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Voltaire

  • 1933
  • Approved
  • 1h 12m
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
251
YOUR RATING
George Arliss, Doris Kenyon, and Margaret Lindsay in Voltaire (1933)
Drama

Writer and philosopher Voltaire, loyal to his king, Louis XV of France, nonetheless writes scathingly of the king's disdain for the rights and needs of his people. Louis admires Voltaire but... Read allWriter and philosopher Voltaire, loyal to his king, Louis XV of France, nonetheless writes scathingly of the king's disdain for the rights and needs of his people. Louis admires Voltaire but is increasingly influenced against him by his minister, the Count de Sarnac. Louis's mist... Read allWriter and philosopher Voltaire, loyal to his king, Louis XV of France, nonetheless writes scathingly of the king's disdain for the rights and needs of his people. Louis admires Voltaire but is increasingly influenced against him by his minister, the Count de Sarnac. Louis's mistress, the courtesan Madame de Pompadour, is Voltaire's protector and advocate, but even sh... Read all

  • Director
    • John G. Adolfi
  • Writers
    • Paul Green
    • Maude T. Howell
    • George Gibbs
  • Stars
    • George Arliss
    • Doris Kenyon
    • Margaret Lindsay
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.4/10
    251
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • John G. Adolfi
    • Writers
      • Paul Green
      • Maude T. Howell
      • George Gibbs
    • Stars
      • George Arliss
      • Doris Kenyon
      • Margaret Lindsay
    • 13User reviews
    • 4Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 3 wins total

    Photos19

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    Top cast22

    Edit
    George Arliss
    George Arliss
    • Voltaire
    Doris Kenyon
    Doris Kenyon
    • Mme. Pompadour
    Margaret Lindsay
    Margaret Lindsay
    • Nanette Calas
    Reginald Owen
    Reginald Owen
    • King Louis XV
    Theodore Newton
    Theodore Newton
    • Francois
    Alan Mowbray
    Alan Mowbray
    • Count De Sarnac
    Gordon Westcott
    Gordon Westcott
    • The Captain
    Murray Kinnell
    Murray Kinnell
    • Emile - Voltaire's Servant
    Doris Lloyd
    Doris Lloyd
    • Mme. Clairon - Actress
    Douglass Dumbrille
    Douglass Dumbrille
    • Actor - Oriental King in Play
    David Torrence
    David Torrence
    • Dr. Tronchin
    Ted Billings
    • Hungry Peasant
    • (uncredited)
    Heinie Conklin
    Heinie Conklin
    • Protester in Montage
    • (uncredited)
    Gino Corrado
    Gino Corrado
    • Musician at Versailles
    • (uncredited)
    Carrie Daumery
    Carrie Daumery
    • Aristocrat at Gaming Table
    • (uncredited)
    • …
    Helena Phillips Evans
    Helena Phillips Evans
    • Mme. Louise Denis
    • (uncredited)
    John George
    John George
    • Protester in Montage
    • (uncredited)
    Ralf Harolde
    Ralf Harolde
    • Undetermined Supporting Role
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • John G. Adolfi
    • Writers
      • Paul Green
      • Maude T. Howell
      • George Gibbs
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews13

    6.4251
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    10

    Featured reviews

    7Spondonman

    Not too bad, in this best of all possible worlds

    Reading Candide by Voltaire when I was a teenager was life-changing for me; in one go it opened up many new vistas to me back then and remains a piece of all too human knockabout inconsequentiality I delve into regularly decades later. I went through the best of the rest of his work: Zadig, Micromegas, Princess of Babylon etc but never knew much of the finer details of the man himself. After watching this I still don't, but I feel at least I'd know something if Disraeli had played an episode in his life. George Arliss was a great actor who ended up playing many great men on stage and screen, this time Francoise Arouet for Warners with big production values and an earnest populist screenplay getting over the essence of Voltaire to the cinema masses. Were they trying to "teach the People to think" too?

    In 1762 at 68 years old Voltaire takes up the case of a man who is apparently executed for nothing - how very true of religion! He chivvies away at the King via Mme de Pompadour to posthumously pardon him and his extant young and beautiful daughter but the wicked Comte de Alan Mowbray manages to bring about Voltaire's arrest for alleged treason instead. It was based on a real series of events, but needless to say partly fictionalised by olde Hollywood. The acting is usually intense but believable, although Douglas Dumbrille as the Eastern King in the play had me involuntarily looking out for Abbott & Costello! As the film lasts only 72 minutes it's all taken at a cracking pace, but I thought it was detailed enough for me to come away with a little more knowledge than I had before. Voltaire was a bit of a wit - a wag in a wig - unfortunately not much wit is on display in here.

    If he was living today his interpretation of egalitarianism probably would be equated by many people almost to fascism, so far has our wonderful world been "improved" over the years. Nevertheless, he was a brave man for his time - if he had not lived it would have been necessary to have invented him, as this film did admirably well.
    7Aaron_Mark_Kinchen

    an excellent resource for period hairstyling inspiration

    The wigs in this film are an excellent example of "period" hairstyling, with a 1920s/1930s twist.

    As with any period piece, the hairdressers working at the time of production must resist the urge to allow contemporary styling methods interfere with being true to the period they are representing. Inevitably, a hybrid of period styling with elements of the modern era is usually the end result.

    This is the case for some of the looks in this fantastic adventure through Louis XIV France - in fact there are a few scenes with Voltaire desperately trying to choose a wig before his guests come in.

    Regardless of not every piece being perfectly period styled, the wigs in this film are magnificent and an endless source of wonder for a veteran stylist like myself.
    6wes-connors

    The Play's the Thing

    "France - in the year 1762 - with its sumptuous and lavish court - was in a corrupt and bankrupt state. One man dared to speak out for the rights of an oppressed people. With a pen that dripped venom, he attacked intolerance and injustice. He educated the masses to think and act. This was the forerunner of the French Revolution, that gave the world the present Great Republic of France. This man - a hundred years ahead of his time - was Voltaire, the great mocker, the great wit, the great humanitarian of the 18th century," gives us a fine description of setting. The opening coach passing peasants on the street is a defining visual...

    Once considered a friend of the French court, coffee-lover George Arliss (as Voltaire) stirs the masses with his revolutionary pamphlets. At first, white-wigged Reginald Owen (as King Louis XV) ignores his advisers' warnings about Mr. Arliss' treasonous activity. Arliss maintains a close friendship with King's mistress Doris Kenyon (as Madame Pompadour). With her help, he takes a cue from Shakespeare, "The play's the thing wherein I'll catch the conscience of the King." The staged production only makes matters worse, but Arliss has more up his sleeve. This story never rises far above star vehicle status, but Arliss is always worth watching.

    ****** Voltaire (8/5/33) John G. Adolfi ~ George Arliss, Doris Kenyon, Alan Mowbray, Reginald Owen
    6bkoganbing

    "Give us your wit, save your wisdom"

    With this film Voltaire, George Arliss wrapped up his commitment to Warner Brothers playing the 1th century French philosopher Voltaire. As he as in real life Voltaire was a witty and wise fellow who should have been appreciated more than for saying funny things. His king, Louis XV played here by Reginald Owen thinks him an amusing fellow but wishes that Arliss would can the Cassandra like warnings about reform and just entertain the court.

    One who does worry about him is our sinister minister Alan Mowbray who worries that Arliss may be gaining too much influence at court. Mowbray is a master of intrigue and the film is about his schemes to disgrace Voltaire.

    But as you can imagine Arliss is up to the challenge. As a classical stage actor who also did several silent films he seem to know instinctively what to do for sound. Arliss is the total package, face, voice, gestures, the works in his performances.

    It seems that every Arliss film has a pair of young lovers whom Arliss helps through a crisis as well. In this case it's Gordon Westcott and Margaret Lindsay. And I cannot also forget a winning performance by Doris Kenyon as the royal mistress Madame Pompadour..

    Arliss's biographical films were Warner Brothers prestige pictures in their day and they hold up well, Watching them is a tutorial in classical acting.
    7st-shot

    Arliss's Voltaire energetic and giddily courageous.

    Those looking for a full biography on the life of the great French philosopher and satirist will be disappointed with this historical take but the impish charm of George Arliss's Voltaire provides for an interesting enough look at the tenuous state of the monarchy and France prior to the reign of terror.

    Friend and confidant of King Louis XV Voltaire is not averse to openly criticizing the King for his treatment of the lower classes or hurling accusations at members of his corrupt administration. When Voltaire comes to the defense of a slandered loyal subject his enemies in the court try to get him tossed into the Bastille. Luckily for Voltaire he has the ear of Madame Pompador who has the attention of the King. Count De Sarnac however is a formidable foe and the whim of the King remains in doubt when weighing Voltaire's broadsides and friendship.

    Arliss does a deft balancing act of combining eloquence and silliness to address the sober issues at hand in his attempt to vanquish the execrable and duplicitous De Sarnac (played with relish by Alan Mowbray). Along with Paul Muni, Arliss cornered the market for historical bios (Disraeli, Alexander Hamilton, Cardinal Richelieu) in the first decade of sound but unlike the over the top Muni displayed a lot more subtlety and restraint in such portrayals and in Voltaire Arliss gives not only a mellifluous voice to the author of Candide but also the child like glee of a great man serving his passion.

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Although the onscreen source of the movie is a novel, it was never published. But modern sources say George Gibbs and E. Lawrence Dudley wrote a play for George Arliss, and it was the source adapted for the movie. The play also was never published or even produced.
    • Quotes

      Voltaire: [to his doctor] I'll never die. I haven't time to die, while the thousands of people oppressed, tortured, starving, who need every ounce of my strength - ha ha - no, you can't kill me, Doctor!

    • Connections
      Referenced in Upperworld (1934)
    • Soundtracks
      La Marseillaise
      (1792) (uncredited)

      Written by Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle

      Played as part of the score at the end

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 5, 1933 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • The Affairs of Voltaire
    • Filming locations
      • Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA(Studio)
    • Production company
      • Warner Bros.
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 12 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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