Review of The Prince and the Showgirl (1957) by Michael D — 02 Nov 2009

A plush Drawing Room comedy in which a stuffy Ruritainian Prince attempts to romance a young showgirl he has just seen onstage in "The Coconut Girl" The Regent of Capathia has come to London with his son (Jeremy Spenser) and his dotty mother in law (Dame Sybil Thorndike) For the coronation of George V and the foreign officer has left Richard Wattis in charge of entertaining the Prince.

We are on the verge of the first World War and there are rumblings that he may be pro- German. So he is NOT to be offended. Hence the trip to the Theatre and a liasion with Monroe. The whole film is a romantic piece of fluff by Terence Rattigan, played onstage by Olivier and Vivien Leigh.

Here Monroe is glowingly photographed by ace cinematographer Jack Cardiff who filmed "Black Narcissus" and she looks better than she has ever done. Olivier is quite leaden as is his direction, it lacks the lightness Cukor or Wilder might have given it and Monroe steals the filmfrom Olivier.

Her best moments are alone, or with Sybil Thorndike who advises her to wear "more mascara, when one is young one should wear a lot of mascara, when one is old MUCH MORE" and with the young King (Jeremy Spenser) who wants to oust his domineering father and take the reigns of his country.

If you are a Monroe fan it is a must if not you are not really going to enjoy it.