''The King's Thief'' is a 1955 swashbuckling

CinemaScope CinemaScope is an anamorphic format, anamorphic lens series used, from 1953 to 1967, and less often later, for shooting widescreen films that, crucially, could be screened in theatres using existing equipment, albeit with a lens adapter. Its cr ...

adventure film The adventure film is a broad genre of film. Some early genre studies found it no different than the Western film or argued that adventure could encompass all Hollywood genres. Commonality was found among historians Brian Taves and Ian Cameron in ...

directed by Robert Z. Leonard, who replaced

Hugo Fregonese Hugo Geronimo Fregonese (8 April 1908 – 11 January 1987) was an Argentine film director and screenwriter who worked both in Hollywood and his home country during the Golden Age of Argentine cinema, classical era of Argentine cinema.''Cine Na ...

during filming. Released on August 5, 1955, the film takes place in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

at the time of Charles II and stars Ann Blyth,

Edmund Purdom Edmund Cutlar Purdom (19 December 19261 January 2009)

, David Niven, George Sanders and Roger Moore.

Plot

James (Niven), the Duke of Brampton and the richest man in England, is so trusted by King Charles II (Sanders), he is able to have two of the King's loyal friends executed for

treason Treason is the crime of attacking a state (polity), state authority to which one owes allegiance. This typically includes acts such as participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to Coup d'état, overthrow its government, spy ...

. The second is the father of Lady Mary (Blyth). She travels from France to London to seek justice. While there, she meets Michael Dermott (Purdom), a soldier who fought to restore Charles to the throne. He and many others were never paid for their services, unbeknownst to the King. He therefore turned

highwayman A highwayman was a robber who stole from travellers. This type of thief usually travelled and robbed by horse as compared to a footpad who travelled and robbed on foot; mounted highwaymen were widely considered to be socially superior to foo ...

. He and his comrades rob the Duke and come into possession of the Duke's notebook. In it are listed twelve rich and powerful people, as well as details of their possessions. Two names are crossed out; it does not take long for Michael to realize that the other ten are in peril for their lives. Michael first tries to blackmail the Duke, but without much success. A fence named Simon betrays his hiding place. Michael and his comrade Jack (Moore) escape from the Duke's soldiers, though Michael is wounded in the shoulder. Adventure abounds as the Duke tries to retrieve his property before it can be used against him.

Cast

* Ann Blyth as Lady Mary *

Edmund Purdom Edmund Cutlar Purdom (19 December 19261 January 2009)

as Michael Dermott * David Niven as James - Duke of Brampton * George Sanders as Charles II * Roger Moore as Jack * John Dehner as Captain Herrick * Sean McClory as Sheldon *Tudor Owen as Simon * Melville Cooper ... Henry Wynch * Alan Mowbray ... Sir Gilbert Talbot * Rhys Williams ... Turnkey * Joan Elan ... Charity Fell * Charles Davis ...

Apothecary ''Apothecary'' () is an Early Modern English, archaic English term for a medicine, medical professional who formulates and dispenses ''materia medica'' (medicine) to physicians, surgeons and patients. The modern terms ''pharmacist'' and, in Brit ...

*Ashley Cowan ... Skene * Ian Wolfe ... Fell * Paul Cavanagh ... Sir Edward Scott * Lillian Kemble-Cooper ... Mrs. Fell * Isobel Elsom ... Mrs. Bennett *Milton Parsons ... Adam Urich *Jacob Hall ... Lord Layton * Queenie Leonard ... Apothecary's Wife *Owen McGiveney ... Hoskins *Robert Dix ... Husky *Michael Dugan ... Husky *James Logan ... Guard * Jimmy Aubrey ... Little Man (uncredited) * Leonard Carey ... Servant (uncredited) *Leslie Denison ... Beadle (voice) (uncredited) *Ronald Green ... Hired Swordsman (uncredited) * Peter Hansen ... Isaac Newton (uncredited) * Ramsay Hill ... Lord (uncredited) *Charles Keane ... Guard (uncredited) *Keith McConnell ... Usher (uncredited) *John Monaghan ... Shaddy (uncredited) * Matt Moore ... Gentleman (uncredited) *Clive Morgan ... Captain of Guards (uncredited) *Vesey O'Davoren ... Courier (uncredited) * Gordon Richards ... Courier (uncredited) * Lewis L. Russell ... Gentleman (uncredited) * Gilchrist Stuart ... Clerk (uncredited) *Trevor Ward ... Perspiring Man (uncredited) *Trude Wyler ... Celestine (uncredited)

Production notes

MGM had a big hit at the box office with ''

Ivanhoe ''Ivanhoe: A Romance'' ( ) by Walter Scott is a historical novel published in three volumes, in December 1819, as one of the Waverley novels. It marked a shift away from Scott's prior practice of setting stories in Scotland and in the more ...

'' (1952), a swashbuckling adventure film, leading to them making a cycle of such films. In October 1952 they announced they would make ''The King's Thief'' based on an original story by Robert Hardy Andrews about an Irish patriot during the reign of Charles II (likely based on Thomas Blood). Edwin Knopf was to produce and Knopf's son Christopher wrote the script. It was originally envisioned as a vehicle for Stewart Granger, who had recently made a swashbuckler for the studio, '' The Prisoner of Zenda'' 1952). MGM then announced Robert Taylor would play the lead. Then by April 1953 Granger was back as star. Eventually the lead was given to

Edmund Purdom Edmund Cutlar Purdom (19 December 19261 January 2009)

who MGM were building into a star at the time. In February 1954 MGM announced the film would be part of its schedule for the following year and would be directed by Gottfried Reinhardt. The female lead went to Ann Blyth. Michael Wilding was going to play the villain before being replaced by David Niven in early December. It was a rare villain part for Niven. Filming started 15 December 1954 under the direction of

. By early January, Fregonese had been replaced by MGM veteran Robert Z. Leonard who had been in semi-retirement since completing '' Her Twelve Men'' (1954) about twelve months previously. The ''Los Angeles Times'' reported that Fregonese and Edward Knopf "did not see eye to eye during production." The cast included wrestler Jacob Hall who played Lord Layton who fought Edmund Purdom.

Reception

Box Office

According to MGM records the film earned only $478,000 in the US and Canada and $1,071,000 elsewhere, resulting in a loss to the studio of $707,000.

Critical

The ''Los Angeles Times'' called it "glittering and excellently made."Dog's Life Dramatically Told in 'Bar Sinister' Schallert, Edwin. Los Angeles Times 6 Oct 1955: A6.

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:King's Thief, The 1955 films 1950s historical adventure films American historical adventure films Films set in London Films set in the 1670s Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films CinemaScope films American swashbuckler films Films scored by Miklós Rózsa Films directed by Robert Z. Leonard Films directed by Hugo Fregonese Cultural depictions of Charles II of England Films about highwaymen 1950s English-language films 1950s American films English-language historical adventure films

Plot

Cast

Production notes

Reception

Box Office

Critical

See also

References

External links