Entente cordiale

A film featuring Gaby Morlay as Queen Victoria and Victor Francen as Edward V11 has to be a novelty and so this proves to be although, alas, a rather dull one. Based upon 'The Life and Times of Edward V11' by French historian Andre Maurois it deals with the not inconsiderable part that the King played in the signing of the Entente Cordiale in 1904 which although not an alliance as such, effectively ended centuries of Anglo-French rivalry and was intended to act as a counter balance to the growing hegemony of the Germany of Kaiser Wilhelm, one of Edward's nephews. Marcel L'Herbier's direction is rather uninspired and pedestrian while the 'Fashoda' incident and the romantic sub-plot fail to make an impact. It is Gaby Morlay and Victor Francen who provide the most telling moments. Although Victoria departs quite early on their brief scenes together are especially effective as these two excellent artistes play them not as Queen and Prince but as Mother and Son. The King's state visit to France during which he charms the birds off the trees is also very well done. Francen's masterful performance combines majesty, elegance and a roguish joie-de-vivre. This gently propogandist film dedicated to 'those who work for Peace' was timely as the world again stood on the brink of war following the signing of the Munich Betrayal. Although well-intentioned, well-acted and of historical interest the fact that for a film made eighty years ago to have only one other review speaks for itself.