Ambassador Bill (1931)

Ambassador Bill - 1931

Next on the list comes 1931's "Ambassador Bill" starring Will Rogers.  Bill Harper (Rogers) arrives in the Kingdom of Sylvania as the new U.S. Ambassador.  His arrival happens to be in the middle of a revolution.  The current King is just a boy and must rule the country under the regency of his kind-hearted mother and an evil Prince.  Ambassador Bill takes pity on the boy, wanting him to grow up in a semblance of normalcy.  Unbeknownst to Bill, he has also made friends with the boy's father, the country's true King.  Can Ambassador Bill overcome a revolution, a diabolical Prince, and a meddling U.S. Senator to help the country of Sylvania stabilize and also help the boy-king be just a boy?

The supporting cast includes Marguerite Churchill, Great Nissen, Tad Alexander, Ray Milland, Gustav von Seyffertitz, and Ferdinand Munier.

When Ambassador Bill arrives, he does so in the midst of gunfire, as the country is in the throws of revolution.  The car the embassy sends is heavily armored and once he is inside, the chauffeur locks him in.

After he meets the King and his mother, the Queen Regent, Ambassador Bill decides he should help the King be more like a boy.  So, he teaches him the game of baseball in the palace gardens.  When the King is tagged out rounding third, the King orders the execution of the opposing player.  Ambassador Bill says, "I taught you the game of baseball.  And there's nothin' in there about shootin' a first baseman.  An umpire, maybe.  That's different."

Ambassador Bill even gets the young King and set of cowboy boots, hat, and lasso.  He also gives one of the lasso demonstrations that Will Rogers is so famous for.

Ambassador Bill also helps the young King set up the first Boy Scouts association in Sylvania, paying for the equipment and uniforms himself.

I'd like to take a moment to talk about the costumes, specifically the Queen's.  Guy S. Duty was the costume designer for this film.  According to IMDb, his career was remarkably short.  He only worked on films from 1931 to 1932, about fifteen films in all.  I think he does remarkably well in dressing the Queen according to 1930s fashions.

Of course, the film is much more than beautiful costumes, baseball games, and boy scouts.  Will Rogers infuses it with his charming wit and observations, which made him the famous humorist that he was.  His interactions with the meddling Senator Pillsbury are very funny.  "Oh, what a terrible revolution!" the Senator exclaims in the middle of gunfire.  Ambassador Bill just looks at him and says, "It's the best one they've had since I've been here."

Cast rundown:

   Will Rogers.......................................Bill Harper

   Marguerite Churchill...........................Queen Vanya

   Greta Nissen.....................................Countess Ilka

   Tad Alexander....................................King Paul

   Ray Milland.......................................King Lothar

   Gustav von Seyffertitz........................Prince de Polikoff

   Ferdinand Munier...............................Senator Pillsbury

That's all for Ambassador Bill.  As always, if you would like to comment, please remember our posting rules.