AllMovie

Most Bob Hope vehicles are pretty much cut from the same pattern, so what makes one better or worse than the other tends to be the cloth. In that respect, Monsieur Beaucaire is definitely one of Hope's better outings. Not so much an adaptation of the Booth Tarkington original as a free-for-all based upon Valentino's earlier film version, Beaucaire is a very pleasant and engaging little frolic. Putting Hope in a period piece is generally a good idea, as it adds to the comedian's gift for being a fish out of water -- and compounding that by setting the film in France just adds to the fun. Writers Melvin Frank and Norman Panama have come up with a bounty of gags both physical and verbal; there's no humor that's on a Shavian level, but it all fits in well with both the scenario and the comic's style, and George Marshall has directed with energy and verve. All in all, this is a fast and funny, if totally inconsequential, little film. It won't win any prizes, but it's solid entertainment.