| The Vagabond King | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Ludwig Berger |
| Written by | Herman J. Mankiewicz |
| Based on | Justin Huntly McCarthy(novel and play) William H. Post andBrian Hooker(operetta) |
| Produced by | Adolph Zukor |
| Starring | Dennis King Jeanette MacDonald |
| Cinematography | Henry W. Gerrard Ray Rennahan (Technicolor) |
| Edited by | Merrill G. White |
| Music by | Rudolf Friml W. Franke Harling John Leipold Oscar Potoker |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 104 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $1,250,000[1] |
The Vagabond King is a 1930 AmericanPre-Codemusicaloperetta film photographed entirely in two-colorTechnicolor. The plot of the film was based on the 1925operetta of the same name, which was based on the 1901 playIf I Were King byJustin Huntly McCarthy. The play told the story of the real-life renegadeFrenchpoet namedFrançois Villon. The music of the film was based on a 1925 operetta, also based on the playIf I Were King by McCarthy. The operetta is also titledThe Vagabond King with music by Rudolph Friml and lyrics by Brian Hooker and W.H. Post. The film was nominated for anAcademy Award forBest Art Direction.[2][3]
The story takes place inFrance in the Middle Ages. KingLouis XI (O. P. Heggie) (reigned 1461–1483), hoping to enlist the French peasants in his upcoming battle against the Burgundians, appoints François Villon (Dennis King) king of France for one day. Despite being successful against the Burgundians, François Villon is sentenced to hang by King Louis XI for writing derogatory verses about him...
Jeanette MacDonald is Katherine, the high-born girl whom Villon pines for, while Huguette, a tavern wench (Lillian Roth) gives up her life to save her beloved poet.[4]
Six songs from the operetta were retained for the film, while four were specially written for it by different composers.
For many years, the film was seen only in black-and-white prints made for television release in the 1950s. At one time even the black-and-white prints were considered irretrievably lost. One nitrate Technicolor print did survive at theUCLA Film and Television Archive, and it was restored and preserved in 1990.
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