''Under the Red Robe'' is a 1937 British-American

historical History is the systematic study of the past, focusing primarily on the human past. As an academic discipline, it analyses and interprets evidence to construct narratives about what happened and explain why it happened. Some theorists categ ...

adventure film The adventure film is a broad genre of film. Some early genre studies found it no different than the Western film or argued that adventure could encompass all Hollywood genres. Commonality was found among historians Brian Taves and Ian Cameron in ...

directed by

Victor Sjöström Victor David Sjöström (; 20 September 1879 – 3 January 1960), also known in the United States as Victor Seastrom, was a pioneering Swedish film director, screenwriter, and actor. He began his career in Sweden, before moving to Hollywood, ...

and starring

Conrad Veidt Hans Walter Conrad Veidt ( , ; 22 January 1893 – 3 April 1943) was a German and British actor. He attracted early attention for his roles in the films ''Different from the Others'' (1919), ''The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari'' (1920), and ''The Man ...

Annabella Annabella, Anabella, or Anabela is a feminine given name. Notable people with the name include: *Annabella of Scotland (c. 1433–1509), daughter of King James I *Annabella (actress) (1907–1996), stage name of French actress Suzanne Georgette C ...

and

Raymond Massey Raymond Hart Massey (August 30, 1896 – July 29, 1983) was a Canadian actor known for his commanding stage-trained voice. For his lead role in '' Abe Lincoln in Illinois'' (1940), Massey was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor. He r ...

. Previously filmed as a 1923 silent directed by

Alan Crosland Frederick Alan Crosland (August 10, 1894 – July 16, 1936) was an American stage actor and film director. He is noted for having directed the first feature film using spoken dialogue, ''The Jazz Singer'' (1927) and the first feature movie with s ...

. Before the films a play had been produced on Broadway in 1896-97 starring Viola Allen and William Faversham.1896 Broadway Production of ''Under the Red Robe'', Broadway production, IBDb.com
/ref> The film is based on the 1894 novel by Stanley J. Weyman and is set during the religious wars of early 17th century France; events in the novel itself means it can be dated to the autumn of 1630.

Plot

Notorious gambler and dreaded swordsman Gil de Berault returns to Paris after carrying out a mission for the 'Red Robe' or

Cardinal Richelieu Armand Jean du Plessis, 1st Duke of Richelieu (9 September 1585 – 4 December 1642), commonly known as Cardinal Richelieu, was a Catholic Church in France, French Catholic prelate and statesman who had an outsized influence in civil and religi ...

and finds him concerned by growing opposition from French Protestants or

Huguenots The Huguenots ( , ; ) are a Religious denomination, religious group of French people, French Protestants who held to the Reformed (Calvinist) tradition of Protestantism. The term, which may be derived from the name of a Swiss political leader, ...

in the south. He also warns de Berault dueling has been outlawed and henceforth punishable by death but Gil promptly disobeys the law and is sentenced to be executed as a result. The Cardinal offers de Berault a pardon if he is able to capture the Protestant Duc de Foix who is organizing plans for an uprising. Gil agrees, travels to the duke's home and is allowed to stay as a guest, but the duke's wife and his sister Lady Marguerite immediately suspect he is a spy. Nevertheless, he makes good progress but then falls in love with Marguerite, forcing him to choose between conscience and self-interest.

Cast

as Gil de Berault *

as Lady Marguerite of Foix *

Romney Brent Romney Brent (born Romulo Larralde; 26 January 1902 – 24 September 1976) was a Mexican actor, director and dramatist. Most of his career was on stage in North America, but in the 1930s he was frequently seen on the London stage, on television ...

as Marius *

Sophie Stewart Sophie Stewart (5 March 1908 – 6 June 1977) was a British actress of stage and screen. Biography She was born as Sophia Lyal Drummond Stewart in Crieff, Perthshire, Scotland in March 1908 and died in June 1977 at the age of 69, in Cupar, F ...

as Elise, Duchess of Foix *

Wyndham Goldie Frank Wyndham Goldie (5 July 1897 – 26 September 1957) was an English actor. World War I During World War I, Goldie was a lieutenant in the Royal Marine Light Infantry. His elder brother Maurice also held a commission in the same Corps during ...

as Edmond, Duke of Foix *

Lawrence Grant Percy Reginald Lawrence-Grant (30 October 1870 – 19 February 1952) was an English actor known for supporting roles in films such as '' The Living Ghost'', '' I'll Tell the World'', '' Shanghai Express'', ''The Mask of Fu Manchu'' and '' ...

as Father Joseph *

Baliol Holloway Baliol Holloway (born around 1884, died 15 April 1967) was an English Shakespearean actor. Early life Baliol Holloway was born in Brentwood, Essex. He was educated at Denstone in Staffordshire. He was a pupil of Hermann Vezin. Career Hollowa ...

as Clon *Shale Gardner as Louis *Frank Damer as Pierre *James Regan as Jean *

Edie Martin Edith Emma "Edie" Martin (1 January 1880 – 22 February 1964) was a British actress. She was a ubiquitous performer, on stage from 1886, playing generally small parts but in high demand, appearing in scores of British films (although often u ...

as Maria *

Haddon Mason Haddon Mason (21 February 1898 – 30 April 1966) was a British film actor. Selected filmography * ''Every Mother's Son (1926 film), Every Mother's Son'' (1926) * ''Dawn (1928 film), Dawn'' (1928) * ''The Triumph of the Scarlet Pimpernel (film), ...

as Count Rossignac * J. Fisher White as Baron Breteuil *Graham Soutten as Leval *

Anthony Eustrel Anthony Eustrel (12 October 1902 – 2 July 1979) was an English actor. Biography Eustrel made guest appearances on television programs such as '' Perry Mason'', '' Maverick'', ''Peter Gunn'', '' 77 Sunset Strip'', ''My Favorite Martian'', ...

as Lieutenant Brissac *

Desmond Roberts Desmond Roberts (5 February 1894 – 11 January 1968) was a British stage and film actorLeibfried & Lane p. 105. who also played first-class cricket, 1913–1936, for Surrey. He began his film career at the end of the silent era and had his on ...

as Capt. Rivarolle *

Ralph Truman Ralph du Vergier Truman (7 May 1900 – 15 October 1977) was an English actor, usually cast as either a villain or an authority figure. He possessed a distinguished speaking voice. He was born in London, England. Truman originally studied at ...

as Captain at Castle * Eric Hales as Lieutenant at Castle

References

External links

* * 1937 films 1930s English-language films American black-and-white films Films based on British novels Films directed by Victor Sjöström 1937 adventure films Films set in the 1620s Sound film remakes of silent films British remakes of American films 20th Century Fox films British adventure films British black-and-white films Cultural depictions of Cardinal Richelieu 1930s British films Films scored by Arthur Benjamin English-language adventure films {{1930s-UK-film-stub