The Swan (1956)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Charles Vidor

Writers:

Ferenc Molnár (play)
John Dighton (writer)

Release Date:

26 April 1956 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance | Drama

Plot:

Princess Beatrice's days of enjoying the regal life are numbered unless her only daughter, Princess Alexandra...

Plot Keywords:

Princess | Tutor | Prince | Royalty | Deception

Cast

Grace Kelly	...	Princess Alexandra
Alec Guinness	...	Prince Albert
Louis Jourdan	...	Dr. Nicholas Agi
Agnes Moorehead	...	Queen Maria Dominika
Jessie Royce Landis	...	Princess Beatrix
Brian Aherne	...	Father Carl Hyacinth
Leo G. Carroll	...	Caesar
Estelle Winwood	...	Symphorosa
Van Dyke Parks	...	George
Christopher Cook	...	Arsene
Robert Coote	...	Capt. Wunderlich
Doris Lloyd	...	Countess Sibenstoyn
Edith Barrett	...	Elsa - Beatrix's Maid

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System) | 4-Track Stereo

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:S | USA:Approved (certificate #17860) | West Germany:6

Filming Locations:

Biltmore Estate - 1 Approach Road, Asheville, North Carolina, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

While filming The Swan (1956) in Hollywood, Alec Guinness he met James Dean, just days before the young actor's death. Sir Alec later recalled predicting that Dean would die in a car crash: when Dean showed Guinness his newly-bought Porsche, Guinness advised him to "Get rid of that car, or you'll be dead in a week!" Guinness unfortunately proved right.

Quotes:

Dr. Nicholas Agi: A fencer is always in danger of revealing his intentions to his adversary - and that he must never do.

Movie Connections:

Version of The Swan (1925)

Sophisticated wit, sentimental tragedy of a girl who will not compromise

Charming and witty comedy of a uncompromising princess and two suitors -- the penniless tutor and the worldly Prince. Wonderful casting throughout, though Grace Kelly is, as always, less an actress than a beautiful presence. Audrey Hepburn would have been ideal, and should have been cast in the Kelly role. I'm a fan of Agnes Moorhead, but more impartial viewers may find her a bit much. The Molnar play upon which the film is based is pretty much intact and holding its own. This is an unusual offering for a Hollywood film -- not quite a Ruritanian romance, not quite a Shavian exercise in philosophical banter, but containing the sentimentality of the one and the badinage of the other along with a bit of the Gallic savoir faire of Giradeaux and Annuilh.