A duke takes a lover, so what does the duchess do? Take one of her own, of course! It doesn't help that the duchess's lover has been marked for execution by the duke who has no idea of what's going on in his own palace.
Obviously, the name of the game here is sex, although the production code wouldn't let them make that obvious. Constance Bennett is the flirtatious duchess, the younger wife of the Duke of Flirence, played by the Oscar nominated Frank Morgan. Bennett is attracted to sculptor Frederic March, playing the title character who is in love with innocent Fay Wray. When the duke meets Wray, he decides to add her to his court, and no intention of including Wray's bearded mother, the delightfully funny Jessie Ralph.
Speeding by with Morgan definitely a scene stealer, this came in a year of Hollywood history lessons, all more based on Encyclopedia synopsis with fictional dramatic elements to flesh them out. This is pure entertainment and succeeds on the fact that it is obviously a historical fairy tale and that any resemblance between this and historical fact was a total accident.
Obviously, the name of the game here is sex, although the production code wouldn't let them make that obvious. Constance Bennett is the flirtatious duchess, the younger wife of the Duke of Flirence, played by the Oscar nominated Frank Morgan. Bennett is attracted to sculptor Frederic March, playing the title character who is in love with innocent Fay Wray. When the duke meets Wray, he decides to add her to his court, and no intention of including Wray's bearded mother, the delightfully funny Jessie Ralph.
Speeding by with Morgan definitely a scene stealer, this came in a year of Hollywood history lessons, all more based on Encyclopedia synopsis with fictional dramatic elements to flesh them out. This is pure entertainment and succeeds on the fact that it is obviously a historical fairy tale and that any resemblance between this and historical fact was a total accident.