MOVIEGOER

"A Royal Scandal" succeeds in poking fun at the welter of intrigues for which the court of the czarina was justly notorious, but it does not measure up to "Forgotten Paradise," the silent film to which Ernst Lubitsch now adds dialogue and Tallulah Bankhead. Wielding its satire with too broad a hand, "A Royal Scandal" has lost the flavor of the original, and director Otto Preminger finds himself left with something too slapstick to be convincing.

The story concerns an eager young cavalryman who rides three days and nights to warn the Czarina of a conspiracy against her life. Although her placid chancellor, whose only function seems to be to ferret out such plots and counter-plots, has this one well in hand, Catherine is glad to see the breathless soldier; she decides he will look good in a creamy white uniform and promotes him to the rank of general.

To the rest of the movie, Tallulah contributes some very earthy kisses and a spirited champagne-drinking scene in a vain effort at seduction, while the new general equally vainly tries to reform the empire. Hints from his fiancee and several independent conspirators show the general that he is only a bondoir soldier. He retires, and the Czarina turns to the French ambassador for further amusement.

Charles Coburn outshines Dahling Tallulah in his role of chancellor. The bland innocence with which he asks visiting admirals about the progress of their plots towards his own assassination overshadows even the Bankhead rendition of rather monotonous dialogue.

While in occasional scenes "A Royal Scandal" reaches a pinnacle of Hollywood humor, those who take no great joy in such oft repeated lines as Miss Bankhead's snappy "Shut up!" will find more of tedium in it than delight. ps