The Vagabond King

US (1930): Musical/Romance
Two-strip Technicolor

Poet-rogue François Villon (Dennis King), sentenced to hang by King Louis XI for writing derogatory verses about him, is offered a temporary reprieve. His hanging will be postponed for 24 hours, and in that time he must defeat the invading Burgundians and win the love of the beautiful Katherine (Jeanette MacDonald). (IMDb)

Ludwig Berger directs (Paramount) what could be one of the worst movies of all time -- certainly of the early sound era. Arne Andersen, film historian, puts it this way:

"I make allowances for early talkies, trying to concentrate on the intent of the artists involved, not the limitations of the budding medium. However, this film is by every standard perfectly awful. The acting is atrocious, there is no direction, and the pacing is positively funereal. Dennis King delivers one of the very worst performances ever put on film, hamming it up like a bad nineteenth century melodramatic from the sticks. Jeannette MacDonald looks bewildered. The art direction did earn an Oscar® nom and it is the only good thing in the film. One of the most excruciating experiences I've ever sat through. Less than half a dozen of the original numbers are included with three more written for the film. Avoid this like the plague." (IMDb)

1 nomination