KnotStronger This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

BelSports This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Lachlan Coulson This is a gorgeous movie made by a gorgeous spirit.

Mandeep Tyson The acting in this movie is really good.

JohnHowardReid Copyright 1956 by Loew's Inc. A Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer picture. New York opening at the Radio City Music Hall: 26 April 1956. U.S. release: 27 April 1956. U.K. release: 21 May 1956. Australian release: 18 April 1956 (sic). 9,719 feet. 108 minutes.SYNOPSIS: Hungary, 1910. Determined that her daughter shall become a queen, Princess Beatrix makes agitated preparations when she learns that Crown Prince Albert intends to visit her castle. But Albert is bored and indifferent, Princess Alexandra cold and nervous. The long-awaited visit turns into a gloomy failure.NOTES: Third film version of the Molnar play. Frances Howard played the title role opposite Adolphe Menjou's Albert and Ricardo Cortez's tutor in Dimitri Buchowetzki's 1925 release for Paramount. In the 1930 sound re-make, Lillian Gish played Alexandra, Rod La Rocque was Albert, whilst Conrad Nagel played Dr Nicholas. The screenplay written by Melville Baker himself, was directed by Paul L. Stein. The sets were co-designed by William Cameron Menzies. A United Artists release, this talkie was entitled One Romantic Night. Although High Society was released later, this was Grace Kelly's final Hollywood film. She became the real-life Princess of Monaco on 18 April 1956. M-G-M revived this Molnar play to cash in on the publicity.COMMENT: Who would think M-G-M capable of producing a movie of such taste, elegance, wit and sophistication? Evidently producer Schary, assuming that the movie would be a box-office winner no matter what, decided to let his creative team aim a great deal higher than the studio norm. "The Swan" emerges as a delightful comedy of manners, directed with unobtrusive style and vitality, superbly set and winningly photographed (impossible to detect where Ruttenberg ends and Surtees begins), and for which Kaper has contributed one of his most appealingly melodic scores. It's hard to credit that not a single one of these artists were so much as nominated for a prestigious Hollywood award.Of course "The Swan" is a trifle — but what a dish when served up by brilliant players like these! It's the superlative acting here that makes all the difference between shallow pointlessness and rapier wit. Each character in this wonderful cast is fascinatingly individualized. Timing and pacing from the whole ensemble is just right. Jessie Royce Landis has a couple of excellent foils in Estelle Winwood and surprisingly Brian Aherne (who here for once is perfectly cast).Of course for most people, the movie's exciting cast starts and ends with Grace Kelly. She is absolutely radiant, her very hesitancy and immaturity as an actress being cleverly exploited and utilized for stunning dramatic effects by director Charles Vidor. The scene in which she gradually melts while waltzing with Jourdan (an equally charming performer, in my opinion) is masterfully orchestrated, edited and directed.

duanyfinancial The Swan was the last vehicle for Oscar-winner Grace Kelly, it would be her swan song, if you pardon the pun, and it was one of her best. This comedy of manners, about Royals, was set at the end of La Belle Epoque(1870-1914), and it evoked the values of a bygone era in 1956, when it was made, yet it also encompassed everyday values of family, and romance. It also exemplified class distinction, and the beauty of first love. The acting is superb by all, and the direction of Charles Vidor(Gilda), and production by Dore Schary, was magnificent. This movie keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout, and most important of all, this movie will bring out the rarest of emotions, it will make you cry, and laugh, at the same time.

jacobs-greenwood Directed by Charles Vidor, with a screenplay by John Dighton (Roman Holiday (1953)), this average romantic drama with comedic elements stars Grace Kelly (The Country Girl (1954)), in the title role, as a Princess who hopes to (marry to) become a Queen. Ironically, production on this film was wrapped up (at the Biltmore House in North Carolina) just before Christmas, when Prince Rainier of Monaco, who had been corresponding with the actress since they'd met at the Cannes Film Festival (quite by chance, sometime earlier), visited her in Philadelphia, beginning his courtship which will culminate in their royal wedding.Kelly plays Princess Alexandra, a blonde icicle of a woman whose mother Princess Beatrix (Jessie Royce Landis, who also played Kelly's mother in To Catch A Thief (1955)) has prepared her for, and dreamed of, the day when their family could be reunited with the crown through marriage to Prince Albert, played wittingly as always by (now, Sir) Alec Guinness. So, in effect, Albert is the fish that Beatrix wants to "hook" for her willing daughter Alexandra, who's convinced to use her admiring "friend", and younger brothers' (Van Dyke Parks and Christopher Cook) tutor, Dr. Nicholas Agi (Louis Jourdan), to make the Prince jealous enough to show an interest in her. A problem arises when Agi, who'd lit an improbable candle for Alexandra, reads too much into her inviting him to the ball for the Prince, such that he believes he can miraculously rise above his class.Agnes Moorehead plays Albert's mom, the Queen, who appears briefly near the end of the film. Brian Aherne (Juarez (1939)) plays Beatrix's brother, now Father Hyacinth, whose insight and wise guidance proves invaluable to their "side" of the family. A nearly unrecognizable Leo G. Carroll plays Caesar, the subtle and all knowing family butler. Estelle Winwood plays Beatrix's older sister, and Alexandra's Aunt Symphorosa, who's facial expressions and "gasps" as well as her championing of Jourdan's character in the "love triangle" highlights several of the film's too few amusing scenes. Robert Coote plays Albert's ever present aide, Captain Wunderlich, whose valuable services allow the Prince to appear to be more in touch than he actually is; the Captain also "rescues" Albert from uncomfortable or otherwise boring situations. These "interventions" provide the balance of the remaining "funny" scenes.Besides the confusing and rather frustrating romantic triangle interactions that dominate the film's final third, the ending itself is especially downbeat, as are many of these "stiff upper lip", "one must not forget one's duty" royalty pictures ... though we do, finally, get an explanation for the film's title.

kindtxgal Absolutely completely well done film by the future Princess Grace of Monaco, Grace Kelly and supporting staff including dreamy Louis Jordan, staunch Alec Guiness, and a surprise entry as Queen, Agnes Moorehead.Each actor worked so well together and yet in each one's style. Complete delight to watch the story unfold, ebb & flow, and then glide just like a swan to a restful ending. A fantastic use of comedy for interjections into a plot line that could easily been bogged down in monarchical dribble.What an orchestra of a movie. I was put off a bit by the overly flowery love declarations from Jourdan to Kelly, but outside of that, everything was a delight to watch.What clinched this movie for me is Guiness's description of a swan: gliding and graceful in water, but cumbersome and put off as a goose on land. The need for them to shine forever on the water in order for their beauty to be appreciated. Ahhhh.... wonderful.