George Arliss was a British actor of stage and screen most remembered for his portal of historic political figures. His best known performance is a British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli in the 1929 film 'Disraeli', for which he won as best actor at the 3rd annual Academy Awards.
'Cardinal Richelieu' is pretty darn close to a clone of that earlier film. In both movies Arliss plays clever historical figures who must best their enemies, while also finding time to help a pair of young lovers. Cardinal Richelieu was the chief political advisor to King Louie the 13th of France in the 17th Century, here played by Edward Arnold. Richelieu's political enemies try to turn the king against him, only to be out smarted, thus saving France from Spanish invasion. Cesar Romero and Maureen O'Sullivan play the young couple. A stilted, overly theatrical film in a style that has very much dated.
Arliss's formality in performance is leavened by a mischievous streak that can make him fun to watch. So he's good, O'Sullivan's pretty, Romero and Arnold are fine, the movie as a whole though is pretty forgettable. **
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