Question 1

Why was Bardelys the Magnificent considered lost for decades?

Accepted Answer

The film was presumed lost, with only a glimpse in King Vidor's Show People (1928). In 2006, a nearly complete print was found in France and restored, though reel 3 was missing and reconstructed using the trailer, stills, and a continuity script.

Question 2

How did director King Vidor stage the willow trees love scene?

Accepted Answer

Vidor, stuck for ideas on location, saw a property man with a rowboat brush past a weeping willow branch. He asked the head grip to make a 100-foot tunnel of willow branches, which became the setting for the love scene.

Question 3

Which famous comedian made his film debut as an extra in this movie?

Accepted Answer

Lou Costello, later of Abbott and Costello fame, made his film debut as an unnamed extra in Bardelys the Magnificent.

Question 4

What real-life relationship formed between the film's lead actress and director?

Accepted Answer

Eleanor Boardman married director King Vidor about three months after production wrapped. They made seven films together, including Souls for Sale (1923) and The Crowd (1928), divorcing in 1933.

Question 5

Which festival featured Bardelys the Magnificent in 2020?

Accepted Answer

The film was featured at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2020.

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Bardelys the Magnificent

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