This charming comedy of a fictional European monarchy going through political upheaval thanks to a changing world climate deals with a milquetoast King (Lowell Sherman) dominated by a tyrannical queen (Nance O'Neill) and a traitorous prime minister (Robert Warwick) who is the queen's spy but not above betraying her majesty if it will increase his power. Meanwhile, the young princess (Mary Astor) longs for a real life that an arranged marriage with a playboy prince won't provide. She's in love with one of the King's loyal assistants (Anthony Bushell) and longs to run off with him to escape the fate planned for her by her mother's dominating ambitions. O'Neill is a total cliché as the Queen, a stereotypical over-sized harpy, but Sherman underplays the Charlie Ruggles like role as the unfortunate King.
The lovely Astor is dressed in some rather masculine clothes, but you can see why Bushell is willing to become a commoner should she succeed in her desires. Warwick, as the evil prime minister, comes off as a silent movie like villain who does everything except twirl his mustache, laughing evilly after one confrontation with Ruggles as if he had just tied Pauline to the tracks after she couldn't come up with the rent.
There are some funny observations about how Europeans felt about America (where the queen is preparing to visit as the film begins), adding some sardonic commentary to the script. At times, the film seems to be missing songs, and Jeanette MacDonald and Maurice Chevalier singing them, or at least George Arliss. Overloaded with elaborate sets, costumes and extras, this is the type of film which seems to have influenced the Marx Brothers in their European spoof of fictional European countries, "Duck Soup". In spite of some implausibilities, the film comes off as sparkling and romantic with a delightful twist at the end to tie everything together with a most delicious pay-off.
The lovely Astor is dressed in some rather masculine clothes, but you can see why Bushell is willing to become a commoner should she succeed in her desires. Warwick, as the evil prime minister, comes off as a silent movie like villain who does everything except twirl his mustache, laughing evilly after one confrontation with Ruggles as if he had just tied Pauline to the tracks after she couldn't come up with the rent.
There are some funny observations about how Europeans felt about America (where the queen is preparing to visit as the film begins), adding some sardonic commentary to the script. At times, the film seems to be missing songs, and Jeanette MacDonald and Maurice Chevalier singing them, or at least George Arliss. Overloaded with elaborate sets, costumes and extras, this is the type of film which seems to have influenced the Marx Brothers in their European spoof of fictional European countries, "Duck Soup". In spite of some implausibilities, the film comes off as sparkling and romantic with a delightful twist at the end to tie everything together with a most delicious pay-off.