Ambassador Bill

Although Ambassador Bill depends a wee bit too much on the folksy charm of Will Rogers it's still a good introduction to the person who may well have been America's most beloved entertainer. The film also gets a few interesting, but dated barbs at a few topics of the time.

Twenty years later Irving Berlin went over some of the same material in Call Me Madam about an Oklahoma heiress who became a European ambassador. Rogers is an Oklahoma cattle baron who's been appointed an ambassador to the mythical Balkan kingdom of Sylvania. It's being ruled by a boy king Tad Alexander with his mother Marguerite Churchill as regent. In charge of the regency is Gustav Von Seyfertiz and he's our Snidely Whiplash villain.

A little bedroom escapade forced the abdication of the former king Ray Milland and he's coming back to reclaim family and kingdom.

While Milland plots counterrevolution, Rogers teaches the young king about such plebeian pursuits as baseball. He also gets him a cowboy suit and teaches him the art of rope tricks. All this is not making Von Seyfertitz happy as he sees his control slipping.

Providing a convenient target for some of Rogers's amusing barbs is Ferdinand Munier playing a flannel-mouth Senator on an inspection tour. He's a wonderful performer essentially being Rogers's straight man.

It's not the best the work of Will Rogers, but it still is amusing providing you have a knowledge of the world it was made in.

When newly appointed ambassador "Bill" (Will Rogers) arrives in the war-torn European kingdom of Sylvania, he immediately gets as a clue as to what he is in for when he meets his predecessor - the nervous wreck that is "Littleton" (Tom Ricketts). With shelling and gunfire all around he promptly goes to the palace to meet the young king (Tad Alexander) and his regent mother (Marguerite Churchill). She is trying to thwart the dynastic ambitions of "Prince de Polikoff" (Gustav von Seyffertitz) whilst also denying that she is still in love with her ex-husband, the former king "Lothar" (Ray Milland) who appears to have fled the conflict and into the arms of another woman. The American has a mission. He is to try and secure contracts for his country to built a railway, but amidst all this chaos he starts to take a shine to a young monarch stifled by his responsibilities and so starts to treat him like a boy - much to the bemusement of his uniformed retainers. He responds to this paternal behaviour, and as his father makes an unexpected reappearance, there might just be some hope that the royal family will once again reign happily. I thought Rogers on amiable form here with a fun story that moves along quickly and with a minimum of romantic clutter. Milland is barely recognisable with his pencil-moustache, and the baddie reminded me of Sir C. Aubrey Smith as this country embarks on what has to be the most confusing revolution of republicans v monarchists v Republicans you're ever likely to see. In the end, it's all about Rogers doing his own version of the "Prisoner of Zenda" meets "Shane" and I quite enjoyed it.

Will Rogers plays the ambassador from the US to the tiny nation of Sylvania. Instead of being another dull bureaucrat, Bill is very down-to-earth and simple--and approaches the young king and his mother like they are just normal folks as well. This quickly wins over the young king, as he's longing to act like other boys his age.

AMBASSADOR BILL is one of the films of the 1930s that probably did quite well at the time but today seems to have aged very poorly. Now I certainly DON'T think that films this old are bad--in fact, I adore Classic Hollywood. However, the folksy style of this film is something that audiences of the day loved but people today will most likely find very hokey. As for me, I was able to stick with the film but my wife loudly complained that the film was "dull and ridiculous" and soon left the room!

While this film is very short on laughs, it is interesting because the effect this film had on future films, such as the Marx Brothers' DUCK SOUP, is immense. DUCK SOUP is sort of like AMBASSADOR BILL on drugs--as well as being very funny. Heck, even the name of the nation of "Sylvania" was used in both films!

Don't give up on Will Rogers films because AMBASSADOR BILL isn't that great. DOCTOR BULL is a wonderful Rogers film. It's not so much a comedy, but it's a heck of a drama. Rogers could definitely act--but obviously some of his films were hits and some were duds. If seen today, AMBASSADOR BILL is a small but watchable dud.

Yes it's a Will Rogers film but surely this should be watched because of Marguerite Churchill - what an absolute goddess! How anyone can be that pretty, that utterly stunning, that perfect defies logic.

Mainly forgotten now but Will Rogers was an incredibly famous social commentator-raconteur- philosopher- comedian back in the day. His home-spun optimism made him the hero of middle America - and in 1931, middle America needed a hero or at least someone who understood their plight. The country had understandably lost its faith in government - after two years in office, Hoover was presiding over the greatest economic disaster in modern times. Once you appreciate this context you can see the appeal of this back in '31.

By locating the story to the made up state of Sylvania (two years before Groucho declared war on them!) Fox managed to make a light-hearted yet very biting little satire on thy state of American politics. For 1931, it's unusual to see such satire and veiled criticism in a mainstream movie, especially one so clever and subtle. Silent film director Sam Taylor does a good job. His perfect pacing doesn't allow the action or the growing tension to slack. He doesn't waste an inch of film.

As a comedy however it fails completely but that doesn't detract from enjoying this. Neither do the occasional displays of wooden acting ruin this - it all adds to the charm.

You don't need to be a Will Rogers fan or even someone interested in knowing who he was. If you like early 1930s movies you can't help but enjoy this. It's honestly a lovely, happy, sincere, optimistic and uplifting experience.....and have I mentioned Marguerite Churchill?

Well, this movie is definitely from the 30's. The old school charm oozes from this movie. A boy King, Mother and Father separated, evil Prime minister spoiling a happy home, and our Hero, Will Rogers to the rescue with Hometown Americana wisdom to set a small country right. NOT great movie making, but charming nonetheless. The Senator who arrives to relive Mr. Rogers when he gets in hot water could have been the mold for the Mayor of "Nightmare before Christmas", :) One funny scene involves Rogers and the Cabinet of the small country who are playing poker, oblivious to the time, and the demands of Traditional royal ceremonies. It is a soft movie, even though a revolution or two get raged during it, and the parade scenes are incongruous for the costumes of the country the actors wear. No big suds, but nothing incredibly bad either. A nice average movie....