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The Vagabond King (1956)
8 February 2026 12:52 amI have been working on some of the songs from the Rudolf Friml musical/operetta and so thought I would take a look at this filmed version; I wasn't expecting it to be terribly good or terribly close to the source material, although I know the latter only from the prompt lines and lyrics in the score and from the original novel ( Read more... )Leonard Maltin rates the film at 2 stars out of 5, which is probably fair enough.
But going into it with low expectations I did actually enjoy it more than I might have thought. Largely I suspect this is down to Walter Hampden's scene-stealing performance as wily old Louis XI -- the lovers are wooden and it's hard to have much sympathy with them, but the King is a three-dimensional character.
But going into it with low expectations I did actually enjoy it more than I might have thought. Largely I suspect this is down to Walter Hampden's scene-stealing performance as wily old Louis XI -- the lovers are wooden and it's hard to have much sympathy with them, but the King is a three-dimensional character.