Sous la robe rouge

Congenital swashbuckler Conrad Veidt (as Gil de Berault) can't keep his sword in its sheath, despite a law against dueling; so, he is sentenced to death. Mr. Veidt receives an offer of exoneration from ruthless and powerful Raymond Massey (as Cardinal Richelieu); but, he must first capture Mr. Massey's enemy, a revolutionary Duke. Veidt manages to install himself as a guest in the Duke's castle, with its master away. While waiting for his prey to return, Veidt becomes smitten with the Duke's sister, Annabella (as Lady Marguerite).

Notable as Victor Sjöström final film as director; and, the direction of "Under the Red Robe" is certainly a highlight. The performances of the three leads are also excellent, intensified by Mr. Sjöström, a master filmmaker. Unfortunately, this re-make of a 1923 swashbuckling silent doesn't offer very much action, which doesn't help its already slow-moving story. Romney Brent (as Marius) contrasts the intense lead performances, as Veidt's light-heeled lackey.

****** Under the Red Robe (5/31/37) Victor Sjöström ~ Conrad Veidt, Annabella, Raymond Massey

This is an enjoyable period drama that combines a little history, some action, some romance, some dry and occasionally macabre humor, and most of all plenty of intrigue. It has an interesting historical setting, centering on the devious Cardinal Richelieu, one of history's more interesting (if hardly admirable) figures. While there isn't much here to take seriously, it is good light entertainment.

Conrad Veidt stars as a dreaded duelist under sentence of death, to whom Richelieu offers a pardon if he can bring in a Huguenot duke whose plans for an uprising have the Cardinal in a panic. Raymond Massey is very well cast as the Cardinal, and he does full justice to the role. Veidt is believable as Gil, and his deadpan style works rather well with some of the occasional lines of dry humor.

Veidt's character is accompanied by a slippery servant played with good humor by Romney Brent. The heart of the movie comes in Veidt's interactions with the duke's sister, played by Annabella, who makes her a worthy adversary for the swordsman, both with her beauty and with her brains.

Beyond the basic details of the anticipated conflict, the story relies less on the historical background than on the easily understood human drams among the characters. Veidt finds himself torn between his word, his affection for Annabella, and his fear of death. The servant and the duke's sister likewise have their own dilemmas to face, and these give some depth to the story, which is nothing deep, but is rather entertaining and interesting in its own right.

Victor Sjöström's last movie as a director, is a mixed result of a try at a prestige movie to celebrate Denham Studio's opening, what with a script co-written by Lajos Biros and camera-work by James Wong Howe. Raymond Massey is Cardinal Richelieu. To thwart an uprising by Hugenots, he reprieves Conrad Veidt from hanging and sends him to capture Wyndham Goldie, the leader of the Protestants. Veidt is a rogue, but when he falls in love with Goldie's sister, Annabella....

It all starts out very well, given strong compositions and a typically Sjöström-like storm raging as he slips the leash of his watchdog, Romney Brent, recovers the diamonds and offers to duel the soldiers sent to arrest anyone they can. By the end of the movie, alas, the director is overwhelmed by the rigors of dramatic form and having Mr. Brent as his dialogue director. Sjöström retired from directing movies, although he would distinguish them as an actor for the next twenty years.

For the first half, it's a great movie. Too bad it couldn't finish that way.

Victor Sjostrom's final directorial effort is made in England by the resourceful silent film taskmaster, and he is aided by a competent cast, magnificent score (Arthur Benjamin) and a clever scenario (Arthur Wimperis) in this engrossing historic drama which deals with the efforts of Cardinal Richelieu (Raymond Massey) to quell rebellious Huguenots in 17th century southeastern France. To achieve his purposes, Richelieu employs the services of Gil de Berault (Conrad Veidt), a dashing swordsman, to serve as a spy for Catholic King Louis XIII, assigning the duellist to travel to Foix in order to infiltrate the castle of the Huguenot leader, the Duke of Foix, wherein Berault falls in love with Lady Marguerite (Annabella), the Duke's sister, and where many adventures take place during the course of this romantic, witty and exciting film.

Admired by Stevenson, Wilde, Sabatini and Conan Doyle, the romantic historical novels of Stanley Weyman are largely forgotten now. This one, extremely popular on publication, has since been dramatised on stage and adapted three times for the screen.

An Anglo-American curio from 1937 this third version is primarily of interest to cinéphiles as the final filmic fling of the 'Father of Swedish Cinema' Victor Sjostrom(changed to Seastrom for the benefit of North American viewers)

It is alas in pretty poor shape nowadays both visually and aurally but the cinematography by two masters of their craft Georges Périnal and James Wong Howe still impresses as does the score by Arthur Benjamin.

As one would expect from this director the emphasis is more on character than action and he has the services of some truly fascinating personalities. Delicious French actress Annabella gets first billing and most of the close-ups but who's complaining whilst her leading man is the mesmerising Conrad Veidt, perfectly cast as a gambling, duelling scoundrel who is redeemed by his sense of honour, a virtue which in today's world is dead in the water. The film is weakened alas by a total lack of chemistry between the two whilst the less said about his unfortunate wig the better. Comic relief is supplied by the excellent Romney Brent and gravitas by the powerful presence of Raymond Massey's Cardinal Richelieu. The rest of the cast comprises rather stagey, twee English actors with only Ralph Truman making an impression.

The film is not without its moments but one would ideally have hoped that Sjostrom would finish his distinguished directorial career with material worthy of his talents. He is however in very good company for he is one of a number of great directors who have gone out with a whimper rather than a bang.