Capitalizing on Grace's intention to marry a prince in Monaco, MGM dusted off Molnar's antique play, a comedy of manners involving a princess torn between the love of two men--ALEC GUINNESS (as her second cousin) and handsome LOUIS JOURDAN (as the tutor of her young brothers). By the time she makes her choice, you won't care.
On this painfully dull story, they've spared no expense to give the production a handsome cast adept at assuming royal manners--BRIAN AHERNE, AGNES MOOREHEAD, JESSIE ROYCE LANDIS, ESTELLE WINWOOD and ROBERT COOTE, among others, and Charles Vidor was chosen to direct Kelly's last film at Metro.
The ice princess herself is perfectly at home in such material, never once letting a believable expression disturb the beauty of her classic features. She's strictly playing herself in an arch manner and letting others do the real emoting. There's plenty of eye candy aside from Grace, the sets and costumes being beyond reproach.
But it's a stuffy affair, talky and full of dull stretches where almost nothing happens to move the story forward. Women will adore watching Grace parade around in a number of fetching costumes and will no doubt enjoy seeing her paired with Jourdan in the more intimate scenes.
But overall, it's an awful bore with its chief compensation being a delightful cast.
On this painfully dull story, they've spared no expense to give the production a handsome cast adept at assuming royal manners--BRIAN AHERNE, AGNES MOOREHEAD, JESSIE ROYCE LANDIS, ESTELLE WINWOOD and ROBERT COOTE, among others, and Charles Vidor was chosen to direct Kelly's last film at Metro.
The ice princess herself is perfectly at home in such material, never once letting a believable expression disturb the beauty of her classic features. She's strictly playing herself in an arch manner and letting others do the real emoting. There's plenty of eye candy aside from Grace, the sets and costumes being beyond reproach.
But it's a stuffy affair, talky and full of dull stretches where almost nothing happens to move the story forward. Women will adore watching Grace parade around in a number of fetching costumes and will no doubt enjoy seeing her paired with Jourdan in the more intimate scenes.
But overall, it's an awful bore with its chief compensation being a delightful cast.