Runaway Queen: A Royal Romance That Doesn't Quite Land

Is it worth the watch?

If you have a thing for old black-and-white romances where people talk in posh accents while standing against fake-looking painted mountain backdrops, you’ll probably find something to like here. If you hate slow movies where the political stakes vanish within twenty minutes to make room for awkward flirting, skip it. It is charming, sure, but it is also a bit like eating a piece of cake that has been sitting in the display window for a week. 🍰

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Runaway Queen (1934) through its definitive frames.

The Setup

The movie starts with a revolution. People are shouting, flags are burning, and the queen is on the run. You think you’re in for a historical drama, but then the movie just… stops caring about the revolution. The whole thing pivots into a travelogue of Switzerland. It feels less like a movie about the fall of a kingdom and more like an advertisement for a ski resort.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Runaway Queen (1934) through its definitive frames.

The Chemistry

Anna Neagle is doing a lot of heavy lifting here. She has this way of looking sad that makes you almost forget that her character is supposed to be a world leader on the lam. Fernand Gravey, playing the president, is fine. He is very earnest, maybe too earnest. When they finally meet in the Alps, the dialogue gets really, really thin. It’s a lot of staring at mountains and talking about “destiny” while the wind machine works overtime in the background.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Runaway Queen (1934) through its definitive frames.

There is a scene where they share a meal that goes on for an eternity. The cutlery clinking against the plates is louder than the actual conversation. It’s weirdly intimate but also kind of exhausting to watch.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Runaway Queen (1934) through its definitive frames.

A Bit Of Perspective

Watching this made me think of Anna Karenina. Both movies deal with the idea of high-stakes people finding themselves in low-stakes situations, though this one has way fewer trains and way more sweaters. It doesn't have the grit of The Lone Avenger, obviously, but it doesn't try to, either.

• The snow looks like cotton balls in a few wide shots.
• I’m still not sure why the president chose the same hotel as the queen.
• The background extras in the revolution scenes look like they’d rather be anywhere else.
• There is one bit where a waiter drops a tray, and you can see the boom mic shadow jump across the floor.

Final Thoughts

It’s not a masterpiece, but it’s not a disaster. It’s just a movie that exists in a very specific, slightly dusty corner of history. If you want something to put on while you fold laundry, you could do much worse. Just don't go looking for deep political commentary. You won't find it.