Beloved Rogue (1927) (Silent)

Description

The French poet-patriot Francois Villon enters a battle of wits with King Louis XI and fights to save his beloved in this exciting and romantic adventure. An enormous production with lavish sets and costumes, this swashbuckling story features a vibrant performance by the great John Barrymore. It also marks the American film debut of German film star Conrad Veidt, who would go on to play unforgettable roles in classics like "Casablanca" and "The Thief of Bagdad."

Customer Reviews:

francois in paris, chestnuts in blossom ..........2007-04-26

john barrymore stars as francois villon in this late silent epic and delivers one of his best screen performances. he is matched by conrad veidt in a splendidly hammy (i mean that in the best sense) turn as louis xi, jointly foisting off the takeover of paris by the evil burgundians in late medieval france. villon of course is remembered as one of frances great literary figures and the legends about his picaresque life have been grist for writers for centuries. this is a funny swashbuckler, and richly deserving its fine reputation, tho i wish i wish i wish (in vain, it seems) that the ronald colman "if i were king" (with an early screenplay from preston sturges!) of a decade later would find ITS way to dvd (i wont even dare hope for the dennis king / jeanette macdonald "vagabond king"). major fun.

An enjoyable late Medieval costume drama.......2007-01-25

This film begins in 1432, when François de Montcorbier is burnt at the stake for his role in trying to drive the English out of his beloved France. While gathering up some of his ashes to put in a locket the next day, his grief-stricken widow prays that her child will grow up to have the same type of heart and soul that his father did, only that he'll get to live instead of die for France. Twenty-five years later, that child, François Villon (a real historical person who lived from 1431-63), is a renowned national poet and very popular with the common people in Paris and the nearby city of Vauxcelles. He's also hopelessly in love with wine and women. Villon is so popular indeed that he's made King of the Revels on All Fools' Day, but the wild fun festivities come to a premature and devastating halt when Villon insults Charles, Duke of of Burgundy, a dangerous rival to King Louis XI. Since this incident happened in Vauxcelles and not Paris itself, however, King Louis XI only has Villon banished from ever setting foot in Paris again, on the threat of immediate death. Villon eventually goes back to Paris to help the people and to try to prevent the evil Charles from taking over as king. He winds up back in Paris accidentally, by means of a catapault that he and his friends were using to send food and brandy to the poor. It is upon this return to Paris that he meets Charlotte de Vauxcelles, whom he is catapaulted into the bedroom of and immediately falls in love (or at least lust) with. For trying to break up Charlotte's impending marriage to Count Thibault, a man she doesn't love, Villon is once more sentenced to death, but he manages to save his hide by prophesising to the king that Louis's death will occur 24 hours after his own. This friendly relationship with the king isn't long-lived, however, although no matter what happens to him, Villon remains determined to expose Charles for the scheming traitorous scumbag he really is in order to both save France and win Charlotte's hand in marriage.

Although this is a very enjoyable film, with touches of several genres (comedy, melodrama, swashbuckling, drama), it is, however, a costume drama, a genre that isn't always the best introduction for someone just getting into silent film. The silent costume drama can be a bit of an acquired taste even for more seasoned fans, what with a lot of different characters to keep track of, usually a longer length than most silents, a lot more intertitles than usual, and a plot that can take awhile to fully set up (as well as how some people just aren't interested in historical pictures anyway). This film does start out a bit slowly for those very reasons, but before long it gets more and more interesting, compelling, and exciting, and has a plot that's a lot easier to follow, with less meandering twists and turns, than is sometimes found in silent costume dramas. (Although I agree that the ending is a bit lacklustre and in media res, particularly in comparison to the great scene that just came before.) John Barrymore is simply fantastic in the leading role, and exhibits a lot of range throughout the course of the film, getting to swashbuckle, be romantic, and be comedic instead of just playing the part in a dramatic serious manner straight through. He's also looking quite handsome in this film, and even appears in just a loincloth in some of the scenes. Conrad Veidt is also wonderful as King Louis XI, a role which also allows him to express a range of different emotions, and the great character comedian Mack Swain is great as Villon's pal Nicholas. It's nice to see him in a more serious film instead of just comedies. Overall, in spite of the potential drawbacks of the costume drama genre, this is a great film for seeing why John Barrymore is considered one of the finest male actors of the 20th century.

The Beloved Rogue.......2005-10-23

Hollywood used to have a thing about turning the clock back four or five hundred years, locating things in a European capital, and dressing the Big Star in tights while having him clatter over the rooftops or through the trees. Come to think of it, movies are still partial to tights and rooftop cavortings, although today's heroes are apt to wear a more elaborate costume, move faster than a speeding bullet, and are almost always forced to suffer through at least one `origins' story.

The extra-normal powers enjoyed by François Villon, the fifteenth century `first great poet of France,' seems to have been a limitless capacity for wine and an uncanny talent for spontaneous creation of metered verse. At least so says the 1927 silent THE BELOVED ROGUE, a biography of sorts starring the ever-entertaining John Barrymore. I haven't been able to squeeze many facts about the historic Villon out of the internet. What it does have to say is a little more piquant than what you'll get from the movie. Apparently, Villon was a thief, robber, and may have killed a priest or two during his career. Banished a number of times for his crimes, Villon was sentenced to death by hanging at least once. More immediately, an operetta based on Villon, The Vagabond King, premiered in 1925. The Vagabond King would be turned into a movie twice, in 1930 and 1956. In 1938 the Justin Huntly McCarthy play would be adapted to If I Were King, starring Ronald Coleman. Popular guy, that Villon. THE BELOVED ROGUE may be the only movie about Villon not based on the operetta.

Not having seen any of the other films I can't attest to comparisons, but on it's own this movie is a lot of fun. Villon, as legend has it, was born on the day of Joan of Arc's martyrdom, and our first glimpse of the toddler is an amusing scene that shows him refusing the bottle unless wine is mixed in with the milk. Villon grows into the King of Fools, a low caste lover of life who chums around with silent film comics Slim Summerville and Mack Swain. This seems to be something of a light romantic comedy, but it's hard to tell with silent movies. In any event, the humor induces smiles rather than guffaws. To add some class conflict grit into the proceedings the movie has Villon fall in love with the beautiful princess Charlotte de Vauxcelles, played by the transcendently beautiful Marceline Day. The bent and seedy King Louis XI (played with decrepit aplomb by German actor Conrad Veidt) banishes Villon from his beloved Paris not, as the history books seem to indicate, for murder and mayhem, but because Villon insults the foul, Princess Charlotte chasing, Duke of Burgundy.

Although it's relatively breezy and easygoing, THE BELOVED ROGUE has a few strange, rough edges. This is the second John Barrymore silent film I've seen, and it's the second one in which he's gone through physical torment for Love. In this case it's a jarringly well-staged trial by fire. Some of the minor players are strange, too. There's a bouncy dwarf and Dick Sutherland as the palace executioner. Sutherland suffered from acromegaly, a disease that distorts the facial feature. It's the same disease Rondo Hatton - the Creeper in the Basil Rathbone/Sherlock Holmes The Pearl of Death - suffered from. In other words there's something side-show exploitative to this movie that some may find more jarring than entertaining.

great film - horrible ending.......2005-03-22

Everything is right about this film until the ending. Barrymore is fantastic as is Conrad Veidt. Sets are immense and Barrymore's tragic scene when he removes is clown makeup, knowing he is exiled, is one of the two or three greatest acting scenes in film. And John proves himself a fine comedian in many scenes. But the ending---there is none!

There is no conclusion, nothing but a tremendous build up to a confrontation that never occures. For me it destroys the film. But this, along with Svengali, contains probably Barrymore's two best roles.

Entertaining, bizarre swashbuckler.......2002-08-13

With the exception of two earlier films, Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (1920) and The Sea Beast (1926), THE BELOVED ROGUE is more a personal statement by its star, John Barrymore, than any film he ever made. Designed as a romp through 15th century Paris (in a snowstorm, no less), ROGUE is both inventive and bizarre as Barrymore's Gothic tastes were given free rein by United Artists.
The actor specifically wanted to avoid the "Hollywood" type of situations where the hero rescues the heroine and both live happily ever after. Despite the film's inventiveness, the plot eventually works itself out along the more traditional lines that Barrymore wanted to avoid like the plague. It was said that he was unhappy with the finished product but many years after his death, when ROGUE was considered a lost film, a subsequent owner of Barrymore's house found a mint 35mm print of this film stored away in the basement. Perhaps that print is the one used for this dvd, courtesy of Mr. Barrymore himself.

Since the film seeks a de-glamourized view of the Middle Ages, fans of Hollywood swashbuckers made during the 1930s and 40s will probably be surprised - dismayed may be a better word - at the dingy surroundings and deformed characters present in many scenes. Barrymore revelled in this type of setting and perhaps felt justified that he could never have played such parts had he remained on the stage. As it turned out, the film rights to the hit stage play, "If I Were King," were not available so Barrymore and company had to cobble a story together based on public domain information on Francois Villon, steering clear from any story elements original to the play.

Description

A swashbuckling sensation, The Beloved Rogue, has thrilled audiences for years due in large part to the incomparable John Barrymore who turns out a great performance as the legendary poet-patriot, Francois Villon. Set amongst wonderfully fantastic winter sets, The Beloved Rogue promises high-flying stunts, wild snowstorms, passionate romance, and good-hearted humor.

amazon.com

John Barrymore stars memorably as Parisian literary giant Francois Villon, who is made King for a day by King Louis XI in an effort to placate his subjects. Before the day is over, Villon must assemble a rag tag army of felons, vagrants, and ladies of ill repute to defend his beloved city against an invading army from Burgundy.

[5 DVDs Of Classic Adventures] Three Musketeers, Iron Mask, Son Of Monte Cristo, Beloved Rogue, Robin Hood, Thief Of Baghdad, East Of Borneo, Adventures Of The Scarlet Pimpernel, Zorro "PLUS" 4 original classic television episodes of The Adventures Of Sir Lancelot

Average customer rating:

[5 DVDs Of Classic Adventures] Three Musketeers, Iron Mask, Son Of Monte Cristo, Beloved Rogue, Robin Hood, Thief Of Baghdad, East Of Borneo, Adventures Of The Scarlet Pimpernel, Zorro "PLUS" 4 original classic television episodes of The Adventures Of Sir Lancelot

ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Digitally Remastered For Superior Picture Quality
Dolby Digital Sound
Chapter Stops
Interactive Menus
Includes Movie Trailers

ASIN: B000G3E1Z6

Adventure Movie Marathon Volume 1: 8 Movie Pack

Average customer rating:

Adventure Movie Marathon Volume 1: 8 Movie Pack

Manufacturer: RightNow Disc
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video
Product Features:

BONUS: Each movie comes with a portable-media friendly version that can be downloaded to your Apple iPod!
Eight feature films on four DVDs
The Beloved Rogue;Tarzan and the Trappers;East of Borneo;Jack London;Desert Commandos;Son of Monte Cristo;The Iron Mask;Treasure of the Jamaica Reef

ASIN: B000GWCOHO

Product Description

The legends of Adventure are gathered here for you in this definitive DVD collection of some of the greatest Adventure classics to ever come out of Hollywood. This 8 DVD collection is sure to provide you with countless hours of entertainment. Adventure Movie Marathon Volume 1: 8 Movie Pack includes: The Beloved Rogue directed by Alan Crosland and starring John Barrymore; Tarzan and the Trappers directed by Charles Haas and starring Gordon Scott; East of Borneo directed by George Melford and starring Charles Bickford; Jack London directed by Alfred Santell and starring Michael O'Shea; Desert Commandos directed by Umberto Lenzi and starring Ken Clark; Son of Monte Cristo directed by Rowland Lee and starring Louis Hayward; The Iron Mask directed by Allan Dwan and starring Douglas Fairbanks, Sr; Treasure of the Jamaica Reef directed by Virginia L. Stone and starring Stephen Boyd

DVD:

DVD

DVD