GRAND

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 123, 15 August 1927, Page 15

GRAND

“THE BELOVED ROGUE” “The Beloved Rogue,” now being shown at the Grand Theatre, tells of the most colourful character of the fifteenth century, Francois Villon. Crowned King of Fools on All Fools’ Day, he flippantly taunts the Duke of Burgundy and his fellow-conspirator against King Louis, Thibault d’Aussigny, until the arrival of Louis with his beautiful ward, Charlotte de Vauxcelles, results in Villon’s banishment from his beloved Paris. There follow in rapid succession glowing sequences of mirth and movement wherein Villon is catapulted into Charlotte's boudoir, to fall in love with her and learn of Burgundy’s design on Louis through a forced marriage between Thibult d’Ausslgny and Charlotte, whose principality of Vauxeelles is the buffer state between Burgundy and France. Through the lovemaking of Francois and Charlotte, the by-play of Burgundy and Louis, the pageanfry, cruelty, lewdness and broad humour of the rare old days, runs the story of political strife. The cast of experienced players supporting Barrymore includes, aside from Veidt and Miss Day, Lawson, Butt. Mack Swain, Henry Victor, Lucy Beaumont, Slim Summerville, Nigel de Brulier and Jane Winton. Beggars, courtiers and lovely ladies-in-waiting arj so plentifully supplied that more than fifteen hundred actors are in the cast of “The Beloved Rogue.”