Monsieur Beaucaire (1946)

67% of users liked it
(26 ratings)

Monsieur Beaucaire, Booth Tarkington's novel about an 18th-century French barber who poses as a swashbuckling aristocrat, was the surprising source for this Grade-A Bob Hope comedy. While in the original novel the tonsorial hero pretended to be someone he wasn't by choice, in this 1946 film Hope is… More Monsieur Beaucaire, Booth Tarkington's novel about an 18th-century French barber who poses as a swashbuckling aristocrat, was the surprising source for this Grade-A Bob Hope comedy. While in the original novel the tonsorial hero pretended to be someone he wasn't by choice, in this 1946 film Hope is coerced into posturing as a nobleman on the threat of death. It's "out of the frying pan" time here, since Hope will be a target for execution the moment he weds a Spanish princess in place of genuine noble Patric Knowles. Bob's actions will prevent a war between Spain and France, but it's likely he won't be around to celebrate the Peace. Hiding his cowardice by cracking wise at every opportunity, Hope manages to save both the day and himself; he even rescues Joseph Schildkraut, the film's nominal villain, from the guillotine. The female contingent is represented by Joan Caulfield as Bob's covetous girl friend, Marjorie Reynolds as a princess, and Hillary Brooke as a haughty schemer (who is given her just desserts in an early slapstick set-piece). Woody Allen has long expressed his affection for Monsieur Beaucaire, an affection made doubly obvious in "homage" fashion by Allen's 1975 costume comedy Love and Death. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 33 min.
Directed By: George Marshall
Written By: Melvin Frank
Genres: Comedy

In Theaters: Sep 4, 1946 Wide
On DVD: May 19, 1993
Studio: Paramount Pictures

Critic Reviews

Steven D. Greydanus, Decent Films Guide
Above-average Bob Hope costume comedy… borrows its title and inspiration from a silent Rudolph Valentino romance-drama, but transforms the original premise of a duke disguised as a barber into a farce about a real barber and a duke switching places.

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Cast

            Bob Hope as M. Beaucaire

            Joan Caulfield as Mimi

            Patric Knowles as Duc de Chandre

            Cecil Kellaway as Count D'Armand

            Marjorie Reynolds as Princess Maria of Spain

            Joseph Schildkraut as Don Francisco

            Reginald Owen as Louis XV

            Constance Collier as The Queen

            Hillary Brooke as Mme. Pompadour

            Fortunio Bonanova as Don Carlos

            Douglas Dumbrille as George Washington

            Mary Nash as The Duenna

            Leonid Kinskey as Rene

            Howard Freeman as King Philip of Spain

            Eric Alden as Swordsman

            Nina Borget as Wife

            Anthony Caruso as Masked horseman

            Lane Chandler as Officer

            Charles Coleman as Major Domo

            Catherine Craig as Duchess

            Jean De Briac as Minister of Finance

            Jean Del Val as Minister of War

            Helen Freeman as Queen of Spain

            Sherry Hall as Sentry

            Brandon Hurst as Marquis

            Mona Maris as Marquisa

            Jack Mulhall as Guard

            John Mylong as Minister of State

            Noreen Nash as Baroness

            Tony Paton as Waiter

            Nino Pipitone as Lackey

            Hugh Prosser as Courtier

            Buddy Roosevelt as Spanish guard

            George Sorel as Duke

            Philip Van Zandt as Guard

            Dorothy Vernon as Servant

            Alan Hale Jr. as Courier

            John Maxwell as Courier

            Manuel Paris as Spanish Guard

            Robert "Buddy" Shaw as Husband
See full cast

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