The Beloved Rogue – Paris, Pies, and Pure Madness

Man, I watched The Beloved Rogue (originaltitel: Le Miracle des Loups, almost) for probably the third time last Saturday around midnight, just when the rain was smattering the windows and my cat was snoring away on the sofa. I swear, that old 1927 flick is like a fyllehund at a söndagmiddag – slightly chaotic but you can’t stop watching.

Right, so John Barrymore. The profile, the charm! This guy basically invented swagger, and here he’s François Villon, talking back to kings and nicking pies. And Conrad Veidt sneaks around like he’s always ten seconds from launching into a German silent horror. Marceline Day is there too, but to be honest I always feel she just gets swept away in the Barrymore-tornado.

Director Alan Crosland, yeah, he’s the dude who gave us The Jazz Singer, so he knows his stuff. Here though, it looks like he let the camera run wild at times. Sprawling sets, mad capers, some bits look more like a semesterprojekt than a polished Hollywood film. Doesn’t matter, really. Paris actually feels like it was built by a bunch of cousins from Uppsala with a crate of plywood and a jävligt good sense of humor.

This film always reminds me–so intimately, actually–of that one time in 8th grade when I was convinced I was a poet. I snuck a rhymed love letter into Annika’s schoolbag. Results: total katastrof, but a story for life. Sort of the same energy here–big gestures, laughable risk, a little bit bonkers.

If you’re one of those who love your cinema with big personalities and sweeeet old-timey chaos, put this wild beast on your must-watch. Even if you don’t understand all the silent film card jokes (trust me, Sveriges Television subtitles don’t help much), it’s a ride.

Bring snacks, and maybe a raincoat. This one gets messy.

watch the full movie on Mavshack Movies on YouTube

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