"Monsieur Beaucaire" *** (out of ****)Last year on April Fool's Day I wanted to celebrate the holiday by reviewing a comedy, I chose the Bob Hope comedy "Louisiana Purchase" (1941) a political satire which takes aim at then President Roosevelt. But this year I have taken things further and have devoted the month to reviewing the kind of movies I enjoy watching and writing about the most; classic comedies. Naturally I couldn't leave Bob Hope out.
Bob Hope was one of those figures in my life that just seemed to have always been there. Like Laurel & Hardy and Charlie Chaplin I can't remember when I didn't enjoy watching his movies. I can't remember when was the first time I saw him in a movie. I just seem to have always been a fan. I admit, he was not my all time favorite comic but I knew if I watched him in a movie I could expect a good laugh. Outside of Groucho Marx who else could deliver a one-liner with such ease? Henny Youngman may have been thought of as "king of the one-liners" but Hope was more deserving of the crown.
The sad thing about Bob Hope movies is rarely are they really good movies. Hope is funny in them but there is usually little reason, besides him, to watch the movies. Only a selected few would truly qualify as entertaining movies, "Monsieur Beaucaire" (1946) is generally deemed one of his best, if not his best. It is probably my second or third favorite behind "Casanova's Big Night" (1954).
"Monsieur Beaucaire" has Hope as the famed barber. He is in love with a chambermaid, Mimi (Joan Caulfield). The two are assigned to the lower level of the palace but Mimi is now moving to the upper level, making her closer to the King, Louis XV (Reginald Owen). Beaucaire doesn't like this because he is afraid Mimi will try to get in the King's good graces and forget all about him.
At this point in time France and Spain seem to be on the verge of war. An agreement has been made to arrange a political marriage to unit to two countries. Princess Maria of Spain (Marjorie Reynolds) will marry any man of the King's choosing. The King selects a well known playboy, Duc le Chandre (Patrick Knowles) who has been making advances at the King's mistress, Madame Pompadour (Hillary Brooke). The King sees this as his chance to eliminate the competition for Madame Pompadour's affection.
Events take a turn for the worst as Beaucaire is discovered impersonating the King as he tries to convince Mimi what kind of honorable man Beaucaire is. The Queen (Constance Collier) catches Beaucaire (still dressed as the King) and Mimi kissing. The Queen orders Mimi be sent to the Spanish border, never to be seen again. The King sentences Beaucaire to death by guillotine.
The Duc le Chandre however rescues Beaucaire as he disguises him in his clothes. Beaucaire now sees this as his chance to find Mimi in Spain.
That is pretty much the set-up to the story. It now involves a lot of mistaken identities. People assume Beaucaire is really the Duc, the Duc is really a servant, the Princess a maid.
The film was directed by George Marshall. He directed Hope in two movies; "The Ghost Breakers" (1940) and "Fancy Pants" (1950) with Lucille Ball. He also directed a W.C. Fields comedy, "You Can't Cheat An Honest Man" (1939). The script was by two of Hope's best comedy writers, the team of Norman Panama and Melvin Frank. The two wrote "My Favorite Spy" (1942), "The Princess & the Pirate" (1944) and "The Facts of Life" (1960) also with Lucille Ball. Frank was a director as well, having written and directed such films as the Danny Kaye vehicle "The Court Jester" (1955) and the Oscar winning romantic comedy, "A Touch of Class" (1973). "Monsieur Beaucaire" was based on a novel written by Booth Tarkington (who also wrote "The Magnificent Ambersons") which was filmed once before in 1924 starring Rudolph Valentino and Bebe Daniels. Comedy director Ernst Lubitsch did a sort of musical adaptation of it in "Monte Carlo" (1930).
So what is the best way to review a Bob Hope comedy? Or comedy in general? I don't know. I've been struggling with it this entire month. I don't want to simply give away the best jokes to prove the movie is funny because that will spoil everything for the viewer. But how can I prove the movie is funny without revealing something? If I merely said "this movie is funny." Would that be enough for everyone?
What I think makes "Monsieur Beaucaire" funny is the setting. Hope liked to place himself in these historical settings so he could put in a few anachronistic remarks. We tend to view Hope as a "modern" figure so seeing him in costumes is funny. When Hope plays the Duc, he now has to become a ladies man. This is always a rich topic for comics, their failing with women. But Hope doesn't view himself as a failure. Hope thinks he should be loved by all women. So it becomes funny when he fails. It doesn't break his ego however as he simply moves on to the next woman only to strike out again.
As is the case with most Bob Hope comedies there is a lot of physical comedy. The best sequence in the film probably involves Beaucaire and the Duc trying to hide Madame Pompadour from the King, in his room. It results in Beaucaire giving Madame Pompadour a shave!
Another good bit is more verbal. It is of when we first met Beaucaire. He is trying to hang himself to prove his love to Mimi. As he is about to do it, he is called by the King to give him a shave. He when explains to one of the King's servants what he was doing and why, the servant tells him he is doing the right thing. But the servant wonders where did he find the rope. Beaucaire tells him Mimi gave it to him.
I suppose if you are looking for fault with the film it has to do with the casting. This is not to suggest the performances are bad, but remember, everyone is either suppose to be French or Spanish. Does Bob Hope look French to you? He doesn't even speak with an accent. Reginald Owen (an English actor) as King Louis XV? Marjorie Reynolds as a Spanish Princess?
This leads to something else I found odd about the film, Ms. Reynolds doesn't get top billing. She was a popular star at the time. She was in Fritz Lang's "Ministry of Fear" (1944), in my opinion a minor effort and was in the Abbott and Costello comedy "The Time of Their Lives" (1946). Strange they shouldn't bill her higher as Caulfield gets second billing and this was only her second movie!
Regardless "Monsieur Beaucaire" is a funny movie and could serve as a good introduction to those unfamiliar with Hope. We can see his natural gifts for comedy clearly on display here. His wonderful way with dialogue and terrific handling of one-liners. If you like this movie please watch "Casanova's Big Night", "My Favorite Brunette" (1947), "Alias Jesse James" (1959) and any of the "Road" movies with Bing Crosby. I particularly find "Road to Zanzibar" (1941) quite funny.
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