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.
- Nominated for 4 Oscars
- 4 nominations total
- Director
- Writers
- Justin Huntly McCarthy
- Lou Smith(uncredited)
- Preston Sturges
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaRonald 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.
- GoofsThe idealized diet of a king includes hummingbirds, but those had not been discovered yet, as Columbus was still a few decades to come.
- Quotes
King Louis XI: If it is so easy to be king, how would you begin?
François Villon: First, by eating... my next step would be to clean house. The vermin who infest the palace I'd hang in clusters.
King Louis XI: What would you do next?
François Villon: Try to know my subjects and try to earn their devotion and loyalty instead of their loathing.
King Louis XI: By abolishing taxes, I suppose?
François Villon: No! By abolishing despair and substituting hope. By knowing the longings in their hearts as a man of the people would, seeing them as they are and admitting that their vices are as deep rooted as their virtues. I'd treat them as my children instead of as my enemies, so by knowing the worst in them, I'd bring out the best in them.
- Crazy creditsThe opening credits are displayed on the roofs and outside walls of houses.
- ConnectionsReferenced in So You Want to Be an Actor (1949)
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.
- wbrighenti
- Nov 22, 2012
- How long is If I Were King?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Runtime1 hour 41 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1