THE ROYAL BED (1931) Lowell Sherman, Mary Astor & Anthony Bushell | Comedy | B&W

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The Royal Bed is a 1931 American pre-Code satirical comedy film produced by William LeBaron and distributed through RKO. The film was directed by and starred Lowell Sherman, along with Mary Astor and Anthony Bushell. The screenplay was adapted by J. Walter Ruben based on the 1928 play by Robert E. Sherwood titled The Queen's Husband. It would be one of a handful of RKO pictures which was produced in both English and French language versions.

SYNOPSIS
The hapless king of a small European nation must put up with a domineering queen, a daughter who wants to elope with her boyfriend, a peasant revolt, and a scheming son who wants to be king himself and is plotting to take advantage of the situation.

Princess Anne (Mary Astor) plans to run away with Freddie Granton (Anthony Bushell), the commoner secretary of her father, King Eric VIII (Lowell Sherman), once her domineering mother, Queen Martha (Nance O'Neil), has left for a vacation in America. Anne is therefore aghast when the Marquis of Birten (Alan Roscoe) brings news that he has negotiated her political marriage to Prince William of Grec (Hugh Trevor), a man she has never even met. Dismissing Anne's vehement protests, the Queen is delighted, a feeling not shared by Anne's loving but ineffectual father.

Meanwhile, the Premier and General Northrup (Robert Warwick) warn that a revolution is brewing. He wishes to execute large numbers of political prisoners, but cannot without the King's signature. The Queen wholeheartedly approves of these stern measures. The King promises to attend to it, but after Northrup and the Queen leave, he orders his secretary to misplace the death warrants. Led by Laker (Carrol Naish), the rebels rise up after Northrup gets Parliament to grant him dictatorial powers. Anne seizes the opportunity to try to flee with Granton, with her father's approval. However, when she believes that the King is in real danger, she refuses to leave him.

Doctor Fellman (Frederick Burt), a moderate rebel leader, comes to see the King to demand his abdication, but agrees to stop the fighting in favor of negotiation. Then Northrup insists he is in charge now and laughs in derision when the King claims the people are stronger than Northrup's army and navy. Next to arrive is Prince William. Despite his admission that he dislikes Anne, he is prepared to do his duty and go through with the wedding. Then Fellman and Laker show up. The King surprises Northrup by dismissing him from his service and putting Fellman in charge, ordering him to set up general elections as soon as possible.

The Queen, newly returned from America with a much-needed loan, tells her husband in private that she knew the whole revolution was a bluff to force Northrup from power. The King has one last deception planned (of which she is unaware). After she leaves for the wedding, he has Granton brought to him. He speedily marries Anne and Granton and sends them on their way to "exile" in France.

CAST & CREW
Lowell Sherman as King Eric VIII
Mary Astor as Princess Anne
Anthony Bushell as Freddie Granton
Hugh Trevor as Crown Prince William of Grec
Nance O'Neil as Queen Martha
Robert Warwick as Premier and General Northrup
Gilbert Emery as Phipps
Alan Roscoe as Marquis of Birten
Frederick Burt as Doctor Fellman
Carrol Naish as Laker
Desmond Roberts as Major Blent
Nancy Lee Blaine as Lady in Waiting
Lita Chevret as Lady in Waiting

Directed by Lowell Sherman
Written by J. Walter Ruben
Based on the play, The Queen's Husband by Robert E. Sherwood
Produced by William LeBaron
Cinematography Leo Tover
Edited by Arthur Roberts
Distributed by RKO Pictures
Release date January 15, 1931 (US)
Running time 72 minutes
Country United States
Language English

NOTES
In 1958, the film entered the public domain in the United States because the claimants did not renew its copyright registration in the 28th year after publication.

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