In 17th-century France, swordsman Gil de Berault (Conrad Veidt) lives by his wits and his blade. Once a notorious duelist and gambler, he now faces arrest after killing a man in an illegal duel. Brought before the powerful Cardinal Richelieu (Raymond Massey), the ruthless minister of King Louis XIII (Henry Oscar), Gil expects execution but is offered a bargain. Richelieu, a strategist, spares his life on the condition that Gil capture the Duke of Foix (Romney Brent), a nobleman suspected of leading a rebellion against the crown. If he succeeds, he will win a full pardon; if he fails, death awaits him.
Gil reluctantly accepts and sets out for the Duke’s remote mountain estate near the Spanish border, posing as a harmless traveler. There he meets the Duke’s wife, Lady Marguerite de Foix (Annabella), a woman of grace and intelligence who immediately senses there is more to him than his charm suggests. Pretending to be wounded and in need of shelter, Gil wins her trust and soon that of the Duke himself. Yet as the days pass, Gil finds himself torn between his loyalty to Richelieu and his growing affection for Marguerite, whose sincerity and kindness awaken a conscience long buried beneath cynicism.
When Gil finally signals his soldiers to surround the estate, the Duke discovers the betrayal and attempts to flee, but Gil, now unable to face the woman he loves with deceit, helps him escape. Their flight through the Pyrenees is harrowing, as Richelieu’s men close in. Gil confesses the truth to Marguerite, expecting only her hatred, but she sees his inner struggle and realizes his change of heart is genuine. The Duke, however, refuses to trust him and is captured after a skirmish, leaving Marguerite in despair.
Brought before Richelieu once more, Gil accepts his fate, prepared to die rather than deny his honor. Marguerite pleads with the Cardinal, telling him that Gil’s courage and sacrifice prove he has redeemed himself. Richelieu, impressed by her sincerity and recognizing that mercy may serve him better than cruelty, grants Gil his freedom. He orders that the Duke be released under the condition that he swear loyalty to the King, turning potential enemies into allies.
Gil renounces his reckless past and chooses love over intrigue. As Richelieu watches them depart, he reflects that even in a world ruled by power and ambition, redemption still has its place. Gil rides away with Marguerite, no longer a pawn of politics but a man reborn through love and honor.
A 1937 British-American Black & White historical adventure film directed by Victor Sjöström, produced by Robert Kane, screenplay by Lajos Bíró, Philip Lindsay and J.L. Hodson, scenario by Arthur Wimperis, adapted from the novel by Stanley J. Weyman, the play by Edward Rose, cinematography by Georges Périnal and James Wong Howe, starring Conrad Veidt, Annabella, Raymond Massey, Romney Brent, Sophie Stewart, Wyndham Goldie, Lawrence Grant, Baliol Holloway, Shale Gardner, Frank Damer, James Regan, Edie Martin, Haddon Mason, J. Fisher White, Graham Soutten, Anthony Eustrel, Desmond Roberts, Ralph Truman, and Eric Hales. Released by 20th Century Fox.
The film is based on the 1894 novel by Stanley J. Weyman, which was originally staged as a play produced on Broadway in 1896-97 starring Viola Allen and William Faversham.
Previously filmed as a 1923 silent directed by Alan Crosland.
The Red Robe of the title refers to the vestments of Cardinal Richelieu, minister to King Louis XIII in 17th century France and first statesman of Europe.
Conrad Veidt was a legend in the early years of cinema – the actor who played the creepy somnambulist Cesare in the horror classic "The Cabinet of Dr Caligari" (1920), the French king Louis XI in "The Beloved Rogue" (1927) & later as the Nasty Nazi in "Casablanca" (1942).
Annabella (1907-1996) born Suzanne Georgette Charpentier in La Varenne Saint-Hilaire, France, was a French actress who appeared in 46 films from 1927 to 1952, including some Hollywood films during the late 1930s and 1940s. By the late 1920s, Annabella had begun to establish herself as a star of both silent and early sound cinema. Her work in "Napoléon" (1927), Abel Gance’s monumental epic, brought her to the notice of critics, while her delicate beauty and quiet intelligence made her a favorite in the 1930s, earning her the Volpi Cup for Best Actress at Venice for "Veille d’armes" (1936). She transitioned to Hollywood, and married actor Tyrone Power in 1939. During World War II she supported the Free French cause and later returned to France, where she continued acting selectively.
An enjoyable period drama.The story relies less on the historical background than on the easily understood human drama among the characters The play was written in a far more romantic era, and was old fashioned when it got to the screen in 1937. This minor film is not without its moments. As a curiosity it might be worth a look. Notable as Victor Sjöström's final film as director.
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