Cardinal Richelieu (1935)

Director:

Rowland V. Lee

Writers:

Edward George Bulwer-Lytton (play), Cameron Rogers (adaptation),

Stars:

George Arliss, Maureen O'Sullivan, Edward Arnold

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
George Arliss	...	Cardinal Richelieu
Maureen O'Sullivan	...	Lenore
Edward Arnold	...	Louis XIII
Cesar Romero	...	Andre de Pons
Douglass Dumbrille	...	Baradas
Francis Lister	...	Gaston
Halliwell Hobbes	...	Father Joseph
Violet Kemble Cooper	...	Queen Marie
Katharine Alexander	...	Queen Anne
Robert Harrigan	...	Fontailles
Joseph R. Tozer	...	De Bussy (as Joseph Tozer)
Lumsden Hare	...	Gustavus Adolphus - King of Sweden
Russell Hicks	...	Le Moyne
Keith Hitchcock	...	Duke D'Epernon (as Keith Kenneth)
Murray Kinnell	...	Duke of Lorraine

Storyline

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Plot Keywords:

army | wedding | false accusation | royalty | queen | 

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Taglines:

To thwart a king's passion, he gambled the fate of a nation!

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Genres:

Drama | History | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 April 1935 (USA)

Also Known As:

Cardeal Richelieu

Company Credits

Production Co:

20th Century Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

82 min 82 min (copyright length) 81 min (FMC Library Print)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Star George Arliss and Edward Arnold did not get along at all on this film, with Arnold charitably describing working with Arliss as "a trying experience".

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Connections

Referenced in Love on the Run (1936)

User Reviews

Richelieu goes to Hollywood.

It is always interesting,nay funny,to see how Hollywood broaches FRench history.To make Louis XIII a bon vivant fond of young maidens whereas he was misogynous and is known for only having had two (platonic)affairs with women is the contrary of what we learn in history books.On the other hand,the king's homosexuality was never proved :he had favorites but they could possibly have been only good friends.

On the other hand,George Arliss is Richelieu as a French person can imagine it.He is a shrewd adamant man,with a great fondness for cats .He was hated by the queen and the queen mother Marie De Medicis whose regency was a disaster .The movie shows how disinterested he was:he used to work for the king's throne,preparing the absolute monarchy which would come into bloom with the Sun King in 1661.He fought against the nobles -who ,after his death would rebel in the days of "La Fronde"

• and against the protestants (the siege of La Rochelle is depicted in

"Les Trois Mousquetaires").

The story is a bit far-fetched -the Cardinal goes as far as to pretend he is dead;the nobles who see his "dead body" take naiveté to new limits-but rather entertaining.