Long Fliv the King (1926)

This offbeat comedy from future Hollywood screwball director McCarey is about a princess who must find a husband in 24 hours or forfeit her throne. She quickly marries a condemned man--but the man is pardoned.

Director:

Leo McCarey

Writer:

H.M. Walker (titles)

Stars:

Charley Chase, Martha Sleeper, Max Davidson

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Charley Chase	...	Charles Chase
Martha Sleeper	...	Princess Helga of Thermosa
Max Davidson	...	Warfield
Oliver Hardy	...	The Prime Minister's Assistant
Fred Malatesta	...	Hamir of Uvocado - the Prime Minister

Storyline

A princess, in America on a shopping trip, receives a telegram that her father has died, and she will be the new Queen, but only if she gets married within 24 hours. Figuring it is safe, she marries a man about to be executed...

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Plot Keywords:

princess | royal guard | king | queen | balkan | 

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Genres:

Short | Comedy

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Certificate:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 June 1926 (USA)

Also Known As:

Vive le roi

Filming Locations:

Hal Roach Studios - 8822 Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hal Roach Studios

Technical Specs

Runtime:

22 min

Sound Mix:

Silent

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Remake of His Royal Slyness (1920)

User Reviews

Good Comedy With Some Hilarious Moments

This is a good and sometimes hilarious Charley Chase comedy, with some lively sequences that combine humor and action. The setup fits in rather well with Chase's style, and he is helped by a good supporting cast that includes Martha Sleeper, Max Davidson, Fred Malatesta, and (in a small role) Oliver Hardy. The good-natured, upbeat approach makes it work despite a really goofy premise and some slightly dated details.

Sleeper plays a princess who, as the result of a humorously implausible combination of circumstances, marries Chase's hapless character. They are opposed by a ruthless strongman (played by Malatesta), who plots to seize power for himself. The contrast between Chase, who just looks so good-natured, and Malatesta, who just looks slippery and untrustworthy, is used well. The highlight is the lengthy duel sequence, which is quite funny and often pretty creative.

Davidson's character is especially interesting, because it is so strongly stereotyped, yet he is inoffensive often quite amusing. In large part, this is because the character is treated kindly, and the laughs come with him, not at his expense. Davidson also gives a good performance that exaggerates the character to the right degree, openly acknowledging that it is a stereotype, and keeping it good-natured rather than mean-spirited. As one of the previous commentators also mentioned, Davidson steals more than one scene by the way that he handles his comic opportunities.