The Sword And The Rose (1953)

 

The Sword And The Rose - 1953

Coming up next we have 1953's "The Sword And The Rose", a fictionalized retelling of the story of Henry VIII's sister Mary and her desire to marry the man she loves.

The film's cast includes Glynis Johns, Richard Todd, James Robertson Justice, Michael Gough, Jane Barrett, Peter Copley, Rosalie Crutchley, D.A. Clarke-Smith, Jean Mercure, Gerard Oury, and Helen Goss.

It's at Windsor Castle during the reign of Henry VIII that his sister, Mary, sees a man she likes in the form of newcomer to court Charles Brandon.

However, the Duke of Buckingham wants to marry Mary, though she gently rebuffs his advances, claiming that he will always be her friend.

Mary and Charles Brandon begin spending more and more time together, eventually falling in love.  Mary is ready to dive into a relationship.  Charles is more cautious as she is a member of the royal family.  To get distance, he plans a trip to the New World.

Mary is cautioned about the relationship, and she shows her Tudor temperament by proclaiming, "It’s time that you all understood that Mary Tudor will marry a beggar if she chooses."

Her brother, however, has already promised her in marriage to the aging King Louis XII of France, who sends many gifts to woo his young bride-to-be.

Balking at the marriage, Mary runs away and joins Charles on a ship bound for the New World.

Before they can make it out of English waters, they are stopped, Charles is arrested, accused of kidnapping a princess, charged with treason, and thrown into the Tower of London awaiting execution.

To save Charles's life, Mary goes to her brother and agrees to marry the aged King of France with the provision that she is free to choose her own husband once the King dies, which he is expected to do within a year.  Henry agrees, but Charles is to remain in the Tower.

And so, she becomes Queen of France.  Mary encourages the sickly king to partake of a great deal of alcohol on their wedding day.  He collapses, and she is relieved that they won't have to be alone together.

Mary must also be on her guard.  The Dauphin of France wants to keep her in the country after Louis's death and make her his queen, even though he already has a wife.

Back home in England, the Duke of Buckingham "allows" Charles to escape the Tower before unleashing his guards on him.  Charles is wounded in the fray and does indeed escape, though Buckingham thinks him dead.

After King Louis dies, Buckingham journeys to France to bring Mary home and inform her of Charles's death.

When Buckingham shows his true colors, Mary is shocked.  Luckily, Charles arrives right on time.

Charles and Buckingham battle it out on the French shores.  Charles emerges the victor, and Buckingham dares not show his face in England again.

Back at Henry's court, Mary must now sufficiently charm her brother into remembering his promise that she could choose her own husband the second time around.  It doesn't matter, really, because she and Charles already married quietly on their way back to England.  Henry is initially outraged, but he calms down and settles an income and the titles Duke and Duchess of Suffolk on the couple.

Cast rundown:

   Glynis Johns.................................Princess Mary

   Richard Todd.................................Charles Brandon

   James Robertson Justice.................King Henry VIII

   Michael Gough..............................Duke of Buckingham

   Jane Barrett..................................Lady Margaret

   Peter Copley.................................Sir Edwin Caskoden

   Rosalie Crutchley...........................Queen Katherine

   D.A. Clarke-Smith..........................Cardinal Wolsey

   Jean Mercure................................King Louis XII

   Gerard Oury..................................Dauphin of France

   Helen Goss...................................Princess Claude

And that's all for The Sword And The Rose.  As stated in the opening paragraph, this film is highly fictionalized.  In reality, Charles Brandon was not a newcomer to court, but rather a childhood friend of Henry VIII.  He also never attempted a voyage to the New World.  Serious attempts to reach North America did not occur until the reign of Henry's daughter, Elizabeth I.  Still, it's a highly entertaining film and very unusual subject matter for a Disney production.

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April In Paris (1952)

 

April In Paris - 1952

Coming up next we have 1952's "April In Paris", a film that sees a chorus girl mistakenly sent to represent America at a festival in Paris.  And this chorus girl has a thing or to to say once the mistake is uncovered.

The film's cast includes Doris Day, Ray Bolger, Claude Dauphin, Eve Miller, George Givot, Paul Harvey, Herbert Farjeon, and Wilson Millar.

Broadway chorus girl Ethel "Dynamite" Jackson is excited.  She's been chosen to represent America at an entertainment showcase festival in Paris.

Before she sets sail for Paris, Dynamite's friends in the chorus give her a swell party and shower her with gifts.

Sadly for Dynamite, a man named Sam, from the State Department, comes to tell her that some letters were mixed up.  Ethel Barrymore is the one supposed to be on her way to Paris.  Dynamite is heartbroken.  "The State Department would appreciate it if you wouldn't mention this to anyone.  We might be investigated by the Justice Department, which would be a little bit embarrassing, because we're investigating them," says Sam.

When Sam leaves, a disappointed Dynamite sings "April In Paris" as she must deal with the reality of a crushed dream.

Back in Washington, Sam's boss, the Secretary, thinks it's a wonderful idea to send a chorus girl to represent America.  Telegrams have poured in after the newspapers got wind of the story.  And he congratulates Sam on a job well done.

Sam is so thrilled that he does a dance right there in the office.  George Washington and Abraham Lincoln join him.  Now all that's left is to inform Dynamite Jackson that the trip is back on!

He goes to see her and basically begs and pleads for her to accept.  At first she's angry.  "Uncle Sam has been takin’ a hunk outta my paycheck for the past ten years.  So now I owe him?  What did you guys do with the two hundred bucks I gave ya last year?" she asks.  But Sam presses on.  "Don't throw away this whole trip just because you hate me," he begs.  She smiles and says, "But I don't hate you.  You're tryin' so hard I'm startin' to root for you."

On the boat trip over to Paris, Dynamite has a perfectly boring time.  That is until she meets Philippe Fouquet, a down on his luck entertainer who has to work his way to France on board the ship as a steward.  He's actually quite famous in France, but a lack of money in America has brought about his present circumstance.  Philippe invites Dynamite to the ship's dance later that evening, and she eagerly accepts.

The Secretary isn't happy that Dynamite wants to have fun with Philippe.  She's had enough of their stuck-up behavior.  "Take my advice, gentlemen," she tells the table.  "Hang on to your life preservers!"

Philippe and Dynamite start out at the dance, but then Philippe takes her to the kitchens where she delights the entire kitchen staff with a song, "I'm Gonna Ring The Bell Tonight".

Such a good time is had that many of the ship's guests make their way to the kitchen, even Sam.  Dynamite comes to really like him once he let's his hair down and has a little fun.

They spend the rest of the evening together and quickly fall in love.  Dynamite sings "The Place You Hold In My Heart".

They decide to get married that very night by the ship's captain with Philippe as a witness.

However, it turns out that the ship's captain was really a steward in disguise.  Philippe has to keep them from beginning their honeymoon, and he's unable to tell them the truth about their married state.

Once in Paris, Dynamite finds she has some competition in the form of the Secretary's daughter, who has designs on Sam.

When the lady insults her, Dynamite has to try very hard to keep it together.

Unable to stand the insults any longer, Dynamite hauls off and smacks her in the face, to the complete astonishment of the lady's father, the Secretary, who is in the middle of giving a speech.

The Secretary and his daughter pull Sam away from Dynamite, and she turns to Philippe for comfort.  He finally tells her the truth about how their marriage was never legal.  "I'm in love with the man I married, and he's not even my husband," says Dynamite.  "Even in Paris that's an unusual situation," says a puzzled Philippe.

To take her mind of things, Philippe asks Dynamite to appear with him at his nightclub.  She agrees, and the two sing "That's What Makes Paris Paree" together.

Don't worry, though.  Sam and Dynamite work out all their troubles, and the two are able to enjoy April in Paris.

Cast rundown:

   Doris Day.................................Ethel "Dynamite" Jackson

   Ray Bolger................................S. "Sam" Winthrop Putnam

   Claude Dauphin........................Philippe Fouquet

   Eve Miller.................................Marcia Sherman

   George Givot............................Francois

   Paul Harvey..............................Secretary Robert Sherman

   Herbert Farjeon.........................Joshua Stevens

   Wilson Millar.............................Sinclair Wilson

And that's it for April In Paris.  Despite the title, the characters actually only spend twenty-five minutes of film time in the French capital.  In her autobiography, Doris Day said that Ray Bolger and the director had frequent disagreements.  The director accused Bolger of trying to steal scenes from Day, a newcomer to pictures who managed to stay beneath the fray because she was unaware of Bolger's motives.

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