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      The Pearls of the Crown

      1937 1h 58m Comedy List
      100% Tomatometer 9 Reviews 81% Audience Score Fewer than 50 Ratings The seven legendary pearls of the British crown are traced from the time of Francois I to the present. Read More Read Less

      Critics Reviews

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      Geoff Andrew Time Out Irresistibly effervescent dialogue, a sprightly 'modern' visual style -- one could go on forever about a film that comes to an end all too soon. Jun 24, 2006 Full Review Desson Thomson Washington Post A zany fusion of historical fantasy. Jan 1, 2000 Full Review Jonathan Rosenbaum Chicago Reader The sheer personality and energy of this 1937 film transcends linguistic barriers. Jan 1, 2000 Full Review Nathanael Hood Unseen Films ...a fantastical flight of fancy, burdened not by the weight of authentic history but leavened with the playfulness of one of French cinema's greatest boulevardiers. Rated: 7/10 Apr 19, 2020 Full Review John Kinloch California Eagle Written, directed, and principally acted by. one Sacha Guitry, the whole affair is a tribute to his genius and versatility. Oct 30, 2019 Full Review Sean Axmaker Turner Classic Movies Online ... an antricately cut gem, an epic in miniature with a whimsical sensibility. Nov 18, 2010 Full Review Read all reviews

      Audience Reviews

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      ashley h Pearls of the Crown is an incredible film. It is about three narrators who tell the story of seven matched pearls, four of them now in the British Crown. Sacha Guitry and Jacqueline Delubac give fantastic performances. The screenplay is well written. Sacha Guitry also did a great job directing this movie. I enjoyed watching this motion picture because of the drama. Pearls of the Crown is a must see. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review walter m "Pearls of the Crown" starts with Jean Martin(Sacha Guitry, who also co-wrote and directed) in the process of telling his wife Francoise(Jacqueline Delubac) about seven pearls and their history. At the same time, the story is being told in Rome and London. The action opens in 1518 with the almost simultaneous births of the French Dauphin and Catherine de Medici, the latter of whom is almost immediately orphaned after her birth, leaving her in the care of her uncle, Pope Clement VII(Ermete Zacconi), who not wanting to have anything to do with a baby, sends her to the care of a monastery. Eight years later, the Dauphin's father, King Francis I of France(Sacha Guitry) thinks it is about time he should get married and arranges a marriage for him with Catherine de Medici. As time goes on, Clement notices her handlers taking an interest in her, so he promotes one to Cardinal(I'll behave myself for once and not say anything) while sending the other on a quest for perfect pearls... ...and that's not the half of it as the second part of the movie consists of a mystery after Martin's story has been concluded. Overall, the effect of watching "Pearls of the Crown" is sort of like having 400 years of European history directly downloaded into your brain, albeit in a totally delightful fashion.(Oh where have you been films of Sacha Guitry all my filmgoing life?) All of which feels fresh, even with Tudor England having been done to death recently. But then I do not really think it is history that Guitry is after but romance and how it has played out over the centuries from the ruling class(including Abyssynia) to the poor. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Let’s look at the numbers here: three narrators, across three different languages, tell the tale of how the crown of England came to be adorned with seven pearls, with three going missing over time. Pretty slick set up and with the back half focusing on tracking down those three pearls, this is a whirlwind tour through literal centuries of European history (including an odd sort of detour through Ethiopia at one point) and the then present day. More figures: director Sacha Guitry writes, directs and acts in four different parts for the film, employing a cast of nearly 200 and shooting in more than 80 unique scenes. Clocking in at under two hours and you have a film that really couldn’t fit the proverbial kitchen sink in if it wanted to. You also have an underrated flick that makes you wonder why this Guitry chap had yet to make much of an impact here in the States until Criterion released a set of his works. Granted, if you cited this movie in a history paper as factual evidence, you’re probably going to be met with a failing grade and a slap across the face from anyone who decided copying off of you was a brilliant idea, but take it for the lighthearted jab at history and goose chases and what’s not to love? There’s no dull moments, the thing is staged really well and competently, the writing is sharp and there is a whole scene where one character may only talk in adverbs (it makes sense when you see it… sort of). It can be a lot to take in and may even be overwhelming but when it comes to movies showcasing the hunt for jewelry and the lengths mankind will go to for historical artifacts, you could do much worse. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/21/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

      Cast & Crew

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      Photos

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      The Pearls of the Crown

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      Movie Info

      Synopsis The seven legendary pearls of the British crown are traced from the time of Francois I to the present.
      Director
      Sacha Guitry, Christian-Jaque
      Producer
      Serge Sandberg
      Production Co
      Cinéas
      Genre
      Comedy
      Original Language
      French (Canada)
      Release Date (DVD)
      Jul 27, 2010
      Runtime
      1h 58m