Themes: Twins and Lookalikes, Assumed Identities, Crowned Heads
Main Cast: Stewart Granger, Deborah Kerr, James Mason, Louis Calhern, Jane Greer, Lewis Stone
Release Year: 1952
Country: US
Run Time: 101 minutes
Plot
Mistaken identity and underhanded dealings set the stage for this adventure story based on Anthony Hope's classic novel. Rudolph Rassendyll (Stewart Granger) is a British tourist visiting the nation of Ruritania in the Balkans. A number of people comment upon Rassendyll's remarkable resemblance to Prince Rudolph, who in a matter of days is to be crowned the nation's new king, and the prince's staff even arranges a meeting between the two men. But Rudolph's devious brother believes it is he who should be the king, and he arranges for Prince Rudolph to be poisoned the night before his coronation. Desperate, Rudolph's minders beg Rassendyll to participate in the ceremony in Rudolph's place so that the usurper cannot take the throne. Rassendyll agrees, and the ceremony goes off without a hitch, but when the brother's men discover this subterfuge, they imprison the real Prince as they threaten to reveal the secret of the new "king." Rassendyll's dilemma is compounded when he finds himself falling in love with Princess Flavia (Deborah Kerr), Rudolph's intended. This was the fourth screen adaptation of The Prisoner of Zenda; a fifth, which focused on the tale's comic possibilities, starred Peter Sellers and was released in 1979. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Review
Hollywood was so pleased with the critical and box-office success of The Prisoner of Zenda in 1937 that it decided to do it again 15 years later. The ambitious, big-budget remake was slavishly faithful to the original, with screenwriter John Balderston taking a major hand in both. The adventure saga is about an Englishman posing as the ruler of a small country and falling in love with the queen. Though all the technical details are well realized, some of the liveliness of the 1937 version is missing. Stewart Granger, James Mason, and Deborah Kerr have the lead roles. Lewis Stone, who starred in the 1922 silent version, plays a church official. One more attempt was made to film the story in 1979, with Peter Sellers adding more comic touches and playing a dual role, but that version was a flop. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
Robert Douglas - Michael, Duke of Strelsau; Robert Coote - Fritz von Tarlenheim; Peter Brocco - Johann; Francis Pierlot - Josef; Jay Adler - Customs officer (uncredited); Eric Alden - Krafstein; Guy Bellis - Lord Chamberlain; Mary Carroll - German Wife; Frank Elliott; Kathleen Freeman - Gertrude; Thomas Brown Henry - Detchard; George Lewis; Doris Lloyd - Ambassador's Wife; Peter Mamakos - De Gautet; Paul Marion - Guard; Alphonse Martell; Joseph Mell - R.R. Guard; Forbes Murray - Nobleman with Cardinal; Alex Pope - Husband; Hugh Prosser - Uhlan Guard; Gordon Richards - Dignitary; Steve Roberts - Lauengram; Victor Romito - Aide; Elizabeth Slifer - Woman; Michael Vallon - Assistant Passport Official; Peter J. Votrian - Newsboy; Charles Watts - Porter; Bud Wolfe - Bersonin; Stanley Logan - British Ambassador; John W. Goldsworthy - Archbishop; Manuel Paris - Nobleman; George Slocum - Sandwich Vendor; Bruce Payne - Court Chamberlain
This version of The Prisoner of Zenda used the same shooting script as the 1937 David O. Selznick film directed by John Cromwell and starring Ronald Colman and Madeleine Carroll. Slight variations in the screenplay were added by Noel Langley. In addition to the dialogue, the same film score, composed by Alfred Newman for the 1937 version, was also used for this version. A comparison of the two films reveals that settings and camera angles, in most cases, are the same.
According to a Hollywood Reporter news item, MGM was to pay Selznick USD $225,000 for the remake rights to the novel and the play by Edward Rose.
In 1999, blacklisted writer Donald Ogden Stewart, who was credited with additional dialogue on the 1937 production, was given a restored credit for the 1952 film.
Rough Ridin' (with John P. McCarthy) •Rarin' to Go •Battling Buddy •Fast and Fearless •Hard Hittin' Hamilton •Rip Roarin' Roberts •Bringin' Home the Bacon •Thundering Romance •Gold and Grit •Full Speed •Fast Fightin' •On the Go •Double Action Daniels •Quicker 'n Lightnin' •Tearin' Loose •The Desert Demon •Saddle Cyclone •Galloping On •A Streak of Luck •The Last Card •The Roaring Rider •Trumpin' Trouble •The Fighting Cheat •Coming an' Going •The Twin Triggers •Deuce High •Easy Going •Rawhide •Speedy Spurs •Double Daring •The Dangerous Dub •Twisted Triggers •The Bonanza Buckaroo •College Days •Josselyn's Wife •The Bandit Buster •The First Night •The Cyclone Cowboy •Between Dangers •The Galloping Gobs •Tearin' Into Trouble •The Ridin' Rowdy •The Meddlin' Stranger •Pals in Peril •Skedaddle Gold •White Pebbles •The Interferin' Gent •The Soda Water Cowboy •Ride 'em High •The Obligin' Buckaroo •Roarin' Broncs •The Desert of the Lost •The Ballyhoo Buster •Desperate Courage •The Cowboy Cavalier •The Valley of Hunted Men •Saddle Mates •Flyin' Buckaroo •The Bachelor Girl •Border Romance
1930s
The Dude Wrangler •Wings of Adventures •The Thoroughbred •Under Montana Skies •The Utah Kid •The Lawless Woman •The Sky Spider •The Lady from Nowhere •Wild Horse •Grief Street •Neck and Neck •Forgotten Women •The Devil Plays •Cross Examination •Murder at Dawn •Probation •Escapade •The Midnight Lady •Forbidden Company •Beauty Parlor •Thrill of Youth •The King Murder •Slightly Married •Women Won't Tell •Secrets of Wu Sin •Forgotten •Love Is Dangerous •I Have Lived •Strange People •Notorious But Nice •A Man of Sentiment •Murder on the Campus •Rainbow Over Broadway •The Quitter •Stolen Sweets •City Park •Green Eyes •Cheating Cheaters •Secret of the Chateau •Strange Wives •Last of the Pagans •The Voice of Bugle Ann •Tarzan Escapes •Dangerous Number •Night Must Fall •Double Wedding •Man-Proof •Love Is a Headache •The First Hundred Years •The Toy Wife •The Crowd Roars •Three Loves Has Nancy •The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn •Tarzan Finds a Son!
