MOVIE · 1938

If I Were King

ActionAdventure101 min

In medieval Paris, poet and rogue François Villon lives by his wits, mocking authority even as the city strains under fear, poverty, and political danger. His defiance draws the attention of the king, who pulls him out of the streets and into court for a dangerous test: can a man who rails against power use it any better? Suddenly Villon has rank, enemies, and only a brief chance to challenge corruption from the inside. As he clashes with nobles, faces intrigue, and risks losing both his head and his principles, the story turns a swaggering outlaw into an unlikely figure at the center of the realm. Ronald Colman stars as Villon, with Basil Rathbone among the threats gathering around him.