THE PRINCE AND THE SHOWGIRL
UK, 1957, 115 Minutes, Colour.
Laurence Olivier, Marilyn Monroe, Sybil Thorndike, Jeremy Spenser, Richard Wattis, Jean Kent.
Directed by Laurence Olivier.
The Prince and the Showgirl is based on Terrence Rattigan's play, The Sleeping Prince. It is an enjoyable piece of modern fairytale. Laurence Olivier both stars and directs. It is said that he had a great deal of trouble directing Marilyn Monroe. This does not appear in her very entertaining performance. There is a strong British supporting cast for this fluffy but attractive modern look at royalty in the modern world.
1. What would you expect from a film with this title?
2. What kind of comedy was this film? How typical of Terrence Rattigan comedy was it? How elegant a comedy? Why? Does it now seem dated?
3. The film's prologue of the first fairy stories. It refers to the waking of a sleeping prince. The title of the play originally was The Sleeping Prince. Does this add to the meaning and the significance of this film? How?
4. Comment on the film's re-creation of the 1911 Coronation situation.
5. How did the first World War atmosphere and attitudes affect the nature of the film and the audience response? Do audiences make allowances for this kind of period costume comedy?
6. How was this a comedy of interaction? Especially the interaction of the Regent and Orsy? Was the interaction between the two amusing? Did it have a message and a moral? What?
7. The Regent was the Sleeping Prince. What kind of a person did Laurence Olivier present him as? As a man. lacking in humour. businesslike. his double standards, his visiting the showgirls. his preparation for the dinner with Elsie. his behaviour while he was there, his relationship to his son. his ruling of the people of Carpathia, his being changed by Elsie, his being changed towards his attitude towards his son. How did Elsie change him? what was it in him that she affected?
8. What kind of person was Elsie? How typical a comedy character was she? How naive was she? How simple? How wise was she with the wisdom of simple American experience? How American was she, especially as regards English tradition and customs. and European nobility and pretensions? How well did she see through and into the Regent? How did she respond to him? Did she want to change him? How did she change him? Why did Nicky like her? Why did he respond to and confide in her? What good did Elsie do in her day at the Embassy?
9. Comment on the structure of the film, especially in the two scenes in the Regent's room with the parallel dinners? The changing in strategy and winning of the Regent at first, Elsie winning finally? How did she give a balance and significance to the film?
10. The presentation of Nicky as a character - a puppet king? Involved in conspiracy? Just like a boy? His feeling of neglect by his father? Response to Elsie and going to the dance with her?
11. What did the sequences with the Queen add to the film? Satire on "doddy" royalty and society? The lines of dialogue from the Dowager? Why did she like Elsie?
12. The character of Northbrook? As comedy and satire on the English, the civil service. diplomacy and English tact? His trying to cope with all his duties and his continually being behind what was actually going on?
13. What impact did Elsie make in the scene in the theatre, during the procession and her sitting in the coach, Elsie at the ball etc.? How did this change the film. especially in its presentation of Elsie?
14. The significance of the ending of the film? Did the Regent really love Elsie? Did he love her just as he had loved Mary Springfield? Would there be any future for Elsie with the Regent?
15. Was this an enjoyable film? Why does this kind of film appeal to audiences? Is it just merely entertaining or does it have some insight into human nature?
