Zeus

Le Roi (1949)

• Director
  • Marc-Gilbert Sauvajon
• Writers
  • Emmanuel Arène(play "Le roi")
  • Marc-Gilbert Sauvajon
  • Gaston Arman de Caillavet(play "Le roi")
• Stars
  • Maurice Chevalier
  • Annie Ducaux
  • Sophie Desmarets

  Though it took Maurice Chevalier a long time to regain his American popularity after WW II, he remained a favorite in France. In Le Roi, Chevalier stars as--what else?--a king. Making a goodwill visit to France during the era of the First Republic, the merry monarch stirs up trouble with the stauncher anti-royalists. Fortunately, he doesn't lose his head, but he does sacrifice his dignity to a well-aimed cream puff, administered by one Mme. Beaudrier (Sophie Desmarets) who is the wife of a diplomat (Alfred Adam). To avoid a scandal, the diplomat tries his best to get in the king's good graces--which, of course, results in plenty of boudoir shenanigans. Based on a nonmusical stage play, Le Roi manages to find a few opportunities for Maurice Chevalier to sing, which he does with his usual panache.