The Prince and the Showgirl (1957)

Director:

Laurence Olivier

Writers:

Terence Rattigan (play)
Terence Rattigan (screenplay)

Release Date:

13 June 1957 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

Some countries have a medal for Everything.

Plot:

When Grandduke Charles, the prince-regent of Carpatha, a fictitious Balkan country which could start a European war by switching alliances...

Plot Keywords:

Coronation | King | Prince Regent | Protocol | Lady In Waiting

Awards:

Nominated for 5 BAFTA Film Awards. Another 2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Marilyn Monroe	...	Elsie Marina
Laurence Olivier	...	Charles, the Prince Regent
Sybil Thorndike	...	The Queen Dowager
Richard Wattis	...	Northbrook
Jeremy Spenser	...	King Nicolas
Esmond Knight	...	Hoffman
Paul Hardwick	...	Major Domo
Rosamund Greenwood	...	Maud
Aubrey Dexter	...	The Ambassador
Maxine Audley	...	Lady Sunningdale
Harold Goodwin	...	Call Boy
Andreas Malandrinos	...	Valet with Violin) (as Andreas Melandrinos)
Jean Kent	...	Masie Springfield
Daphne Anderson	...	Fanny
Gillian Owen	...	Maggie

Also Known As:

The Sleeping Prince (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

115 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

French | German | English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:G | Iceland:L | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) | Finland:S | Argentina:Atp

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Company:

L.O.P.

Trivia:

Writer Terence Rattigan had initially expressed doubts about an actor of Olivier's stature playing such a mundane character. His doubts were allayed when he saw Olivier play the part on stage.

Quotes:

Elsie Marina: Yes, I speak German. I was born in Milwaukee.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Doctor Who: Evolution of the Daleks (#3.5)" (2007)

No Labor of Love, Just a Labor

The Carpathian royal family is in town like all the other royalty in Europe for the coronation of George V of Great Britain. In this case it consists of the young king, Jeremy Spencer, his grandmother the dowager queen Sybil Thorndike, and the king's father and Prince Regent Laurence Olivier. Olivier was only the consort to his late wife the queen and he is regent until Spencer comes of age which will be in several months. But the young man is getting inpatient.

In fact he's already in communication with Germany which his pro-British father doesn't like. A little youthful rebellion in high places can have some dangerous consequences.

But Olivier is also distracted by a growing infatuation for Marilyn Monroe who is appearing in a minor part in a musical comedy. She's of course our showgirl.

A most miscast showgirl. Olivier had starred in the play in London with his wife Vivien Leigh and was going to do the film with her when her delicate health flared up again and she backed out. How the tiny and proper British Vivien gave way to the buxom Marilyn Monroe is a mystery. My guess is that when Leigh bowed out, Olivier and author Terrence Rattigan made the decision to change the leading lady to an American to broaden the appeal in the American market.

One of Marilyn's fellow Fox blonds like Betty Grable who was a natural fit in these period pictures would have been better. Marilyn looks so very out of place here.

The film was agony for Olivier to direct. In addition to Marilyn's eccentricities he had to put up with her drama coach Paula Strassberg and her interference. He threw Strassberg off the set when she presumed to direct him.

Still it's not a terribly bad film, just not a really good one.