Master pioneer Gance (Napoleon) was in decline by the 1940s, and this
was his last completed film for twelve years. A rather routine
swashbuckler based on a pseudo-historical romance by Theophile
Gautier, it's directed with efficiency rather than inspiration, and
the melodramatic and romantic complications unfold in predictable
fashion. It's worth watching largely for its cosmetic values: the
eccentric sets have a certain baroque charm, and cinematography
Nicholas Hayer brings a real beauty to the shimmering monochrome
images.
