The King on Main Street "Monta Bell, Chaplin's assistant director on A Woman of Paris, became in the mid- and late-twenties, a major rival to Ernst Lubitsch as a purveyor of slick comedy sophistication. However, like Harry D'Arrast and Mal St. Clair, two other rivals in the Lubitsch stakes, visual elegance was one of his key virtues, and he was never too much at home in talkies. As Lubitsch's star ascended, Bell's waned, and today he is all but forgotten. "The King on Main Street was a great success, particularly in the small towns where the idea of a European king (Adolphe Menjou) with democratic ideas descending on Coney Island and New Jersey was very sympathetically received. A smooth and sophisticated comedy, it has quite a few surprises, some tantalizing near-vamping by Greta Nissen, and a really charming and appealing performance by Bessie Love, who is quite the best thing about the film. A real bonus is Miss Love's spirited rendition of the Charleston. With its pleasing performers, its authentic New York, New Jersey and Coney Island locations...there is much to be entertained by in The King on Main Street-including the King's first encounter with a Coney Island hot dog. Democratically, he takes a bite, but then, sensibly, he discards it, as would any normal person..." -William K. Everson