The Merry Monarch: A King, Too Many Wives, and a Very Messy Schedule

Is it worth your time?

If you like old-school, slightly bizarre musical comedies that don't care about making sense, you'll probably have a decent time. If you need a plot that moves in a straight line or have zero patience for 1930s theatrical acting, skip it. It's a bit of a relic, honestly, but it has this weird, bubbly energy that’s hard to hate completely.

The whole premise of 365 wives is just exhausting to think about. Imagine the calendar management alone. 🗓️

Emil Jannings plays the King, and he carries this heavy, weary sort of vibe that makes you wonder if he’s actually playing a monarch or just someone who really needs a nap. He’s supposed to be the "Merry" Monarch, but he mostly looks like he’s trying to solve a very difficult math problem involving too many people.

The daughter eloping with an airman feels like a total afterthought. It’s just the excuse to get the King out of the palace so the movie can stop being a stage play and start being a road trip.

Odd bits and pieces

• The set design feels like it was painted by someone who had never actually seen a real building. Everything is soft, rounded, and suspiciously bright.
• The pacing is all over the place. Sometimes it feels like a snappy comedy, then it just stops dead for a musical number that goes on way too long.
• I kept thinking about The Flute Concert of Sans-Souci and how different royal depictions can get. This one is definitely more "cartoon" than "history."

The wife who gets left behind? She’s the best part. She realizes that while the King is out playing detective, she’s got a prime opportunity to grab some actual power. 👑

She starts plotting in a way that feels way more modern than the rest of the film. It’s almost like she’s in a different genre entirely. I wanted to see more of her and less of the King wandering around looking confused.

The lighting in the garden scenes is weirdly grainy. It makes everything look like it’s happening underwater, or maybe just through a very dusty lens. You can tell they were trying for something grand, but the budget clearly had other ideas.

It’s not exactly a masterpiece, but it’s got a personality. It’s messy. It’s loud. It’s very, very focused on a man who has clearly bitten off more than he can chew.

I left the movie feeling like I needed a spreadsheet to track the wives. Maybe that’s the point? It’s not deep, but it sure is strange.