Producer: Winfield Sheehan. Running time: A mere 68 minutes.
SYNOPSIS: Good old Will – I mean Bill – brings the blessings of democracy to strife-torn Sylvania.
COMMENT: This interesting and quite charming movie actually improves immensely on a second viewing. First time around, the story seems not only overly clichéd and sentimental but only sporadically amusing. I also found Ray Milland's rather odd portrait of the ex- king somewhat distracting, and I didn't warm at all to Tad Alexander's eager- beaver child monarch.
Even worse, I thought Sam Taylor's direction routine at best. True it is that Milland didn't improve much on second sight. He's miscast, but does his best and isn't actually on hand a great deal anyway. (Uneasy lies the actor that wears a crown). But everyone and everything else gallops away to glory.
I particularly enjoyed both Rogers' homespun philosophy as well as his rope tricks, and I loved Greta Nissen's engaging femme fatale. Edwin Maxwell also has a delightful role, while Ferdinand Munier and Tom Ricketts also presented some joyous bundles of fun.
Sam Taylor's direction, whilst unobtrusive (except for a couple of royally splashy dolly shots) rates as a most skillful achievement, making a brilliantly effective use of sound effects as well as setting off the film's rich production values (particularly its awesome sets, attractive costumes and first-class cinematography) to great advantage.
Guy Bolton's sly screenplay, despite its obvious bias, also comes over quite nicely as both a chuckle-some - if not downright hilarious event - which is also absolutely fascinating and hold the viewer's rapt attention from first to last!
SYNOPSIS: Good old Will – I mean Bill – brings the blessings of democracy to strife-torn Sylvania.
COMMENT: This interesting and quite charming movie actually improves immensely on a second viewing. First time around, the story seems not only overly clichéd and sentimental but only sporadically amusing. I also found Ray Milland's rather odd portrait of the ex- king somewhat distracting, and I didn't warm at all to Tad Alexander's eager- beaver child monarch.
Even worse, I thought Sam Taylor's direction routine at best. True it is that Milland didn't improve much on second sight. He's miscast, but does his best and isn't actually on hand a great deal anyway. (Uneasy lies the actor that wears a crown). But everyone and everything else gallops away to glory.
I particularly enjoyed both Rogers' homespun philosophy as well as his rope tricks, and I loved Greta Nissen's engaging femme fatale. Edwin Maxwell also has a delightful role, while Ferdinand Munier and Tom Ricketts also presented some joyous bundles of fun.
Sam Taylor's direction, whilst unobtrusive (except for a couple of royally splashy dolly shots) rates as a most skillful achievement, making a brilliantly effective use of sound effects as well as setting off the film's rich production values (particularly its awesome sets, attractive costumes and first-class cinematography) to great advantage.
Guy Bolton's sly screenplay, despite its obvious bias, also comes over quite nicely as both a chuckle-some - if not downright hilarious event - which is also absolutely fascinating and hold the viewer's rapt attention from first to last!