Yes, this movie is dull, dull, dull despite the lovely visuals and talented actors. The writing is banal at best giving the actors precious little to work with. But if I were to really blame someone, it would have to be the director. What could have been a better than run-of-the-mill movie is worse because there is no overriding vision of what the movie is all about. Is Kelly's princess a fencing Amazon pretending to be a shy aristocrat? Is Jourdan's tutor a stuffed-shirt know-it-all or a passionate lover keeping his distance? None of the other actors, except Guiness, are allowed more than one note nor more than one line, repeated over and over again. If Jourdan and Kelly are truly star-crossed lovers then why all the comedic bits-- which are not all that funny anyway?
But returning to Guiness and his crowned prince Albert: Is there a subtext about the character being gay? I think there is an argument to be made here, so I'll make it.
Albert has been set up to marry Alexandra for years, but has never been to see her. When he finally goes to see her, he does not pursue her at all, instead he spends his time playing with the teenage boys and hanging out with the gorgeous tutor and saying over (and over and over) how accomplished the fellow is. Plus he has an odd relationship with his aide with the curious name, Wunderlich, who shows up a various moments to whisk the crowned prince away. He pours himself a drink in the crowned prince's presence without so much as a by-your-leave, indicating more than a little familiarity. And he several times steals into the prince's bedroom on some insignificant mission or other.
In the mode of gay stereotype, the crowned prince dotes on his domineering mother (played marvelously by Agnes Moorhead!) going so far as giving her a neck massage. And at the grand ball climax, he opts to go and play the bass fiddle in the orchestra rather than dance with anyone-- but his aunt.
Maybe I'm projecting too much into this character, but it was the one thing that made this otherwise waste of time interesting to me. And it made Albert's fate of marrying Alexandra as tragic as her having to marry him-- now that would have been a movie!
But returning to Guiness and his crowned prince Albert: Is there a subtext about the character being gay? I think there is an argument to be made here, so I'll make it.
Albert has been set up to marry Alexandra for years, but has never been to see her. When he finally goes to see her, he does not pursue her at all, instead he spends his time playing with the teenage boys and hanging out with the gorgeous tutor and saying over (and over and over) how accomplished the fellow is. Plus he has an odd relationship with his aide with the curious name, Wunderlich, who shows up a various moments to whisk the crowned prince away. He pours himself a drink in the crowned prince's presence without so much as a by-your-leave, indicating more than a little familiarity. And he several times steals into the prince's bedroom on some insignificant mission or other.
In the mode of gay stereotype, the crowned prince dotes on his domineering mother (played marvelously by Agnes Moorhead!) going so far as giving her a neck massage. And at the grand ball climax, he opts to go and play the bass fiddle in the orchestra rather than dance with anyone-- but his aunt.
Maybe I'm projecting too much into this character, but it was the one thing that made this otherwise waste of time interesting to me. And it made Albert's fate of marrying Alexandra as tragic as her having to marry him-- now that would have been a movie!