The Swan

The Swan is a 1956 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Charles Vidor from a screenplay by John Dighton. It is a remake of the 1925 silent film of the same name, itself based on the play of the same name by Ferenc Molnár. The film stars Grace Kelly, Alec Guinness, and Louis Jourdan, with Agnes Moorehead, Jessie Royce Landis, Brian Aherne, Leo G. Carroll, Estelle Winwood, and Van Dyke Parks in supporting roles. The film was released the day Kelly became princess consort of Monaco. Plot In 1910, Princess Alexandra, the daughter of a minor branch of a European royal house, is urged by her mother to accept her cousin, Crown Prince Albert, as husband so that their family may regain a throne that was taken from them by Napoleon. Princess Alexandra tries to gain Albert's attention; he is otherwise taken with sleeping late, shooting ducks and playing football with Alexandra's two younger brothers. Alexandra's mother urges her to show interest in the tutor, Dr. Nicholas Agi, to make Albert jealous and stimulate a proposal from him. Agi is already taken with Alexandra and when she invites him to the farewell ball for the crown prince, he eagerly accepts. Later, when they are dancing at the ball, it appears that Albert is getting jealous, but instead he is more interested in playing the bass viol in the orchestra.