Les aventures du roi Pausole: A Quaint, Quirky Trip Back to 1933 French Cinema

If you're into dusty old French films from the 30s, especially ones that feel like a stage play dressed up for the screen, then Les aventures du roi Pausole might just charm your socks off. But for anyone else hoping for a rollicking good time or even a coherent modern comedy, you might find yourself checking your watch. It’s a definite niche watch, folks. 🕰️

So, the premise: King Pausole, a genuinely good king apparently, has a wife for every day of the year. Three hundred sixty-five! That’s a lot of wives to keep track of, even for a king. Imagine the royal schedule.

Things get properly messy when his favorite daughter, a lively sort, decides to elope. She runs off with a visiting airman. This airman, you see, got stranded in the kingdom. Very romantic, very old-school adventure movie stuff. ✈️

The King, naturally, drops everything to go find her. This includes neglecting his duties, and more importantly, neglecting his *scheduled* wife for that particular day. This is where Sidney Fox’s character comes in. She’s not happy. Not one bit. And good for her, really. You get your day, you expect your king.

The whole setup feels very much like a play. A lot of the action happens in these grand, somewhat artificial-looking sets. You can almost feel the stage directions telling people where to stand and deliver their lines. It’s quite formal, even when it’s trying to be funny.

Pausole himself, played by André Berley, is a rather gentle, bumbling sort. He’s not exactly a commanding presence, more like a slightly overwhelmed dad. His concern for his daughter feels genuine, if a bit theatrical.

There are these long stretches where the King is just… looking. He’s wandering through his kingdom. It feels less like an urgent search and more like a leisurely stroll. You kinda wonder if he’s enjoying the break from his 365 wives, honestly. 🤔

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Les aventures du roi Pausole (1933) through its definitive frames.

The humor is pretty specific to its time. A lot of it comes from the sheer absurdity of the situation. People getting flustered, grand declarations, that kind of thing. Don’t expect any rapid-fire witty banter. It’s a slower burn.

One small detail I liked: the sheer variety in the wives' costumes. Each one feels a little different, even if they’re mostly background dressing. Someone put a lot of work into making them look distinct. It’s a nice touch, easy to miss.

Sidney Fox, when she finally gets her moment to protest, really makes it count. It's a small spark of defiance in a world of royal rules. You can feel her frustration building up, even through the very proper acting style of the era. She’s definitely a standout, even with limited screen time.

And speaking of limited screen time, keep an eye out for a very young Edwige Feuillère. She’s listed in the cast, likely as one of the many, many wives. It's cool to see these early roles for actors who would become much bigger names. A little historical footnote. ✨

The pacing is… well, it’s 1933. Don't go in expecting anything zippy. Scenes tend to linger. Dialogue takes its sweet time. It’s a movie you settle into, not one that grabs you by the collar.

There's a scene where the airman is supposedly fixing his plane, and it just… keeps going. He turns a wrench, he looks confused, he turns another wrench. For what felt like an eternity. It’s one of those moments that makes you realize how different old movies were. They weren't afraid of a bit of dead air. 🤷‍♀️

The film doesn't really build to a huge climax. The resolution kinda just arrives, a little neatly tied up. It feels less like an epic adventure and more like a charming, slightly silly anecdote. You almost expect a curtain call at the end.

So, if you appreciate film history, or just want to see a very particular kind of gentle, quirky comedy from nearly a century ago, give Les aventures du roi Pausole a try. Just remember to adjust your expectations for speed and modern humor. It's a curious little artifact. Not for everyone, but kinda fun if you're in the right mood.