Voltaire

1933
Approved
1h 12m

IMDb RATING

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George Arliss, Doris Kenyon, and Margaret Lindsay in Voltaire (1933)

Writer and philosopher Voltaire, loyal to his king, Louis XV of France, nonetheless writes scathingly of the king's disdain for the rights and needs of his people. Louis admires Voltaire but... Read allWriter and philosopher Voltaire, loyal to his king, Louis XV of France, nonetheless writes scathingly of the king's disdain for the rights and needs of his people. Louis admires Voltaire but is increasingly influenced against him by his minister, the Count de Sarnac. Louis's mist... Read allWriter and philosopher Voltaire, loyal to his king, Louis XV of France, nonetheless writes scathingly of the king's disdain for the rights and needs of his people. Louis admires Voltaire but is increasingly influenced against him by his minister, the Count de Sarnac. Louis's mistress, the courtesan Madame de Pompadour, is Voltaire's protector and advocate, but even sh... Read all

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IMDb RATING

6.5/10

245

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Although the onscreen source of the movie is a novel, it was never published. But modern sources say George Gibbs and E. Lawrence Dudley wrote a play for George Arliss, and it was the source adapted for the movie. The play also was never published or even produced.

Quotes
Voltaire: [to his doctor] I'll never die. I haven't time to die, while the thousands of people oppressed, tortured, starving, who need every ounce of my strength - ha ha - no, you can't kill me, Doctor!

Connections
Referenced in Upperworld (1934)

Soundtracks
La Marseillaise
(1792) (uncredited)
Written by Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle
Played as part of the score at the end

User reviews13

Review

Featured review

******** The Thespian

When I was little I didn't care for Arliss' movies, since there was no action and he wasn't funny. My parents would watch him and marvel at his movies and his acting skills, all of which were lost on me. Now I am grown up and I appreciate him more than I could ever have imagined. He is the consummate actor who got to Hollywood almost too late - he was very old, even his early pictures - and must have been a treat to watch on the stage, which was his first home. Now I watch all his facial expressions, hand movements, body language and vocal inflection and I am glad we can get to see and hear this top rate actor while he was still able to act. "Voltaire" is a good vehicle for him, the story is fine. A good part of it is probably fiction. Just enjoy him and marvel at his skill.