King's Dagobert I intestinal and sexual problems loom large as he survives an attack on his royal caravan then barely makes it to Rome to personally give thanks to the Pope. After he arrives at the Vatican, he becomes involved in the battle between two contenders for the papacy and has to face the machinations of a ruthless Byzantine princess.
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Reviews
Too much of everything
How sad is this?
Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.
It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.
When I first saw this movie in the 80's I loved it because it's a rare piece that illustrates the barbaric middle ages of Europe in a realistic manner. At first glance, it may seem crude to some with its nudity and humour, but this first impression dissipates with the consistent touch of silliness (Coluche style) that keeps you smiling. The ignorant, libertine and vulgar lifestyle of that period, intermixing with the influence of catholicism, are well delivered by Coluche and Serrault who make a wonderful team in this comedy. The mood of the movie is quite relaxed, it's as if the actors were having fun making the film. The dubbing might be annoying sometimes (franco-italian movies were common in the 80's) but it's only a minor issue that one can become used to. And finally, the music is quite amusing; the theme song is light and stays in memory for a long time :)
Why this movie got such a low rating at IMDB is beyond me. This is one of Dino Risi's most unusual and delightful films. This period of French history is barely covered on film and 'Good king Dagobert' is surprisingly realistic in showing the realities of early barbaric France. Movie's soundtrack is very good too - sort of a cross between John Barry and Michael Nyman.
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