User reviews

Excellent romantic interlude film, with shining performances of a wonderful, witty, and intelligent story and script. Sad and funny.

Guinness is perfection as the gentlemanly "fish" prince, and Jourdan and Kelly convince as lovers separated by circumstances of birth. Realistic, somwhat perplexing conclusion with a lovely soliloquy delivered with style by Guinness. A delight!

Delightful, witty screenplay. A collection of perfectly constructed moments of awkwardness, beautifully photographed by Ruttenberg and Surtees (who did Oklahoma, The Graduate and Last Time i Saw Paris between them) and perfectly shot by Charles Vidor. A fun performance by Alec Guinness as Prince Albert who visits Grace Kelly's princess on a tour of all the princesses in the country, in search of a wife. Louis Jordan, as the young professor, contender for the princess's affections, is very good and looks like a young Colin Firth.

Grace Kelly looks lovelier than ever, and is quite excellent in the role of her life - the role she played for the statesmen of Hollywood. She was just a little girl from Philadelphia who looked like a princess, so they asked her to learn to speak like a princess. And she did. They sent her tapes of elegant speech, and gave her tuition in elegance - and she played the part perfectly. The fun, flirtatious girl she was remained hidden from the public by the press, who in those days co-operated with the Hollywood political establishment. For all the public knew, Grace Kelly was merely a beautiful, elegant woman who played herself on screen. This was not the case. Like Humphrey Bogart, she was not originally like her on screen persona, but like Cary Grant, she eventually became it - through outside circumstance, when she was proposed to by Prince Rainier of Monaco, who met her on a publicity stunt visit. Here, Grace took the elegant persona of Dial M for Murder and Rear Window a step further, anticipating what it would be like to be an actual princess. In less than a year she would know from personal experience, but in The Swan she predicts the feeling perfectly, coming off looking completely genuine. She depicts the confusion of the princess beautifully, the awkwardness and uncertainty despite best intentions. She reveals her feelings at once in the "box him on the ears" speech beautifully - watch her eyes. Such a tender, genuine moment.

A most attractive cast heads this most pleasant Molnar drawing room comedy. The appearance of Sir Alec Guiness is a special treat.

I read a review proclaiming Grace Kelly was a young girl from Wisconsin, who made a hit in Hollywood, and became a real life princess. The Philadelphia, Pennsylvania native met her Prince at a photo match arranged by Paris Match in Monte Carlo, Monaco. She later transcended the realm of film and married the reigning prince of one of Europe's oldest principalities. Grace Kelly, later HSH Princess Grace of Monaco was as lovely as she was talented. She totally restructured Hollywood, giving it an old world elegance. This is the same charming appeal she brought to the film, "The Swan." She plays Princess Alexandra who finds herself torn between obeying her overpowering mother and marrying her cousin, Prince Albert, or following the dictates of her own heart. The battle for her heart is waged by two dashing gentlemen, the prince, Alec Guinness, and the poor but respectable tutor, Louis Jourdan. It is a movie that is entertaining and for those with a romantic disposition!

Swans are beautiful, elegant creatures. So who better to portray the human embodiment of a swan than the beautiful, elegant Grace Kelly? Our story unfolds in 1910 with Kelly playing young Princess Alexandra, a minor royal in some fictional European nation. Her family's fortune has faded and her mother desperately desires for Alexandra to marry the heir to the throne, Prince Albert, and thus restore her family to the throne they lost. Prince Albert is Alexandra's cousin but don't mind that because marrying your cousin was quite the royal thing to do at the time. As it turns out Albert is a bit of an odd duck. He has rejected many potential brides and now he has come to call on Alexandra to see if perhaps she is the one. But the prince's social awkwardness sinks this romance before it ever starts. Alexandra isn't exactly warm and loving either, a bit of an ice princess. As the would-be romance founders Alexandra's desperate mother hatches a plot.

The mother urges her daughter to show an interest in Nicholas, who tutors Alexandra's younger brothers. Nicholas is a nice enough guy, but a commoner, certainly not a real romantic possibility for a princess. He is just to be used to hopefully make Prince Albert jealous. But Nicholas doesn't know this. He's been carrying a torch for Alexandra all along and now he thinks he's got his big chance. Complications ensue, suffice to say things don't really go according to plan for anyone involved. At least here the drama picks up a bit, prior to this the film had been a little bit flat and mundane. While there are some decent comedic moments sprinkled throughout there aren't nearly enough laughs to make the film work as a comedy. So for the film to succeed the story has to really grab you. The drama has to be compelling and for much of the film it is really not. Kelly is terrific in a role which suits her perfectly. And Alec Guinness is reliably excellent in playing Prince Albert. But just as the romance between their two characters never sparks to life so too does the movie lack a certain energy. A reasonably engaging, enjoyable film but it leaves you wanting more. The film's somewhat surprising conclusion is a bit of a letdown as well. At least that ending provides an explanation for why Alexandra is thought of as a swan. The comparison between the beautiful bird and the beautiful woman works well. The movie as a whole does not work nearly as perfectly. A great vehicle for the lovely Kelly, with some good work from Guinness and Louis Jourdan, playing the tutor, as well. But the excellent performers could have done so much more had they had a more engrossing story to work with. Kelly is so good, and so radiant, that it is worth seeing the film for her alone. You're just left wishing the film had a little bit more to offer.

A nice old-fashioned story with a hidden message: do what is right. Grace Kelly seems a little self-conscious under the glare of the camera, but beautiful nevertheless. The dashing Louis Jourdan is worth watching on the dance floor scene, as he is good-looking, graceful and romantic. Look for the aunt Symphorosa's wacky, out-of-place comments when it seems that the plot gets a little dry. She adds some off-beat humor and is very likable. Of note, there are several underlying hints that the Prince is probably gay: he takes no notice of Princess Alexandra and the scenes between him and her are painful to watch, because he keep fixing her with a closed expression in his eye (like a man that knows a woman wants him but is not interested because he already has a man!). Be on the lookout for a telling scene between Carl, Symphorosa and Beatrix. They discuss the Prince's preference for the professor's company rather than attempting to court the princess. Enjoy the movie and the subtle style of screen writing from the bygone era of cinema!

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.

A visual feast with the most boring storyline. The only highlight is the marvellous Jessie Royce Landis. Grace Kelly one of the most overrated actress of her time in a usual wooden performance.

Molnar's stately examination of romance and duty, THE SWAN, made a slightly disappointing "swan song" for Grace Kelly in Hollywood (it and the delightful PHILADELPHIA STORY remake, HIGH SOCIETY with Cole Porter songs, marked her final two studio films before marrying Prince Rainier of Monaco who she met at a photo shoot at the Cannes Film Festival following her filming Alfred Hitchcock's TO CATCH A THIEF in his principality on the Mediterranean - near the borders of France and Italy). The disappointment today is less in the undeniably beautiful film itself than the undeserved reputation for "emptiness" and misconceptions which have grown up around it and served to limit the film's showings and the knowledge of Princess Grace's actual legacy.

Even in 1956, the popular taste was shifting to faster paced entertainments with more emphasis on car chases and adventure than language and communication. Ferenc Molnar's original 1923 play (he was also responsible for the 1921 LILIOM which became Rodgers & Hammerstein's CAROUSEL, filmed the same year as THE SWAN) was from a quieter age between the Wars when the popular taste was willing to look within the provinces of mythical royalty for its universal stories of human relationships. It seemed talky to a 1956 audience who saw the trappings of a long passed royalty and stopped listening to the very real emotions and honor at the heart of the story. Who wanted to care about the problems of a girl who happened to be living in luxury - and worse, was being torn between the love of two essentially good men? That failure to care - or care to listen - was the audience's loss (and the studio's - it was obviously a very expensive film), for the problems under examination were hardly trivial and the final scene between Alec Guinness and Princess Grace was as moving and true as any that could have been crafted from more earthy elements. Audiences today who care to listen to what literate people are actually saying rather than wallow in explosions and contrived "action" plots will find much to appreciate.

I said the film also perpetuated myths about its star. Seeing Princess Grace in this sumptuously costumed and technically undemanding setting, it's easy to believe she was the "little Philadelphia girl" given the Hollywood treatment and polished there into a "star," but Grace Kelly was far from the a Hollywood naif. She came from one of the wealthiest families in Philadelphia, and a not unconnected one theatrically. Her uncle, George Kelly, was a Pulitzer Prize winning playwright who probably inspired Grace's theatrical ambitions.

Before finding an all too brief position in the Hollywood pantheon, Kelly graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York and polished her craft in at least two productions on Broadway, winning a Theatre World Award for her first, a 1949 production of August Strindberg's THE FATHER! In his book "Darling, You Were Wonderful," press agent Harvey Sabinson, who worked on that production, tells of the dedication and generosity of the young actress who he didn't know at the time was so well connected (and when he learned, was not permitted to capitalize upon).

While the ending of her story (the far too early death in a car accident at 51 notwithstanding) may be one of seeming fairy tale romance, the true story of Grace Kelly the actress is one of natural ability rewarded through careful preparation and hard work - a tale not unlike the quietly inspiring plot of THE SWAN.

A lovely movie!! Starring the lovely Grace Kelly (Princess Alexandra), the wonderful actor Alec Guinness (Prince Albert), and last but not least, the young and wonderful dashing Louis Jourdan (Tutor/Professor, Nicholas Agi), the trio knows how to make a lovely film. Alexandra is to be married to the Prince, to restore the lost throne, and then at a Ball, she falls inlove with Nicholas while dancing with him. She has to make a hard choice; either marry the man she loves, or become a queen with Prince Albert. There are funny parts, allot of Royalty, and is beautifully filmed, and a really good movie. 2 thumbs up!!

It took me forever to watch this because of the conflicting reviews. I read all the user reviews & then went thru the critic reviews & couldn't decide because of all the differences of opinions. I wish I wouldn't of waited so long. If anything see this for the gorgeous old-fashioned scenery of countryside, the horse & buggy pulling up to a majestic castle, the royality getting helped out & walking into the regal interior of the castle. I loved watching the sharp uniformed butlers bow the speech & rituals they knew by heart. All the colorful costumes & beautiful dresses! I love the traditions & customs of Royalty. I liked watching the two little princes get their private school lessons from a Professor. It's unbelievable to see what the help goes through to prepare for the arrival of a King & Queen. There wasn't lawnmowers back then so they had to cut & manicure those huge lawns around the castle with sickles! They cleaned, dried, & shined all the floors on their hands & knees. Besides the cleaning they had to figure out the meals to cook. And what to do if the King or Queen shows up late or early or sleeps in hours past breakfast. I enjoy listening to the Princess speak & dance. She had such command & perfect manners. If you like being transported to a beautiful era rich in tradition & seeing what it would be like to live the life of a Princess, this movie will fascinate you.

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.

Interesting to note that The Swan's screenplay writer/adapter, John Dighton, also co-wrote the screenplay for "Roman Holiday", since one can logically assume that MGM's decision to film Molnar's play "The Swan" was inspired by the success of the earlier film; the similarities are obvious.

"Swan" must be regarded as one of the great DIALOGUE films of the '50's; the exchanges between all of the characters are continually witty and engaging, and the cast clearly relished the opportunity to perform such beautifully written material.

The direction is fine and, except for a few slow patches, keeps the action and dialogue moving at a rapid clip. The performances are uniformly solid, with Alec Guiness in top form as the bemused, distracted and somewhat shallow Crown Prince Alexander; a more deft and perfectly controlled performance could not be imagined.

Jessie Royce Landis also excels in a typically thankless sort of role, and a major one at that. In fact, the expert performances are clearly the result of the high level of STAGE experience of Guiness, Landis, and Brian Aherne (as the aristocrat-turned-monk Karl), among others. You almost feel that you are watching Molnar's original play in a filmed version, so fascinating is the chamber-like, character-driven nature of the dialogue and action.

The scene near the end where Alec Guiness convinces his mad-cap Queen/mother (Agnes Moorehead) to unknowingly give her blessing to the romance between Grace Kelly and Louis Jordan is but one of the many delightful, dazzlingly-delivered dialogue scenes.

Oddly, I found Grace Kelly's much-heralded performance to lack a certain amount of intensity; her screen presence rarely seems particularly commanding; this may be due to the essentially reticent nature of her character. However, she definitely seemed to "catch fire"--in all of her understated, regal beauty---during her lengthy waltz scene with Louis Jordan. One really senses the awakening of her deepest emotions, even though she only occasionally glances at her partner. And then goofy Alec Guiness decides to go play the double-bass in the court orchestra instead of romancing Grace. I laughed out loud.

My reaction at the end of the film was rather unexpected, given what I knew of the "Roman Holiday-style" ending. In that film, I was heart- broken during Gregory Peck's long, lonely final walk. But here---due entirely to the very real, conflicted nature of all three principal characters, I felt that Grace Kelly's choice may have been, in fact, the better one. It's difficult to know, human nature being a rather complex thing. And therein lies much of the brilliance of this film.

Bronislau Kaper's score is also delightful, and beautifully captures the musical idiom of the era and its locale, the "swan song" as it were of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, whose faded glory would become extinct less than a decade later.

A FILM THAT SHOULD BE FAR BETTER KNOWN AND ACCLAIMED THAN IT IS.

LR

It's Central Europe 1910. Minor royal Princess Alexandra (Grace Kelly) is being pushed to marry and her mother is excited for a surprise visit from Crown Prince Albert (Alec Guinness). Albert shows little interest in his distant cousin Alexandra and her mother suggests using the tutor Dr. Nicholas Agi (Louis Jourdan) to generate some jealousy.

Grace Kelly is picture perfect. The problem is that there simply isn't anything behind the facade for the first hour. It's a love triangle, but a slow developing one. Albert seems intent on being a bachelor King and he should do him. Alexandra is desperately trying to be a trophy wife. Nicholas doesn't show interest in her anyways until the hour mark. The first hour has no passion which could have been a takedown of the old loveless royal arranged marriages. Alexandra shows a pulse only after a good long time after that. The first half needs to go. The movie should start and develop some romantic chemistry right from the beginning. The ending does surprise me. It intrigues me, but it's a long road to that point.

In one of those life imitates art situations Grace Kelly gave her farewell performance on the big screen playing a princess. She left the screen to become a princess, Princess Grace of Monaco. No Hollywood scriptwriter could come up with that.

I wish she had left after High Society though. The Swan is a rather old fashioned drama set in 1910 with a royal family of some Ruritanian principality finding themselves in a financial bind. Jessie Royce- Landis and her three kids, Grace Kelly, Christopher Cook, and Van Dyke Parks will have to live in reduced circumstances and have to give up among other things, the royal tutor Louis Jourdan. That is unless mom can get visiting cousin Prince Alec Guinness interested in a royal match with Princess Grace. But when he arrives he's essentially quite indifferent to her. Which gets Jourdan's goat because he's crushing out big time.

This kind of work without the accompanying publicity of Grace Kelly's real life wedding to Prince Rainer probably would have died at the box office. It's a story way too old fashioned for 1956 tastes let alone now. The choices that this family is forced to make would be imposed on most of royal Europe by the end of the decade, forced on people holding much bigger titles than this family has.

No one set foot in Europe as this was shot in a recreated castle in North Carolina by the Vanderbilt family. Since that time the location has been used for several films. It certainly is one fine replica.

In a recent biography of Alec Guinness it is reported that Guinness who got along with his co-stars did not with director Charles Vidor. It certainly didn't affect his performance. Guinness was a brilliant player but a strangely neurotic man who had a lot of issues.

Grace Kelly did not end her acting career on a high note with The Swan. More like a middle C.

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.