A drawing room comedy can find a limited audience in almost any era, but this is 2013. I am not sure about 40's audiences, but nowadays, "A Royal Scandal" ain't going over. I am old enough to appreciate subtle humor but this picture is far too subtle for today's average viewer. I think Lubitsch needed more of a hand in this production, even though he is the nominal producer. He was taken ill and directorial duties were handed over to Otto Preminger.
In any case, it is another chance to view a national treasure in Talullah Bankhead, who made very few movies - and that's our loss. She gets good support from Charles Coburn, and not much from William Eythe. His performance was one-note and strident and he seemed ill-at-ease as her officer-lover. He was billed as the 'next Tyrone Power', who was himself an underrated actor. I felt Eythe nearly sank the picture by himself with his shrill heavy-handedness. Vincent Price plays the French ambassador, and with a very bad French accent.
I just felt that this picture was not in the same league with other Lubitsch films and his definitive touch was not so much in evidence. It was disappointing in this regard, and the script needed to be funnier.
In any case, it is another chance to view a national treasure in Talullah Bankhead, who made very few movies - and that's our loss. She gets good support from Charles Coburn, and not much from William Eythe. His performance was one-note and strident and he seemed ill-at-ease as her officer-lover. He was billed as the 'next Tyrone Power', who was himself an underrated actor. I felt Eythe nearly sank the picture by himself with his shrill heavy-handedness. Vincent Price plays the French ambassador, and with a very bad French accent.
I just felt that this picture was not in the same league with other Lubitsch films and his definitive touch was not so much in evidence. It was disappointing in this regard, and the script needed to be funnier.