His Love-Making Was as Dangerous as His Sword-Play
King Louis XI masquerades as a commoner in Paris, seeking out the treachery he is sure lurks in his kingdom. At a local tavern, he overhears the brash poet François Villon extolling why he would be a better king. Annoyed yet intrigued, the King bestows on Villon the title of Grand Constable. Soon Villon begins work and falls for a lovely lady-in-waiting, but then must flee execution when the King turns on him.
If I Were King (1938) is a adventure and history film directed by Frank Lloyd, released on September 28, 1938 with a runtime of 1h 41m. It stars Ronald Colman, Basil Rathbone, Frances Dee and Ellen Drew. Viewers rate it 7.1 out of 10 across 14 ratings.
Ronald Colman
as François Villon
Basil Rathbone
as Louis XI
Frances Dee
as Katherine de Vaucelles
Ellen Drew
as Huguette
C. V. France
as Father Villon
Henry Wilcoxon
as Captain of the Watch
Heather Thatcher
as The Queen
Stanley Ridges
as Rene de Montigny
Bruce Lester
as Noel de Jolys
Alma Lloyd
as Colette
Walter Kingsford
as Tristan l'Hermite
Sidney Toler
as Robin Turgis
Directed by Frank Lloyd, written by Justin Huntly McCarthy and Preston Sturges, produced by Frank Lloyd.
Average viewer score of 7.1/10 from 14 ratings.
This is a cracking bit of swashbuckling adventure with Ronald Colman ("Villon") and particularly Basil Rathbone (Louis XI) on top form. The former is a poetic vagabond, Robin Hood style, character who pinches what he can to help feed the population of a besieged Paris, whilst their King sits in his palace living the life of Riley. When the King's personal store is raided, the King's guard step up their searches and…
Reviewed on June 20, 2022
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If I Were King (1938) is currently available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube and Fandango At Home. No subscription streaming option is listed right now, so availability may change.
The main cast of If I Were King (1938) includes Ronald Colman, Basil Rathbone, Frances Dee, Ellen Drew and C. V. France. The film was directed by Frank Lloyd. You can see the full cast and crew list, with character names, further up this page.
If I Were King was released on September 28, 1938 and runs for 1h 41m.
If I Were King (1938) holds an average rating of 7.1 out of 10 from 14 viewer votes, and is a good pick if you enjoy adventure and history films. Read the viewer reviews on this page to decide for yourself.
