Better Late Then Never

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

Directed by Charles Vidor, with a screenplay by John Dighton (Roman Holiday (1953)), this average romantic drama with comedic elements stars Grace Kelly (The Country Girl (1954)), in the title role, as a Princess who hopes to (marry to) become a Queen. Ironically, production on this film was wrapped up (at the Biltmore House in North Carolina) just before Christmas, when Prince Rainier of Monaco, who had been corresponding with the actress since they'd met at the Cannes Film Festival (quite by chance, sometime earlier), visited her in Philadelphia, beginning his courtship which will culminate in their royal wedding.Kelly plays Princess Alexandra, a blonde icicle of a woman whose mother Princess Beatrix (Jessie Royce Landis, who also played Kelly's mother in To Catch A Thief (1955)) has prepared her for, and dreamed of, the day when their family could be reunited with the crown through marriage to Prince Albert, played wittingly as always by (now, Sir) Alec Guinness. So, in effect, Albert is the fish that Beatrix wants to "hook" for her willing daughter Alexandra, who's convinced to use her admiring "friend", and younger brothers' (Van Dyke Parks and Christopher Cook) tutor, Dr. Nicholas Agi (Louis Jourdan), to make the Prince jealous enough to show an interest in her. A problem arises when Agi, who'd lit an improbable candle for Alexandra, reads too much into her inviting him to the ball for the Prince, such that he believes he can miraculously rise above his class.Agnes Moorehead plays Albert's mom, the Queen, who appears briefly near the end of the film. Brian Aherne (Juarez (1939)) plays Beatrix's brother, now Father Hyacinth, whose insight and wise guidance proves invaluable to their "side" of the family. A nearly unrecognizable Leo G. Carroll plays Caesar, the subtle and all knowing family butler. Estelle Winwood plays Beatrix's older sister, and Alexandra's Aunt Symphorosa, who's facial expressions and "gasps" as well as her championing of Jourdan's character in the "love triangle" highlights several of the film's too few amusing scenes. Robert Coote plays Albert's ever present aide, Captain Wunderlich, whose valuable services allow the Prince to appear to be more in touch than he actually is; the Captain also "rescues" Albert from uncomfortable or otherwise boring situations. These "interventions" provide the balance of the remaining "funny" scenes.Besides the confusing and rather frustrating romantic triangle interactions that dominate the film's final third, the ending itself is especially downbeat, as are many of these "stiff upper lip", "one must not forget one's duty" royalty pictures ... though we do, finally, get an explanation for the film's title.

Absolutely completely well done film by the future Princess Grace of Monaco, Grace Kelly and supporting staff including dreamy Louis Jordan, staunch Alec Guiness, and a surprise entry as Queen, Agnes Moorehead.Each actor worked so well together and yet in each one's style. Complete delight to watch the story unfold, ebb & flow, and then glide just like a swan to a restful ending. A fantastic use of comedy for interjections into a plot line that could easily been bogged down in monarchical dribble.What an orchestra of a movie. I was put off a bit by the overly flowery love declarations from Jourdan to Kelly, but outside of that, everything was a delight to watch.What clinched this movie for me is Guiness's description of a swan: gliding and graceful in water, but cumbersome and put off as a goose on land. The need for them to shine forever on the water in order for their beauty to be appreciated. Ahhhh.... wonderful.

I can't give it the "awful" rating because it's beautiful filmed and all the acting is splendid. It's a gorgeous film, and it is simply awful. The woman has had no life of her own, she's been ruled by her mother, done what her mother demanded, and never let herself feel. Finally, the situation between the tutor and the Prince she is supposed to marry, becomes explosive and in that explosion she realizes her true feelings -- more than that: she realizes she HAS feelings. And of course she's a princess and she's going to marry the Prince, it doesn't matter who she loves. But that happens in Roman Holiday and the princess is going to feel it and love the man involved for the rest of her life. The ending of this film with Alec Guinness saying she's the swan gliding through life, having no feelings and he's the same, playing their roles. Oh god, it's horrible. How can anyone call that romantic???? It's a total denial of life.

Capitalizing on Grace's intention to marry a prince in Monaco, MGM dusted off Molnar's antique play, a comedy of manners involving a princess torn between the love of two men--ALEC GUINNESS (as her second cousin) and handsome LOUIS JOURDAN (as the tutor of her young brothers). By the time she makes her choice, you won't care.On this painfully dull story, they've spared no expense to give the production a handsome cast adept at assuming royal manners--BRIAN AHERNE, AGNES MOOREHEAD, JESSIE ROYCE LANDIS, ESTELLE WINWOOD and ROBERT COOTE, among others, and Charles Vidor was chosen to direct Kelly's last film at Metro.The ice princess herself is perfectly at home in such material, never once letting a believable expression disturb the beauty of her classic features. She's strictly playing herself in an arch manner and letting others do the real emoting. There's plenty of eye candy aside from Grace, the sets and costumes being beyond reproach.But it's a stuffy affair, talky and full of dull stretches where almost nothing happens to move the story forward. Women will adore watching Grace parade around in a number of fetching costumes and will no doubt enjoy seeing her paired with Jourdan in the more intimate scenes.But overall, it's an awful bore with its chief compensation being a delightful cast.