''Captain of the Guard'' is a 1930 American

musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, but in some cases, they serve merely as brea ...

directed by

John S. Robertson John Stuart Robertson (14 June 1878 – 5 November 1964) was a Canadian born actor and later film director perhaps best known for his 1920 screen adaptation of ''Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde'', starring John Barrymore. Biography Robertson was born ...

and

Pál Fejös Pál Fejős (27 January 1897 – 23 April 1963), known professionally as Paul Fejos, was a Hungarian-American director of feature films and documentaries who worked in a number of countries including the United States. He also studied medicine ...

and starring Laura La Plante, John Boles and

Sam De Grasse Samuel Alfred De Grasse (June 12, 1875 – November 29, 1953) was a Canadian actor. He was the uncle of cinematographer Robert De Grasse. Biography Samuel Alfred De Grasse was born in Bathurst, New Brunswick to Lange De Grasse (1828–1891) ...

. ,''..."La Marseillaise" is the theme of "The Captain of the Guard," a film in which John Boles takes the part of the composer, Rouget de Lisle...'' It is set during the

French Revolution The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in November 1799. Many of its ideas are conside ...

, but was sufficiently unhistorical that an apology was included in the opening credit for any factual inaccuracies.

Cast

* Laura La Plante as Marie Marnay * John Boles as Rouget de Lisle *

as Bazin * James A. Marcus as Marnay * Lionel Belmore as Colonel of Hussars *

Stuart Holmes Stuart Holmes (born Joseph Liebchen; March 10, 1884 – December 29, 1971) was an American actor and sculptor whose career spanned seven decades. He appeared in almost 450 films between 1909 and 1964, sometimes credited as Stewart Holmes. Biog ...

Louis XVI Louis XVI (''Louis-Auguste''; ; 23 August 175421 January 1793) was the last King of France before the fall of the monarchy during the French Revolution. He was referred to as ''Citizen Louis Capet'' during the four months just before he was ...

* Evelyn Hall as

Marie Antoinette Marie Antoinette Josèphe Jeanne (; ; née Maria Antonia Josepha Johanna; 2 November 1755 – 16 October 1793) was the last queen of France before the French Revolution. She was born an archduchess of Austria, and was the penultimate child a ...

Claude Fleming Claude Flemming (1884–1952) was an Australian actor, writer, producer and director of theatre and film whose varied stage career spanned the first half of the 20th century. He performed in Shakespeare and other drama, as well as opera, and bec ...

as Magistrate *

Murdock MacQuarrie Murdock MacQuarrie (August 25, 1878 – August 20, 1942) was an American silent film actor and director. His name was also seen as Murdock McQuarrie. MacQuarrie was born in San Francisco, California, and attended school there. He was the ...

as Pierre *

Richard Cramer Richard Earl Cramer (July 3, 1889 – August 9, 1960) was an American actor in films from the late 1920s to the early 1950s. Burly, menacing and gravel-voiced, Cramer specialized in villainous roles in many low-budget westerns, but is today ...

Danton Georges Jacques Danton (; 26 October 1759 – 5 April 1794) was a French lawyer and a leading figure in the French Revolution. He became a deputy to the Paris Commune, presided in the Cordeliers district, and visited the Jacobin club. In August ...

* Harry Burkhardt as Materown *

George Hackathorne George Hackathorne (February 13, 1896 – June 25, 1940) was an American actor of the silent era. He appeared in more than 50 films between 1916 and 1939. Hackathorne was born and educated in Pendleton, Oregon. Despite his mother's wishes ...

Robespierre Maximilien François Marie Isidore de Robespierre (; 6 May 1758 – 28 July 1794) was a French lawyer and statesman who became one of the best-known, influential and controversial figures of the French Revolution. As a member of the Esta ...

DeWitt Jennings DeWitt Clarke Jennings (June 21, 1871 – March 1, 1937) was an American film and stage actor. He appeared in 17 Broadway plays between 1906 and 1920, and in more than 150 films between 1915 and 1937. Biography He was born in Cameron, Misso ...

as priest *

Harry Cording Hector William "Harry" Cording (26 April 1891 – 1 September 1954) was an English-American actor. He is perhaps best remembered for his roles in the films '' The Black Cat'' (1934) and ''The Adventures of Robin Hood'' (1938). Life and career ...

as Le Bruin *

Otis Harlan Otis Harlan (December 29, 1865 – January 21, 1940) was an American actor and comedian. He voiced Happy, one of the Seven Dwarfs in the Disney animated film ''Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs''. Early years Harlan was born in Zanesville, Ohio ...

as Jacques * Ervin Renard as Lieutenant *

Walter Brennan Walter Andrew Brennan (July 25, 1894 – September 21, 1974) was an American actor and singer. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performances in '' Come and Get It'' (1936), ''Kentucky'' (1938), and '' The Westerner ...

as peasant (uncredited) *

Sidney D'Albrook Sidney D'Albrook (May 3, 1886 – May 30, 1948) was an American actor. He was born in Chicago, Illinois, a son of Harry Dahlbruck, a musician, and Jennie McGuire. He was working as an actor in Davenport, Iowa, in 1910, living with his sister Rut ...

as flirtatious officer (uncredited) *

Louise Emmons Louise Emmons (January 7, 1858 – March 6, 1935) was an American character actress. She appeared in several films between 1914 and 1935. Early years Information about her early life is contradictory. Older sources give 1852 or 1861 as her bi ...

as Peasant (uncredited) * Stanley Fields as Hangman (uncredited) * Francis Ford as Hussars Officer (uncredited) * Charles Thurston as Minor Role (uncredited)

Production

Initial director Pál Fejös escaped serious injury during filming in October 1929 after falling 88 feet from scaffolding while directing a mob scene, and was later replaced by John S. Robertson. Robertson received full directing credit for the film.

References

External links

* * 1930 films 1930s historical musical films Films directed by John S. Robertson Films directed by Paul Fejos Films set in France Films set in the 18th century Universal Pictures films American black-and-white films French Revolution films Cultural depictions of Maximilien Robespierre Cultural depictions of Louis XVI Cultural depictions of Marie Antoinette Cultural depictions of Georges Danton American historical musical films 1930s English-language films 1930s American films {{historic-musical-film-stub