The King Steps Out: A royal mess, but a charming one

Is this thing worth your time?

Honestly, it depends on how much patience you have for 1930s operatic fluff. If you grew up watching TCM on a rainy Sunday, you’ll probably find this delightful in a weird, sugary way. If you want a movie that actually moves or has a plot that makes sense, skip it. You will absolutely hate the songs if you aren't into that specific, screechy soprano style.

The whole thing feels like it was filmed inside a very expensive, very beige jewelry box. Grace Moore is clearly the star here, and she knows it, belting out notes that probably shattered the studio lights back in 1936. She’s playing a princess who is supposed to be demure, but she’s got this frantic energy, like she’s trying to finish the movie before lunch.

Odd little moments

• The Emperor spends half the movie looking like he’s just waiting for a sandwich. Franchot Tone is doing his best, but he looks perpetually confused.
• The costumes are aggressively fussy. So many ruffles. I started counting them during the ballroom scene and lost track around the fiftieth layer of lace.
• There is a scene where a guy just... walks into a room and delivers a line that has absolutely nothing to do with the previous one. It feels like the editor fell asleep.

It’s funny how these old films try to convince you that royalty is just like us, but then they put them in outfits that would take three hours to put on. It makes the 'everyday' dialogue feel totally insane. Like, yeah, let’s talk about simple country life while wearing a gown that costs more than a small village.

Sometimes, the movie gets surprisingly snappy. The dialogue between Moore and the supporting cast has a rhythm that reminds me of The Law and the Woman, mostly in how everyone is talking over each other just to seem important. It’s not deep, but it’s busy.

Then, the music kicks back in. My ears were tired by the end of it. It’s not that the singing is bad—Moore was a huge deal for a reason—but it’s just a lot. It’s like eating an entire box of chocolates for breakfast.

I found myself thinking about how different this is from the grittier stuff like The Sea Wolf. There’s no existential dread here. Just weddings, mistaken identities, and people running down hallways with very serious expressions on their faces. It’s nice to have a movie that isn't trying to change the world. Sometimes you just want to watch people in wigs pretend to be in love. 👑