The Vagabond King ** (1956, Oreste Kirkop, Kathryn Grayson, Rita Moreno, Cedric Hardwicke, Walter Hampden, Leslie Nielsen, William Prince, Jack Lord) – Classic Movie Review 4761

Maltese tenor Oreste Kirkop is tuneful and dashing in the 1956 operetta film The Vagabond King. Kathryn Grayson warbles ably as Catherine de Vaucelles and Walter Hampden is outstanding as a wily King Louis XI.

Rudolf Friml wrote some new tunes to add to his 1925 score for director Michael Curtiz’s 1956 remake of the operetta about the 15th-century Paris rabble and their poet-champion, François Villon, leader of the Vagabonds, a Robin Hood-style band that robs the rich to help the poor. In 1461, King Louis XI of France drafts Villon as Provost Marshal to battle usurper Charles of Burgundy and the traitorous nobles who want to overthrow the King.

On the performing front, bright Maltese tenor Oreste Kirkop is tuneful and dashing in the star role, Kathryn Grayson warbles ably as Catherine de Vaucelles and Walter Hampden is outstanding as a wily King Louis XI. It also stars Rita Moreno, Cedric Hardwicke, Leslie Nielsen, William Prince and Jack Lord.

The director handles the action and numbers vigorously, but, pleasant though the results are, trying to breathe life into this tired old theatrical workhorse was a bit of a lost cause.

The Vagabond King is a remake of the 1930 version with Dennis King and Jeanette MacDonald, which is unavailable, though there survives a complete colour print that was given to UCLA, which preserved it in 1990. But there also are two non-musical versions: The Beloved Rogue from 1927 (a silent with a musical score) with John Barrymore, Conrad Veidt and Marceline Day, and If I Were King in 1938 with Ronald Colman.

Vincent Price narrates. Also in the cast are Billy Vine, Harry McNaughton, Florence Sundstrom, Lucie Lancaster, Raymond Bramley, Gregory Morton, Richard Tone, Ralph Sumpter, G Thomas Duggan, Gavin Gordon and Richard Shannon.

With musicals out of fashion, it proved Grayson’s swansong as her last feature. And it proved Oreste Kirkop’s only feature film role.

Mary Grant designs the costumes.

The music is composed by Rudolf Friml, with lyrics mostly by Johnny Burke. ‘Bon Jour’ sung by Oreste Kirkop, ‘Vive La You’ performed by Rita Moreno (dubbed by Eve Boswell) and Vagabonds, ‘Some Day’ (lyrics by Brian Hooker) sung by Kathryn Grayson, ‘Comparisons’ sung by Kirkop and Vagabonds, ‘Huguette Waltz’ (lyrics by Brian Hooker) sung by Rita Moreno (dubbed by Eve Boswell), ;Only A Rose’ (lyrics by Brian Hooker) , presented by Kirkop and Grayson, ‘This Same Heart’ sung by Kirkop, ;Watch Out For The Devil’ sung by Kirkop, Grayson and chorus, danced by ballet dancers at the King’s Court, and ‘Song of the Vagabonds’ from the original operetta, performed by Kirkop, Moreno and Vagabonds.

It runs 86 minutes.

It was released by Paramount Pictures on 29 August 1956.

The cast are Kathryn Grayson as Catherine de Vaucelles, Oreste Kirkop as François Villon, Rita Moreno as Huguette, Sir Cedric Hardwicke as Tristan L’Hermite, Walter Hampden as King Louis XI, Leslie Nielsen as Thibault, William Prince as Rene, Jack Lord as Ferrebouc, Billy Vine as Jacques, Vincent Price as the narrator, Harry McNaughton, Florence Sundstrom, Lucie Lancaster, Raymond Bramley, Gregory Morton, Richard Tone, Ralph Sumpter, G Thomas Duggan, Gavin Gordon and Richard Shannon.

© Derek Winnert 2016 Classic Movie Review 4761

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