Better than Others Like It

Back in the hey day of the studio system, they pumped out these 90 minute adventures at a pretty hectic pace. An actor could make 6 movies in a year as he was owned by the studio. Most of those films were just cookie cutter plots that were indistinguishable from the others. I'm happy to say, The King's Thief is an exception. While not the most well plotted or directed film, it still has a nice easy going charm thanks to its leads Edmund Purdom, David Niven and Ann Blyth. Also, it includes a pre-Saint, pre-James Bond, Roger Moore as Purdom's sidekick, Jack.

Purdom's Dermott has come into the possession of a book (okay he steals it) which lists the names of rich lords who are being systematically accused of treason and hung by the King's advisor, the Duke of Brampton (Niven). Brampton then takes their lands for the Crown while syphoning off some of it for his own pockets. George Sanders plays a silly and inept Charles II. He's sincere, but doesn't see Brampton's treachery. Blyth plays Lady Mary, the daughter of one of these lords, who is bent on revenge and befriends the wickedly charming Dermott. Purdom comes across as a poor man's Errol Flynn, but he does a nice job in the role. He's part Robin Hood, part Rhett Butler. The plot is pretty straightforward as in most of these movies, but the actors bring charm and vigor to the roles and there is just enough adventure to keep the plot moving over the p(l)ot holes.

This movie is pretty unique in that it has men who have or would go on to play The Saint (Sanders and Moore) as well as James Bond (Niven and Moore).

My memory foam pillow says it can't remember my face. I can tell its lying.