It starts off with the so-called prince seriously and repugnantly harassing Lana Turner and while she does almost put him in his place with a swift knee to the groin area, ultimately - and inexplicably - she falls for him.
There is absolutely no chemistry between the two of them.
When he sings I had to fast forward it. Awful - just awful. Embarrassing, in fact.
And I'm not sure if this was one of the first technicolour films, but my version is mostly a brash blinding yellow where you frequently can't even see their faces.
Frequently, I'm afraid, I just couldn't understand the prince's thick Italian accent.
The only tiny ray of light is a teenaged Debbie Reynolds who is rather adorable.
The plot is so bad it's laughable, especially as it takes itself more and seriously towards the end regarding the difficulties of monarchy, and assassination plots and plebiscites.
From Wiki:
In Italy in 1939, Mr. Imperium uses a ruse to meet attractive lady American Frederica Brown. He is revealed to be Prince Alexis, an heir to the throne and a widower with a five-year-old son. Mr. Imperium nicknames her Fredda and she calls him Al.
When his father becomes gravely ill, Mr. Imperium must rush to be with him but asks prime minister Bernand to deliver a note of explanation to Fredda. Bernand instead informs her that the prince has left permanently as he would often do after seducing women.
Twelve years later, Fredda is now a film star known as Fredda Barlo. Mr. Imperium travels to California, where film producer Paul Hunter is in love with Fredda and proposing marriage. Fredda drives to Palm Springs to consider the proposal and decide which actor should costar in her next film, which will tell the story about a girl who falls in love with a king. Mr. Imperium takes a room next to hers, and soon they meet and embrace. He explains the crisis that took place at home during the war and that had prevented him from finding her. Now he wants a new life and Fredda believes that he could portray the king in her film.
Bernand appears, saying that his son is preparing to ascend to the throne. Mr. Imperium realizes that he is needed there, so he must say goodbye to Fredda once more.
There is absolutely no chemistry between the two of them.
When he sings I had to fast forward it. Awful - just awful. Embarrassing, in fact.
And I'm not sure if this was one of the first technicolour films, but my version is mostly a brash blinding yellow where you frequently can't even see their faces.
Frequently, I'm afraid, I just couldn't understand the prince's thick Italian accent.
The only tiny ray of light is a teenaged Debbie Reynolds who is rather adorable.
The plot is so bad it's laughable, especially as it takes itself more and seriously towards the end regarding the difficulties of monarchy, and assassination plots and plebiscites.
From Wiki:
In Italy in 1939, Mr. Imperium uses a ruse to meet attractive lady American Frederica Brown. He is revealed to be Prince Alexis, an heir to the throne and a widower with a five-year-old son. Mr. Imperium nicknames her Fredda and she calls him Al.
When his father becomes gravely ill, Mr. Imperium must rush to be with him but asks prime minister Bernand to deliver a note of explanation to Fredda. Bernand instead informs her that the prince has left permanently as he would often do after seducing women.
Twelve years later, Fredda is now a film star known as Fredda Barlo. Mr. Imperium travels to California, where film producer Paul Hunter is in love with Fredda and proposing marriage. Fredda drives to Palm Springs to consider the proposal and decide which actor should costar in her next film, which will tell the story about a girl who falls in love with a king. Mr. Imperium takes a room next to hers, and soon they meet and embrace. He explains the crisis that took place at home during the war and that had prevented him from finding her. Now he wants a new life and Fredda believes that he could portray the king in her film.
Bernand appears, saying that his son is preparing to ascend to the throne. Mr. Imperium realizes that he is needed there, so he must say goodbye to Fredda once more.