Marion Davies returns unfinished from finishing school because her cousin, Creighton Hale, has completed negotiations to be crowned King of Graustark. A skiing accident puts him in a hospital bed. If he doesn't show up, evil General Roy D'Arcy may succeed in a coup. So they dress up Miss Davies in men's clothes and send her off as her cousin. On the way in, she and faithful Duke Albert Gran are almost assassinated, but sheepherder Antonio Moreno rescues them. Miss Davies appoints him her bodyguard. She wants him close, and not just to guard her body.
There are major differences between this movie version and the George Barr McCutcheon novel it's based on. Mitteleuropean politics are cut out in favor of a big final reveal. Also, there's no cousin Creighton. In the book, Beverly Calhoun is mistaken for the reigning Princess of Graustark, whose friend she is. These changes allow more romance and let Miss Davies dress in men's clothes, as she has in at least three of her earlier movies. This was, after all, a starring vehicle for Miss Davies, and Hollywood liked to recycle elements that had worked in previous shows. Moreno is dashing; Miss Davies mugs a lot when called on to do manly things, and there's a sumptuous finale in nicely preserved two-strip Technicolor. Ben Model offers a nice organ accompaniment on this Undercrank co-production with the Library of Congress. It's a fine vehicle for Miss Davies, showing her as beautiful, a good silent actress, and a willing and excellent farceur.
9 out of 10 found this helpful