| Bardelys the Magnificent | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | King Vidor |
| Written by | Rafael Sabatini (novel) Dorothy Farnum |
| Starring | John Gilbert Eleanor Boardman |
| Music by | William Axt |
| Cinematography | William H. Daniels |
| Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
| Release date(s) | 30 September 1926 |
| Running time | 90 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | Silent film English intertitles |
Bardelys the Magnificent is a 1926 silent romantic drama film.[1] It was directed by King Vidor starring John Gilbert and Eleanor Boardman, based on a novel by Rafael Sabatini. It was the second film of the 19 year old John Wayne, who had a minor role. The film is mentioned in Saul Bellow's 1953 novel The Adventures of Augie March.
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The film is set in the reign of King Louis XIII. When Châtellerault fails to win the heart of the icy Roxalanne de Lavedan, he wagers his entire estate against that of Bardelys that Bardelys can't either. On the way to the Lavedan estate, Bardelys stumbles upon a wounded and dying man, Lesperon, who asks Bardelys to say farewell to his beloved but dies before telling him her name. Bardelys takes his papers and assumes his identity, only to find that Lesperon is a traitor to the king.
Bardelys, as Lesperon, encounters the king's soldiers who are hunting Lesperon, fights them, and escapes, badly wounded, to the castle of Lavedan. Roxalanne hides him from the king's soldiers and tends to his wounds. She nurses him to health and pledges her love, but when the guilt-ridden Bardelys refuses to marry her, she angrily turns him over to the king's men. Bardelys, still believed to be Lesperon, is brought to trial for treason—where Châtellerault is the judge. Châtellerault refuses to admit his identity and condemns him to death. Roxalanne finds Bardelys in prison, confesses her love, and marries Châtellerault in a desperate effort to save Bardelys' life. Bardelys escapes from the gallows just as the King arrives to confirm his identity. Châtellerault dies in a duel with Louis' men, and Bardelys and Roxalanne embrace.[2]
The film was considered a lost film for many years, with only the trailer and a brief excerpt in Vidor's Show People (1928) surviving. According to Robert Osborne on Turner Classic Movies, MGM signed a contract with Sabatini in 1926, giving MGM the rights to his novel for 10 years. In 1936, MGM chose not to renew the rights, and destroyed the negative and all known prints per the terms of the contract.
In 2006, a nearly complete print of the film was found in France, missing only reel three.[3] It was restored, using production stills and footage from the film trailer to stand in for the missing section, and made available in 2008 for U. S. theatrical and DVD release.
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