Quentin Durward, 1955, Is Playing on TCM on February 28 (USA)

Quentin Durward, 1955, is playing on Turner Classic Movies on Sunday, February 28 at 4:15 a.m. This film is visually beautiful and also a lot of fun. Highly recommended.

Director: Richard Thorpe. Robert Taylor, Kay Kendall, Robert Morley, George Cole, Alec Clunes, Duncan Lamont, Marius Goring. Taylor plays Sir Walter Scott’s dashing Scots hero in this handsome but static costumer about Louis XI’s reign in 15th- century France. CinemaScope. TCM capsule review.

This is a film to be watched with a wide and affectionate grin. Outstanding are Robert Morley as Louis XI, the infamous and wily ‘Spider’ of France, and Robert Taylor as the eponymous Durward, a would-be chivalrous hero born out of his time who is none too sure of himself. The necessary, and highly satisfactory, heroics are spiced with a rich leavening of humor and some genuine moral questions – how much should a man sacrifice for his country’s sake? His love? His life? His honor?

But above all it is a joyous and thrilling romp that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Durward wants to be a knight in shining armor, but circumstances tend to conspire against him, and his lady is definitely the stronger-willed of the two; though like the audience, she cannot resist his puppy dog charm. And ambiguous, cynical, cowardly Louis is often in danger of stealing the show outright, as he sits at the center of his web and pulls the strings that manipulate all the other characters – a far-from-two-dimensional villain after my own heart!

Definitely a superior swashbuckler, with a saving vein of humor. Review by lgenWordsmith on IMDB

These are a few behind the scenes photos:

Taylor’s new leading lady. KK, one of Britain’s most popular stars, is seen rehearsing with RT for her role with him in Sir WS’s QD, being filmed by MGM in C-scope and color in England and France.

About giraffe44

I became a Robert Taylor fan at the age of 15 when his TV show, "The Detectives" premiered. My mother wanted to watch it because she remembered Mr. Taylor from the thirties. I took one look and that was it. I spent the rest of my high school career watching Robert Taylor movies on late night TV, buying photos of him, making scrapbooks and being a typical teenager. College, marriage and career intervened. I remember being sad when Mr. Taylor died. I mailed two huge scrapbooks to Ursula Thiess. I hope she got them. Time passed, retirement, moving to Florida. Then in 2012 my husband Fred pointed that there were two Robert Taylor movies that evening on Turner Classic Movies--"Ivanhoe" and "Quentin Durward." I watched both and it happened all over again. I started this blog both for fans and for people who didn't know about Robert Taylor. As the blog passes 200,000 views I'm delighted that so many people have come by and hope it will help preserve the legacy of this fine actor and equally good man.

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2 Responses to Quentin Durward, 1955, Is Playing on TCM on February 28 (USA)

Jen says:

March 1, 2021 at 6:54 pm

I watch many old movies from various well known actors and Robert Taylor is one of the most versatile. Many actors are the same no matter how varied the movies are. Watching A. Ladd in one recently and he was the same in all of them. JMO. Thanks!

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giraffe44 says:

March 2, 2021 at 9:46 pm

Hi, Jen. You’re so right. He could be convincing as an archaeologist, knight in armor, gangster, cop, villain etc. etc. Mr. Taylor’s range was incredible and he never got credit for it. Thanks for writing. Judith

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