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IMDbPro

If I Were King

  • 19381938
  • PassedPassed
  • 1h 41m
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
874
YOUR RATING
Ronald Colman and Frances Dee in If I Were King (1938)
  • Adventure
  • History
Vagabond poet François Villon rises to high office in 1463 Paris.Vagabond poet François Villon rises to high office in 1463 Paris.Vagabond poet François Villon rises to high office in 1463 Paris.
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
874
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Frank Lloyd
  • Writers
    • Justin Huntly McCarthy(play "If I Were King")
    • Lou Smith(revisions)
    • Preston Sturges(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Ronald Colman
    • Basil Rathbone
    • Frances Dee
Top credits
  • Director
    • Frank Lloyd
  • Writers
    • Justin Huntly McCarthy(play "If I Were King")
    • Lou Smith(revisions)
    • Preston Sturges(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Ronald Colman
    • Basil Rathbone
    • Frances Dee
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 20User reviews
    • 7Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 4 Oscars
      • 4 nominations total

    Photos33

    Ronald Colman and Frances Dee in If I Were King (1938)
    Ronald Colman and Ralph Forbes in If I Were King (1938)
    Ronald Colman and Frances Dee in If I Were King (1938)
    Ronald Colman and Frances Dee in If I Were King (1938)
    Ronald Colman and Ellen Drew in If I Were King (1938)
    Ronald Colman and Ellen Drew in If I Were King (1938)
    Basil Rathbone in If I Were King (1938)
    Ronald Colman and Frances Dee in If I Were King (1938)
    Ralph Forbes in If I Were King (1938)
    Ronald Colman and Ellen Drew in If I Were King (1938)
    Frances Dee in If I Were King (1938)
    Ronald Colman and Frances Dee in If I Were King (1938)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Ronald Colman
    Ronald Colman
    • François Villon
    Basil Rathbone
    Basil Rathbone
    • Louis XI
    Frances Dee
    Frances Dee
    • Katherine DeVaucelles
    Ellen Drew
    Ellen Drew
    • Huguette
    C.V. France
    C.V. France
    • Father Villon
    Henry Wilcoxon
    Henry Wilcoxon
    • Captain of the Watch
    Heather Thatcher
    Heather Thatcher
    • The Queen
    Stanley Ridges
    Stanley Ridges
    • Rene de Montigny
    Bruce Lester
    Bruce Lester
    • Noel le Jolys
    Walter Kingsford
    Walter Kingsford
    • Tristan L'Hermite
    Alma Lloyd
    Alma Lloyd
    • Colette
    Sidney Toler
    Sidney Toler
    • Robin Turgis
    Colin Tapley
    Colin Tapley
    • Jehan LeLoup
    Ralph Forbes
    Ralph Forbes
    • Oliver Le Dain
    John Miljan
    John Miljan
    • Thibaut D'Aussigny
    William Haade
    William Haade
    • Guy Tabarie
    Adrian Morris
    • Colin De Cayeulx
    Montagu Love
    Montagu Love
    • General Dudon
    • Director
      • Frank Lloyd
    • Writers
      • Justin Huntly McCarthy(play "If I Were King")
      • Lou Smith(revisions) (uncredited)
      • Preston Sturges(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Ronald Colman was a frequent guest on Jack Benny's radio show, where he was supposedly Jack's next-door neighbor in Beverly Hills. A 1946 broadcast had Colman rehearsing his recital of the poem, "If I Were King," only to find himself being drowned out by Jack's violin playing from next door.
    • Goofs
      The idealized diet of a king includes hummingbirds, but those had not been discovered yet, as Columbus was still a few decades to come.
    • Quotes

      Colette: Epitaph? What's that?

      François Villon: Oh, usually something good about somebody bad... after they're dead.

    • Crazy credits
      The opening credits are displayed on the roofs and outside walls of houses.
    • Connections
      Referenced in So You Want to Be an Actor (1949)

    User reviews20

    Review
    Top review
    10/10
    One of Ronald Colman's greatest performances
    Colman was not only good looking, suave, sophisticated, and dashing, but he had a lyrical voice, an absolute necessity for a great actor. Recall the speech and voices of Peter O'Toole, James Mason, Richard Burton, Laurence Olivier: when they spoke, it was not mere prose but verse. So who better to play the poet, Francois Villon, than Ronald Colman, who possessed the voice of a poet.

    Ronald Colman is my favorite actor of all time. I loved his performance in this film as well as his performances in "Random Harvest", "The Prisoner of Zenda", "The Lost Horizon", and "The Talk of the Town".

    There were other great performances in this film besides that of Ronald Colman. Basil Rathbone's performance as King Louis XI is perhaps one of his finest, and deserving of an Academy Award as best supporting actor, while Frances Dee's performance as Villon's beloved is mesmerizing, the images to relive forever in one's dreams: the perfection of beauty and femininity. And Ellen Drew's portrayal of Huguette is touching without being maudlin.

    Great film, great performances. Hollywood at its very best.
    helpful•9
    1
    • wbrighenti
    • Nov 22, 2012

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 11, 1938 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Kralj pustolovcev
    • Filming locations
      • Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Paramount Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 41 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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