Basil Rathbone: The Swan

The next morning, Albert's mother, Princess Dominica arrives and announces that Albert wishes to marry Alexandra. Dominica reveals that Albert was delighted with Alexandra from the start, but did not dare show his feelings until his mother arrived and gave her approval. Beatrice realizes that her scheme to use the tutor to make Albert jealous was totally unnecessary.

Father Hyacinth insists on telling Dominica everything that has happened and convinces her that because Albert was acting disinterested, Alexandra HAD to kiss the tutor — there was nothing else to do! Dominica understands, and says that they must see that the young professor leaves well provided for.

Assuming that he will be fired, Professor Agi is prepared to leave and pretends that nothing happened between them, but Alexandra is insulted that her kiss seems to mean so little to him. Agi says he felt that it was pity rather than love that caused her to kiss him. Her pride is hurt. Now she is calling him presumptuous. Whereas before she had defended Agi, calling him a free spirit, now it is Albert reminding Alexandra that Agi is a free spirit.

Casting for the play began in August 1923. Rehearsals began the week of September 10.

The part of Princess Alexandra was first offered to Billie Burke. She would have accepted the role had not her husband, Flo Ziegfeld, forbidden her. In her autobiography, Billie recalled:

In his autobiography, Rathbone stated that the pre-Broadway performances were in Detroit and Toronto. There's no evidence that The Swan was performed in Toronto. It is likely that Rathbone confused Montreal and Toronto when writing.

One of the drama critics who saw the play in Detroit reported that it was dull, disappointing and too long. The performances in Montreal were marred by Eva Le Gallienne having a bad cold. The company clearly worked out whatever kinks there may have been, and by the time they opened on Broadway on October 23, The Swan was a big hit!

Basil Rathbone described opening night in this way: "The day had been heavy with moisture and as curtain time approached a veritable cloudburst poured from the heavens. We played the first act to a house that slowly filled up, having struggled to get to the theatre, and which was mostly in understandably bad humor. At the end of the first act we received a mild reception. ... The second act, however, went well, and at the final curtain we received a standing ovation. I saw a man about fourth row center throw his hat in the air. I learned later that it was Alexander Woollcott [drama critic for the New York Herald]." (In and Out of Character, pp. 52-53)

After the success of opening night, there were long lines at the box office. In November, Variety reported "Pulling motor car trade but strong upstairs also" and "Another comedy smash which surprised the talent with a bulls-eye on Broadway after a weak start out of town." (November 22, 1923)

Rathbone recalled, "The Swan by Ferenc Molnar is probably the most memorable play of my life. I loved it passionately—and it made me a star in America. But above all, it was during The Swan that I met Ouida. That was in November 1923." (In and Out of Character, p. 52) Although Rathbone ended up marrying Ouida, these were the early days of their courtship. He also found himself attracted to his beautiful co-star Eva Le Gallienne, and actually had an affair with her. For more on this, visit these pages:

Critic George Jean Nathan wrote, "In the case of The Swan, as it has been produced in the Cort Theater, the reviewer simply wipes off the old professorial frown and becomes a press agent. for here is a good play so brilliantly produced and so persuasively acted that there is nothing for him to do but to gallop around the town and urge everyone he meets to make a bee-line for the box office. ... Eva Le Gallienne is completely admirable as the princess whose heart goes out to the young tutor. Basil Rathbone and Philip Merivale are excellent in the roles of the tutor and the heir apparent. The rest of the company is thoroughly competent. David Burton's and Miller's direction is a beautiful piece of work." (The Judge, November 1923)

At the request of author Ferenc Molnar, a benefit matinee of The Swan was given on April 25, 1924. The proceeds in entirety were turned over to the hospitals of Budapest. Dr. Oscar Fodor, a noted Hungarian surgeon, was in New York City on the mission of raising funds for the institutions.

In May the Actors Equity Association went on strike, and the cast members of The Swan were notified that they must terminate their engagement by May 31, 1924. And so, after 255 performances, The Swan closed at the Cort Theatre.

Basil Rathbone spent the summer in England. He and Ouida and their friend Jack Miltern rented a house in Pangbourne, Berkshire. On Basil's agenda was obtaining a divorce from his wife Marion, so that he would be free to marry Ouida. Basil and Marion had been separated since 1919, but were still legally married. Marion agreed to a divorce, and it became final on July 6, 1925. Basil's visit home that summer was tinged with sadness, however. His father had died on June 13, a few weeks before Basil arrived in England.

Rathbone returned to the United States on August 16, and prepared for the reopening of The Swan at the Empire Theatre in New York City. The play ran at the Empire Theatre from August 25 to September 20, 1924. There were a few cast changes for the supplementary run, which preceded a country-wide tour. Henrietta Watson replaced Hilda Spong (as Princess Beatrice), who went into partial retirement on her estate in southern France. Reginald Owen replaced Philip Merivale as Prince Albert; Frank Roberts replaced Stanley Kalkhurst as Alfred; Teddy Jones replaced George Walcott as Arsene; Tupper Jones replaced Alan Willey as George; Milton Sherman replaced Boswell Davenport as a Lackey.

THE SWAN

The Swan is one of those rare plays in which satire is successfully blended with romance. In this particular case it is done with a knowing hand, and the result yields one of the most satisfying evenings the season has afforded.

Molnar has taken a not altogether new theme and treated it in a delightful way. It is the story of the low-born man who falls in love reverently, but nevertheless strongly, with a princess. In this case she happens to be a princess with a match-making mother intent on wedding her to the royal heir. He does not respond to the trap set for him, so a tutor in the household is designated to act as a spur to the prince's affections. This is the man who is in love with the princess, and when, fired with the graciousness with which she treats him, he learns of the part he is acting he flares up and declares himself to all and sundry. Declaring oneself is not done in royal circles, it seems, and the princess, contrite over her part in the wounding of a noble character, gives him a good buss on the lips before the scandalized company. This is the climax of a second act which for interest and suspense has not its equal in any play now on Broadway. All that can be done after it is to wind the play up as quickly as possible, and this is done without an appreciable slackening of the interest. A tall piece of playwriting I call this, and it stamps Molnar as perhaps none other of his plays has as a consummate master of his art.

Now, this play would be almost hopeless if it were not given absolutely the right treatment. I do not know of a play in which quite so much depends on the creation of an atmosphere and proper sort of direction. Also, I do not call to mind a play in which this has been quite so successfully accomplished. The credit for this goes to David Burton, and I think it can be said without in any degree overstating the case that the lion's share of whatever success The Swan may have will be due to him.

One of the things which indicates the excellence of Mr. Burton's guiding hand is the superb way in which everyone of the cast plays his or her role. Individually and as an ensemble this cast could hardly be bettered, but if there is one member of it who stands out above the rest then my cap will be shied in the direction of Basil Rathbone. He is the leading man par excellence, with the looks, bearing and acting capacity which should go with the genius, but is not always found there. Mr. Rathbone, as the tutor in love with the princess, reveals himself as a superlative actor; a player with a firm grip on all the essentials of his art and the intellect the put them to the best use. He was sincere always, never wavered a hair's breadth from the part, and made it a completely engaging character. It is the sort of acting which we always hope to see but seldom do.

Eva Le Gallienne plays the princess, and incidentally does the finest work she has even done in it. There is a glamour to her characterization of the role which is exactly what it requires, and at the same time there is the underlying sweetness, the sub-surface spirituality necessary to make it sympathetic. Without this the play would fall to pieces; with it the play is credible and satisfying.

The prince was excellently done by Philip Merivale; Halliwell Hobbes made an unforgettable figure of a practical-minded friar, Alice John was delightful as a minor princess, Richie Ling was exactly right as a pompous major domo, and Hilda Spong, the match-making mother of the princess, with the exception of an irritatingly granular quality of voice, fulfilled all the role's requirements. ...

Alison Skipworth made her first appearance in the last act. When she had done this, she just took the play into her hands, wrapped it up into a neat package and walked off with it. Whenever she was on the stage no one else stood a chance, and this was done without once pushing herself out of focus or doing anything save play her part legitimately, with the soundest knowledge of its values and the way to get the out. I make a healthy obeisance to Miss Skipworth as one actress who knows what to do and how to do it.

Now, take all these elements: a good play, a well-acted play, a capably-directed play, and what have we? To my way of thinking we have a piece which will satisfy an inordinate number of playgoers. Those who muff the satire, the rich fun-poking at the make-believe sanctity of royalty, which distinguishes The Swan above all else, will be amply entertained by the high romance and gentle comedy of the rest of it. Thus, it seems to me, The Swan has them going and coming. I cannot see failure anywhere about it. On the contrary, I hazard the guess, perilous as it may be, that it will not only be a distinguished success, but a popular one as well.

A genuinely fine play, extremely well directed and played.

—Gordon Whyte, The Billboard, November 3, 1923

The tour of The Swan began with a ten-week run at the Blackstone Theatre in Chicago, commencing the week of September 22 and ending November 29, 1924. Business was good during the first few weeks, and then dropped off. Variety (December 10, 1924) reported: "The Swan went out on small grosses for no other reason than the New York bookers over-estimate Chicago's strength to hold up dramatic grosses after a certain number of weeks. Despite it is the second largest city in the country, Chicago's record dramatic clientele for any kind of a hit dwindles out after six to eight weeks, particularly when grosses of $16,000 to $18,000 are expected."

The company then performed The Swan in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (December 1-6, 1924) and St. Louis, Missouri (American Theater, December 8-13, 1924).

The week before Christmas the company was laid off. Rathbone went to New York to be with Ouida. It was during this visit that they adopted their dog Moritz. (You can read more about Moritz here: http://www.basilrathbone.net/potpourri/dogs/ )

Christmas week 1924 was spent in Washington DC, where the company performed The Swan at the National Theatre from December 22 to 27, with matinees on Christmas Day and Saturday. They closed out the year back in New York, at Werba's Brooklyn Theatre, December 29, 1924 – January 3, 1925.

Next on the tour was Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where the company stayed for four weeks at the Garrick Theatre, January 5 through January 31, 1925. Variety reported, "In the dramatic field The Swan held the spotlight. It was for this show that the matinee business was particularly notable, Saturday being completely S.R.O. and Wednesday close to it."

The Swan ended its tour in San Francisco, where it was performed at the Columbia Theatre from April 14 through May 2, 1925 (3 weeks). Eva Le Gallienne had left the company, and Philip Merivale had rejoined it. The cast for the San Francisco performances included Laura Hope Crews, Alison Skipworth, Margallo Gillmore, Florence Shirley, Ilka Chase, Noma Havey, Betty Hall, Phyllis Pearce, Philip Merivale, Basil Rathbone, Frank Reicher, Leonard Mudie, Elmer Brown and William Pearce. Variety (April 29, 1925) reported that the play was "highly praised and enthusiastically patronized."

"Basil Rathbone as the tutor who falls in love with the princess proves himself an actor of fine quality." —The San Francisco Examiner, April 17, 1925

Basil Rathbone, Philip Merivale, Eva LeGallienne, Halliwell Hobbes	Basil Rathbone, Halliwell Hobbes, Eva LeGallienne
"Basil Rathbone, polished and sincere, does an expert feat of acting as Dr. Agi; his silent anguish when informed that he has been used as a mop to sweep the floor for another, was a poignant masterpiece of emotion." —St. Louis Post Dispatch, December 9, 1924
Halliwell Hobbes and Basil Rathbone	Basil Rathbone, Eva LeGallienne, Philip Merivale

" ... a silvery, delicately wrought and utterly delightful play that found in America the kind of performance which playwrights have in mind when they say their prayers at night. ... one of the best comedies in years." —Alexander Woolcott, The New York Herald, October 24, 1923

Three film versions of The Swan have been made: a silent film in 1925 (starred Frances Howard, Adolph Menjou and Ricardo Cortez), 1930 (starred Lillian Gish, Rod La Rocque and Conrad Nagel, and called One Romantic Night), and 1956 (starred Grace Kelly, Alec Guiness, and Louis Jourdan).