Prince of Foxes

A pompous production with little good substance, and a somewhat overwrought story that is yet well portrayed. Does pass the time, but Welles is just phoning in, and I never care much for Power who often seemed to play a forgettable sap, or in this case his invisibility is quite appropriate to the role of someone who could be anyone.

One can have a good time with Prince of Foxes (1949), if you let it. Great premise, but I couldn't help feel that Orson Welles and the rest of them was taking this too seriously. This one would have benefited from a more comic tone, Perhaps of some Lubitsch touches, had he been alive. Tyrone Power grows into the role, and eventually manages to carry it, but it won't be mentioned among his best.

Flat, dreary swashbuckler is at least very attractively shot in black & white, an unusual choice for swashbucklers of the period, but is ultimately sunk by Power and Hendrix's wooden, lifeless performances in the leads. At least Welles is on hand to deliver a genuinely fun and entertaining performance as the villain, and Aylmer delivers a genuinely great and touching performance as the cuckhold Count.

Welles is always a great villain he's got the voice and the smarm for it. Power does well as the hero...his switch from sleaze to paragorn is written convincingly. An entertaining swashbuckler ( couple of cool swordfights in the end of aged well) that's helped by the location shooting...might not have liked it so much if it was an obvious studio affair.