This palace intrigue comedy shows a lighter touch than Buchowetski's German Emil Jannings films and once he hits his stride Menjou is able to carry the central playboy prince role with some style - which gives him the edge on a glum Ricardo Cortez in a felt hat.
The film lacks the scale of comparable productions like Stroheim's THE MERRY WIDOW or Rex Ingram's PRISONER OF ZENDA. There isn't a decent wide shot in the Blue Danube ball room scene and drilled ranks of uniformed extras are missing but it does have (surprise) a Michael Curtiz style saber duel ten years before Curtiz got around to his.
A couple of the character people register - Ida Waterman and Michael Vavich (WOLF SONG) and Mrs. Goldwyn is a plausible Swan princess. Adequate mainly studio filming.
The film lacks the scale of comparable productions like Stroheim's THE MERRY WIDOW or Rex Ingram's PRISONER OF ZENDA. There isn't a decent wide shot in the Blue Danube ball room scene and drilled ranks of uniformed extras are missing but it does have (surprise) a Michael Curtiz style saber duel ten years before Curtiz got around to his.
A couple of the character people register - Ida Waterman and Michael Vavich (WOLF SONG) and Mrs. Goldwyn is a plausible Swan princess. Adequate mainly studio filming.