Summaries

The Grim Reaper takes the form of a Prince in an attempt to relate to humans and, along the way, also learns what it is to love.

Death (Frederic March) decides to take a holiday from his usual business to see what it is like to be a mortal. Posing as Prince Sirki, he spends three days with Duke Lambert (Sir Guy Standing) and his guests at his dukal estate. Several of the women are attracted to the mysterious Prince, but shy away from him when they sense his true nature. But Grazia (Evelyn Venable), the beautiful young woman who the Duke thought was to marry his son, loves him, even when she knows who he is.—John Oswalt <[email protected]>

Feeling misunderstood by humans and in turn not understanding their motivations, Death decides to take human form for three days. Having shadowed their gathering beforehand, Death reveals himself and his plan to Duke Lambert, who allows him, using the identity of Prince Sirki, to live among him and his guests at his Italian villa even under Death's caveat that the others cannot know its true identity and that they cannot leave its company before the end of the three days. For those three days, Death is taking a "holiday" of sorts in it not being available to carry out its regular responsibilities. As time progresses, the various young women in the Duke's party become enthralled with Prince Sirki, some however feeling a certain fear at the same time. However, the one who truly does fall in love with everything that is the Prince is Grazia, who earlier in their gathering had turned down the proposal of marriage from the Duke's son, Corrado, in not feeling yet ready for marriage to anyone despite loving Corrado. The questions then become if the Duke will keep to his word not to give up the Prince as Death even if "saves" Grazia from that fate and keeps Grazia on the path to marriage to Corrado, and if Grazia, in being able to feel everything about the Prince, will embrace his inherent and core aspect of Death.—Huggo

Details

Keywords
  • psychotronic film
  • car crash
  • playing roulette
  • houseguest
  • donkey cart
Genres
  • Fantasy
  • Drama
  • Romance
Release date Mar 29, 1934
Motion Picture Rating (MPA) Approved
Countries of origin United States
Language English Italian French
Filming locations Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA
Production companies Paramount Pictures

Box office

Tech specs

Runtime 1h 19m
Color Black and White
Aspect ratio 1.37 : 1

Synopsis

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