Conquest (1937)

 

Conquest - 1937

Coming up next we have 1937's "Conquest", a fictionalized version of the romance of Napoleon Bonaparte and Polish Countess Maria Walewska.

The film's cast includes Greta Garbo, Charles Boyer, Reginald Owen, Alan Marshal, Henry Stephenson, Leif Erickson, May Whitty, Maria Ouspenskaya, C. Henry Gordon, and Jean Fenwick.

After her house is ransacked by Cossacks, Countess Marie Walewska hears that Napoleon Bonaparte is in Poland.  As he is a particular hero of hers, she races to see him, hoping to do so unobserved.

Not only does she see him, Marie gets to meet him as well.  Napoleon is charmed by her.  "Are you real or born of a snowdrift?," Napoleon asks her.  Marie replies, "Whichever Your Majesty wishes."  Napoleon smiles and says "Snow vanishes.  I prefer you real."  Marie watches him get into his carriage and ride away.

Eventually, Marie and her much older husband, Count Anastas, attend a ball in honor of Napoleon.  And Anastas has arranged for them to be presented to the Emperor.

Anastas's son and grandson are presented to Napoleon, and the Emperor is very surprised to find the old man has such a young wife, and that she is the young woman he met not long before on a snowy night.  Smiling, Napoleon says, "I congratulate you, madame.  For a grandmother, you are extraordinarily well-preserved.  I regret I did not know you when you were young."

Napoleon watches Marie with interest throughout the course of the ball, and the Polish officials take notice.

Eventually, they share a dance.  Napoleon hopes for more than a casual acquaintance, but Marie is quick to rebuff all of his advances, to Napoleon's great disappointment.

Napoleon sends her a letter in which he says that he will be more disposed to treat Poland kindly if she will be an cure for his loneliness.  Polish officials also come and beg her to do what she can for Poland.

Against her better judgment, Marie agrees and goes to visit Napoleon.  She wants a purely platonic friendship, but he wants more.

They seem to be at an impasse.  Napoleon argues his point, and Marie continues with her rebuttals.

Soon, however, Marie is worn down by Napoleon's charms and she falls hopelessly in love with the man.  Her husband is furious with her, and annuls their marriage.  Napoleon begins divorce proceedings against Empress Josephine.

Napoleon's mother, Laetitia, comes to meet Marie, wondering if she is just a passing fancy or a permanent fixture in her son's life.  Madame Bonaparte is thrilled with Marie, and loves the fact that Marie asks nothing from him.

Marie finds out that she is expecting a child.  Joyful at the prospect of motherhood, she is anxious to tell Napoleon.  However, his mind is on other matters, namely ensuring a stable throne for himself and his future offspring.

He tells her of his plans to form an alliance with the Habsburgs, leaving a bereft Marie to face an uncertain future.  She does not get the chance to tell him that she is expecting a baby.

The two go their separate ways.  Napoleon makes his bride Empress of France, and Marie gives birth to a son named Alexandre.

Years pass.  Napoleon is toppled from his throne and sent into exile.  From his island prison, the once mighty general is obsessed with returning to France and his place as Emperor.

Marie comes to visit him, bringing their son.  She tells Napoleon that the boy is his, and Napoleon is very affectionate with young Alexandre.

She has come at an inopportune time.  Napoleon is planning an attack which he hopes will put him back on the throne.  Marie advises him against it, begging and pleading with him.  She also tells him how much their relationship meant to her.  "You have given me much more than love, Napoleon Bonaparte.  You touched me and gave me life.  You lifted me up.  The whole world went away from me.  I will never know that little world again," she says.

Mother and son watch as Napoleon boards a ship for France.  "He has a star he must follow.  Let us pray that it will bring him peace," Marie tells her son as they wave the once proud warrior goodbye.

Cast rundown:

   Greta Garbo..............................Countess Marie Walewska

   Charles Boyer............................Napoleon Bonaparte

   Reginald Owen...........................Duke de Tallyrand

   Alan Marshal..............................Capt. d'Ornano

   Henry Stephenson......................Count Anastas Walewski

   Leif Erickson..............................Paul Lachinski

   May Whitty................................Laetitia Bonaparte

   Maria Ouspenskaya.....................Countess Pelagia Walewska

   C. Henry Gordon........................Prince Poniatowski

   Jean Fenwick.............................Empress Marie Louise

And that's all for Conquest.  Audiences didn't respond to this movie, and MGM lost more money on this film than any other film from the period of 1920 to 1949.  However, Charles Boyer was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his portrayal of Napoleon.  It is an outstanding performance.

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The Crusades (1935)

 

The Crusades - 1935

Coming up next we have 1935's "The Crusades", a sweeping epic by Cecil B. DeMille that sees King Richard the Lionheart of England fight for Christianity and the right to worship God in Jerusalem.  While fighting for the followers of Christ, he is also fighting to save the woman he loves.

The film's cast includes Loretta Young, Henry Wilcoxon, Ian Keith, C. Aubrey Smith, Katherine DeMille, Joseph Schildkraut, Alan Hale, C. Henry Gordon, George Barbier, Montagu Love, Ramsay Hill, Mischa Auer, and Ian Hunter.

The Holy Land is overrun with Muslim forces.  Saladin, the Sultan of Islam, enslaves all the Christians living there.  A hermit emerges and vows to rally the armies of the kingdoms of Europe to fight for the Christian cause.  Saladin tells the hermit to go.  He will be waiting with his own armies when he returns.

The hermit's first stop is France, where he enlists the help of King Philip II.  The king's sister, Princess Alice, is engaged to King Richard of England, and travels with her brother to safeguard against an attack on France by Richard.

Richard warmly welcomes Philip to Windsor, but he is less than enthusiastic about Alice's arrival.

When the hermit arrives in England, Richard sees a change to escape his engagement to Alice.  He eagerly joins the Crusade and pledges his armies to help with the fight for Christianity.

Richard leaves the kingdom in the hands of his brother, Prince John, who plots to have his brother removed from the throne.

While the Crusade begins in glory, it runs out of steam when the reach the Kingdom of Navarre.  A food shortage stops the armies of England in its tracks.  Richard negotiates with Sancho, King of Navarre, for the supplies his army needs.  In return for the supplies, Richard will marry the king's daughter, Berengaria.

Berengaria is not well disposed towards Richard, especially when he refuses to attend their marriage ceremony and sends his sword (carried by his minstrel) as his proxy.  Berengaria is furious.

When Berengaria joins the Crusade, no one is more surprised than Alice of France.  "I am Alice of France, betrothed to King Richard.  Who are you?" asks Alice in an annoyed manner.  "I'm his wife," replies Berengaria.

When Richard finally arrives in the Holy Land, he introduces Berengaria to the rest of the gathered kings as the Queen of England.  They are astonished, especially Philip II of France, whose alliance with England is now broken.

Saladin, Sultan of Islam, arrives for talks with the kings of the Crusade.  He wants nothing more than their surrender and departure from the land.

The gathered kings refuse, and the result is open war between the forces of Islam and the forces of Christianity.

Before he returns to his army, Saladin is quite impressed with Berengaria when she demonstrates a certain poise and bravery.

As the battle between Christians and Muslims rages on, Richard and Berengaria begin to fall in love.  What began as an arrangement of convenience has now blossomed into romance.

Berengaria attempts to go to Saladin to ask for peace.  En route, she is shot by an arrow and collapses.  Saladin rescues her and brings her to his palace.

There, while Richard engages harder and more persistent than ever to find "the Christian queen", Saladin tends to Berengaria's wounds and enjoys having her near him.

When a plot to end Richard's life is uncovered, Berengaria pleads with Saladin to save him.  She agrees to remain with him as his captive if he will agree to spare Richard's life.

Richard is furious when he finds out.  However, Saladin also offers peace terms.  Christians except Richard will be allowed to enter Jerusalem, and all Christian captives will be freed if Richard agrees.  For the cause of peace, Richard agrees and bids farewell to Berengaria.

As he overlooks the city of Jerusalem, Richard prays that somehow Berengaria will be returned to him.

He is delighted the next morning when he sees Berengaria being carried in a litter towards the entrance to Jerusalem.  She tells him that per Saladin's agreement, she was given her freedom because she was a Christian captive.  Berengaria promises to return to Richard, but first she must do something.

She enters Jerusalem and offers Richard's sword to Christ.  Berengaria begins to pray as the hymns of Christians rise up toward heaven.

Cast rundown:

   Loretta Young............................Princess Berengaria

   Henry Wilcoxon..........................King Richard

   Ian Keith...................................Saladin, Sultan of Islam

   C. Aubrey Smith........................The Hermit

   Katherine DeMille.......................Princess Alice

   Joseph Schildkraut......................Conrad, Marquis of Montferrat

   Alan Hale..................................Blondel

   C. Henry Gordon........................King Philip II

   George Barbier...........................King Sancho

   Montagu Love............................The Blacksmith

   Ramsay Hill...............................Prince John

   Mischa Auer...............................Monk

   Ian Hunter.................................2nd Pleading Knight

And that's all for The Crusades.  Cecil B. DeMille used his daughter Katherine in the role of Princess Alice of France.  He gave her the role as a Christmas gift.  During a battle scene with hundreds of extras, DeMille had real firemen dressed in costume to help extinguish any fire that threatened to get out of control.

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