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The Prisoner of Zenda

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6.8/10 • 53

1952-11-041h 40m

Adventure

A Swashbuckling Adventure In The Grand Style!

A kingdom's ascending heir, marked for assassination, switches identities with a lookalike, who takes his place at the coronation. When the real king is kidnapped, his followers try to find him, while the stand-in falls in love with the king's intended bride, the beautiful Princess Flavia.

Directors
Richard Thorpe
Writters
Edward E. Rose
Editors
Edward E. Rose, George Boemler

Top Billed Cast

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  1. Stewart Granger

    Stewart Granger

    Rudolf Rassendyll / King Rudolf V

  2. Deborah Kerr

    Deborah Kerr

    Princess Flavia

  3. James Mason

    James Mason

    Rupert of Hentzau

  4. Louis Calhern

    Louis Calhern

    Col. Zapt

  5. Jane Greer

    Jane Greer

    Antoinette de Mauban

  6. Lewis Stone

    Lewis Stone

    The Cardinal

  7. Robert Douglas

    Robert Douglas

    Michael, Duke of Strelsau

  8. Robert Coote

    Robert Coote

    Fritz von Tarlenheim

  9. Peter Brocco

    Peter Brocco

    Johann

Reviews1

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CinemaSerf Avatar

CinemaSerf

Sep 9, 2022

7/10

From Alfred Newman's opening music through the first ten minutes of this, it's pretty much a carbon copy of the 1937 version of Sir Anthony Hope's story. The only difference is that it's Stewart Granger playing the dashing "Rassendyll" who arrives in the European kingdom of Ruritania just as it's king is to be crowned. He's puzzled by his welcome but a walk in the forest soon makes the reasons for that clear when he meets "Col. Zapt" (Louis Calhern) and his boss - the King - who looks like his identical twin. Back to his hunting lodge they go for a glass of wine and next thing he wakes up in the morning with the king sound asleep and the colonel with the headache. He'll never make his coronation now - unless... Despite plenty of nerves their alternative day goes off smoothly enough but their return to the lodge presents them with a much better problem. The king has been kidnapped by "Rupert" (James Mason) and their plan to put his step-brother "Michael" (Robert Douglas) on the throne via the "Princess Flavia" (Deborah Kerr) is starting to look like it will work. Only by staying on in his role whilst they figure out a way to rescue the eponymous gent from the dungeons can they hope to restore proper monarchy. With the battle lines now drawn, this becomes a colourful and quickly paced cat and mouse game with Granger on charismatic form as he must resist falling in love with the princess whilst he saves the king. Kerr does enough here. She brings a glittering presence just by turning up in a tiara with her softly spoken voice, but it's really Mason who steals the show as his character has that mischievous touch of malevolence that he was good at exuding. It does take a while to get up to speed, but it's my kind of film and well worth an hour and an half.

Media

  • The Prisoner of Zenda poster
  • The Prisoner of Zenda poster
  • The Prisoner of Zenda poster
  • The Prisoner of Zenda poster
  • The Prisoner of Zenda poster

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Status
Released
Original Language
English
Budget
$1,700,000.00
Revenue
$5,600,000.00
Keywords
based on novel or bookkingdomheir to the thronemistaken identityremakeroyaltyidentity swapfictitious country