The Prisoner of Zenda (1937 film)
The Prisoner of Zenda | |
---|---|
Alfred Newman | |
Production company | |
Distributed by | United Artists |
Release date |
|
Running time | 101 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $1,250,000[1] |
Box office | $2.5 million (U.S. and Canada rentals)[2] |
The Prisoner of Zenda is a 1937 American black-and-white adventure film based on Anthony Hope's 1894 novel of the same name and the 1896 play. A lookalike has to step in when his royal distant relative is kidnapped to prevent his coronation. This version is widely considered the best of the many film adaptations of the novel and play.
The film stars Ronald Colman, Madeleine Carroll and Douglas Fairbanks Jr., with a supporting cast including C. Aubrey Smith, Raymond Massey, Mary Astor and David Niven. It was directed by John Cromwell, produced by David O. Selznick for Selznick International Pictures and distributed by United Artists. The screenplay was written by John L. Balderston, adapted by Wells Root from the novel, with dramatization by Edward Rose; Donald Ogden Stewart was responsible for additional dialogue and Ben Hecht and Sidney Howard made uncredited contributions.
Plot
In June 1897, English gentleman Rudolf Rassendyll (Colman) takes a fishing vacation in a small country somewhere between Vienna and Bucharest (unnamed in the film; Ruritania in the novel). He is puzzled by the odd reactions of the natives to him. Rassendyll discovers why when he meets Colonel Zapt and Captain Fritz von Tarlenheim. Zapt introduces him to the soon-to-be-crowned king, Rudolph V (Colman again), a distant relative who looks just like him (except for the Englishman's beard). This was possibly due to acquaintance between the king’s great-great-great-grandfather and Rassendyll’s great-great-great-grandmother. The king, astounded and amused by the close resemblance, takes a great liking to the Englishman.
They celebrate their acquaintance by drinking late into the night. Rudolph is particularly delighted with the bottle of wine sent to him by his half-brother, Duke Michael, so much so that he drinks it all himself. The next morning brings a disastrous discovery: the wine was drugged. Rudolph cannot be awakened, and if he cannot attend his coronation that day, Michael will try to usurp the throne. Michael is bitterly jealous that he, though older than Rudolph, is not the heir to the throne because his mother was not of royal blood (which had made her unacceptable with court circles). Zapt convinces a reluctant Rassendyll to impersonate Rudolf for the ceremony.
With the coronation accomplished, Rassendyll returns to resume his real identity, only to find the king has been abducted by Rupert of Hentzau, Michael's chief henchman. Rassendyll is forced to continue the impersonation while Zapt searches for Rudolph; however, Michael cannot denounce the masquerade without incriminating himself or even allow Rudolph to be killed while Rassendyll carries on the deception.
Rassendyll meets Rudolph's betrothed, Princess Flavia, at the coronation and becomes enamored of her. She had always detested her cousin Rudolph, but now finds him greatly changed, very much for the better in her opinion. After spending time together, they fall in love.
Help finding the king's whereabouts comes from an unexpected quarter. In order for Michael to secure his claim to the throne, he must marry his cousin Flavia. Antoinette de Mauban, Michael's French mistress, does not want this and promises to help rescue the king in exchange for Michael's life. She tells Rassendyll that Rudolf is being held in Michael's castle near Zenda. Since the king would be executed at the first sign of a rescue attempt, Antoinette insists that one man must swim across the moat and hold off his would-be assassins until loyal troops storm the castle. Rassendyll decides that he is that man, over Zapt's strenuous objections.
Their plans go awry when Michael discovers Rupert trying to seduce his mistress. In the ensuing struggle, Rupert stabs Michael to death. A heartbroken Antoinette blurts out enough to alert Rupert to his danger. Rassendyll kills two guards, but must fight a prolonged duel with Rupert, while at the same time attempting to cut a rope to lower the drawbridge for Zapt and his men. When he finally succeeds, Rupert flees.
With King Rudolph restored to his throne, Rassendyll tries to persuade Flavia to leave with him. Both confess their love for each other, but her devotion to duty is too great, and their parting is bittersweet. Later, Zapt and von Tarlenheim escort Rassendyll as far as the border where they exchange their farewells and congratulations. As Rassendyll was to ride off, Zapt complements him as the finest Elphberg of them all.
Cast
- Ronald Colman as Major Rassendyll and the "Prisoner of Zenda" (King Rudolf V)
- Madeleine Carroll as Princess Flavia
- Douglas Fairbanks Jr. as Rupert of Hentzau
- C. Aubrey Smith as Colonel Zapt
- Raymond Massey as Duke Michael
- Mary Astor as Antoinette de Mauban
- David Niven as Captain Fritz von Tarlenheim
Unbilled:
- Montagu Love as Detchard, one of Michael's henchmen
- William von Brinckenas Kraftstein
- Florence Roberts as Duenna
- Torben Meyer as Max, the butler
- Lawrence Grant as Marshal Strakencz
- Ralph Faulkner as Bersonin
- Byron Foulger as Master Johann
- Howard Lang as Josef, a murdered servant
- Alexander D'Arcy as De Gautet
- Boyd Irwin as Master of ceremonies
- Emmett King as Lord High Chamberlain
- Al Shean as Orchestra leader
- Charles Halton as Customs official who checks Rassendyll's passport
- Spencer Charters as Porter
- Henry Roquemore as Station master
- Lillian Harmer as Station attendant
Production
Douglas Fairbanks Jr. initially wanted to play Rudolf, but when the role went to Colman, his father, Douglas Fairbanks, told him "not only is The Prisoner of Zenda one of the best romances written in a hundred years and always a success, but Rupert of Hentzau is probably one of the best villains ever written".[3]
When the play opened in London in January 1896, C. Aubrey Smith played the dual lead roles. Massey asked Smith for advice and was told, "My dear Ray, in my time I have played every part in The Prisoner of Zenda except Princess Flavia. And I always had trouble with Black Michael!"[3]
The
Former Prince of Sweden Sigvard Bernadotte was working in Hollywood at the time and was credited as a technical advisor.
This production was "one of the last great gatherings of the Hollywood English" before
It was considered a difficult shoot.
A prologue and an epilogue were shot, but never used. The prologue has an elderly Rassendyll recounting his adventures in his
Reception
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (November 2014) |
The film earned a profit of $182,000.[1]
Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes gives the film an approval rating of 100%, with an average rating of 8.5/10, based on 10 reviews.[10]
Legacy
In 1947, Selznick announced he would make a sequel based on a play adaptation of Rupert of Hentzau, starring Joseph Cotten as King Rudolph/Rudolph, Louis Jourdan and Alida Valli.[11] The film was never made.
Colman, Smith and Fairbanks reprised their roles for a 1939 episode of
The 1952 film of the same name is virtually a shot-by-shot remake, reusing the same shooting script, dialogue, and film score, but in Technicolor. A comparison of the two films reveals that settings and camera angles, in most cases, are the same.[12] Halliwell judged it "no match for the happy inspiration of the original".[9]
In popular culture
The entire Potsdorf sequence in Blake Edwards' The Great Race (1965) is an homage to (or parody of) The Prisoner Of Zenda. Jack Lemmon plays the roles of the doubles (Professor Fate and Prince Hapnik); Tony Curtis is the swashbuckler (Leslie Gallant lll, a/k/a The Great Leslie), crossing swords with Baron Rolfe von Stuppe, Ross Martin's answer to Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.'s Rupert of Hentzau.
Two episodes of the spoof spy
During pre-production of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, director Nicholas Meyer asked costume designer Robert Fletcher to design new Starfleet uniforms inspired by the uniforms worn in The Prisoner of Zenda. The resulting uniform costumes appeared in six Star Trek films in total, from The Wrath of Khan through Star Trek Generations.[13]
In the season 4 episode "Sleeping With the Enemy" of the television series
"The Prisoner of Benda" is the ninety-eighth episode of the animated television series Futurama.
In DC comic book Blades supervillain Cavalier has the poster of The Prisoner of Zenda in his hideout.[14]
References
- ^ a b David Thomson, Showman: The Life of David O. Selznick, Abacus, 1993 p 262
- ISSN 0042-2738.
- ^ ISBN 0-385-17404-7.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-86105-807-2
- ^ "AFI|Catalog".
- ^ "robust sword play" is singled out for praise in VideoHound's Golden Movie Retriever 2008, Visible Ink Press 978-0787689810
- ^ p. 113 Behlmer, Rudy & Selznick, David O. Memo from David O. Selznick Modern Library, 7 Mar 2000
- ISBN 978-0-00-726080-5
- ^ ISBN 978-0-00-726080-5
- ^ "The Prisoner of Zenda". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on 26 January 2009. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
- ^ Thomas F. Brady (March 1, 1947). "Cotten to Appear in Selznick Film: Actor Will Play Dual Role in 'Rupert of Hentzau,' Which Producer Is Remaking". The New York Times.
- ^ Thomas F. Brady (30 May 1951). "Metro is Planning Remake of 'Zenda': Stewart Granger Would Have Leading Role in New Version of Anthony Hope's Novel Of Local Origin". The New York Times.
- ^ "ScienceFictionArchives.com". "Pavel Chekov's officer costume". Retrieved 29 October 2012.
- ^ Baytor, I. M. (2015-08-20). "The Mark of Zorro". Gotham Calling. Retrieved 2022-12-13.
External links
- The Prisoner of Zenda at the TCM Movie Database
- The Prisoner of Zenda at IMDb
- The Prisoner of Zenda at AllMovie
- The Prisoner of Zenda at the American Film Institute Catalog
- The Prisoner of Zenda on Lux Radio Theater: June 5, 1939
- The Prisoner of Zenda on Academy Award Theater: July 17, 1946
- The Prisoner of Zenda on Screen Directors Playhouse: February 20, 1949