkies started it was in these kind of roles that his voice did not record well and his career took a tumble. But seeing this you have no doubt of why he was considered a great screen lover. Eleanor Boardman is as virtuous as Mary Pickford or Lillian Gish ever were in their films and she wound up marrying the director of Bardelys The Magnificent, King Vidor.

For completists the restoration of Bardelys The Magnificent is of great interest to fans of John Wayne. The Duke no doubt under his real name of Marion Michael Morrison was an extra in this film. But with all the men wearing beards and mustaches as befit the period, I doubt you could spot him in crowd scenes. And Lou Costello probably under his birth name of Louis Cristillo is also an extra.

For Costello this would prove ironical because the actor playing Louis XIII is Arthur Lubin who later became a director of some note and he directed several early Abbott&Costello features, most notably their breakthrough film, Buck Privates.

The action highlight of the screen is John Gilbert's escape from the gallows which rivals anything that Douglas Fairbanks did in his film. There is some really clever use of a pike to aid Gilbert in his escape and I wonder if Gilbert did any of that work himself. No doubt MGM frowned on injuring his rather expensive body with these deeds.

Of course the real beneficiary of this restoration is John Gilbert and the legacy of work did for the big screen. Bardelys The Magnificent is an expertly staged well done piece of cinema.

John Gilbert is in his dashing prime as the great lover in Bardelys the Magnificent. Adept at both swordsmanship and seduction Gilbert intersects the careers of Fairbanks and Flynn with a dash and panache equal to them in their heyday.

In the court of Louis Xlll no one is more gossiped about than the charismatic Bardelys, an insatiable rake who literally has women lining up on his doorstep to be seduced. The fun loving Bardelys delights in deluding the ladies with the same pick-up lines sending each away with the feeling they are that special one. Bardelys enviable talents however draws the enmity of Chatterault (Roy D'Arcy) a recently spurned suitor of the the lovely Roxanne (Eleanor Boardman). In a devious attempt to even things up with both he challenges Bardelys to seduce her sight unseen. What Bardelys expects to be another day at the office, however, turns into passionate love and Chatterault vows revenge on both.

Gilbert is perfect fit as Bardelys. With dark piercing eyes he conveys both a hard to resist charm and noble resolve. In addition to his expressive features Gilbert displays a wily limberness in some action scenes where he does some challenging stunt work. As the venal Chatterault Roy D'Arcy aquiline features bespeaks iniquity. Eleanor Boardman's sedate beauty and restraint as Roxanne brings counterpoint to Gilbert's rakish Bardelys and it's all good chemistry.

Director King Vidor who made a star out of Gilbert in The Big Parade the previous year injects Bardelys with his signature crane and exposition shots to bring grandeur to the court as well as depict the hedonistic existence of the let them eat cake crowd. Dividing the film with ample amounts of action, romance and humor Vidor keeps Bardelys moving and magnificent most of the way.

The way foreign directors treat French history since DW Griffith and Vidor to Sofia Coppola has always been "personal ": King louis XIII appears as a jolly good fellow whereas le cardinal de Richelieu is overshadowed ,duels are not forbidden (whereas Richelieu thought that they were ruining the French aristocracy ,"these who fight (for their country)" ) and the hero is to be hanged (whereas nobles were always beheaded).

But it's true that Louis the Thirteenth (and le cardinal) would fight both reluctant nobles and protestants; there were rebellions among them,predating the Fronde ,during Anne D'Autriche's regency .

Forget history and you 've got a marvelous swashbuckler with plenty of go and plenty of humor : in spite of an occasional dramatic scene (the lovers in the dungeon where the hero waits for his execution) , playing is a bit tongue-in -chick and most of the time it's comic,sometimes even burlesque : the words Bardelys says to all the ladies he seduces ,the lockets with a locks of hair,churned one after another by the servants , the duel ending with a smack on the bottom (with a sword), the final acrobaties around the gallows,so skillfully filmed (spears points around the drifter) , that one almost believes in this implausible escape.

The movie was restored,but there's a long passage missing ,replaced by photographs and snatches of dialogues:the meeting between the hero,en route to the castle of the lady he covets ,and a dying René De Lesperan , a rebel against the king's authority whose name Bardelys usurps .

John Gilbert is a dashing handsome gentilhomme , a womanizer who is never inconsiderate towards his conquests ,noblesse oblige ; Roy D'Arcy is a delightful villain ,who savors his revenge during the trial ,half-closed eyes, refusing to know his former rival ("Chatellerault" is a town in Poitou) and sending him to the scaffold with an incredible pleasure.

Very entertaing ,action-packed , lots of humor and a screenplay full of sudden new developments :who could ask for more?