"Fate doesn't always make the right men kings ..."
Plot: When Englishman Rudolf Rassendyll comes to Ruritania for a fishing trip, he accidentally meets the Crown Prince Rudolf V, who is his distant relative and exact double. Prince Rudolf is to be crowned king the next day, but at the hunting-lodge party he throws for Rassendyll, he serves so much wine that everyone falls asleep. The next morning, the Prince does not wake up; and his bodyguards, Colonel Zapt and Captain Fritz von Tarlenheim, know that the Prince's wine was drugged by his wicked half-brother, Duke Michael, to prevent him from being crowned king that day.
Colonel Zapt thinks quickly, and begs Rassendyll to take the Prince's place at the ceremony, just until the Prince awakes. Rassendyll agrees; but although the coronation passes without incident, Rassendyll quickly realizes that he's involved much deeper than he realized - not only does he immediately fall deeply in love with the beautiful Princess Flavia, Rudolf's betrothed, but when Colonel Zapt goes to fetch the Prince, he has already been kidnapped by Duke Michael! With the Duke wise to the plan, how will Rassendyll keep up his ruse and save the throne?
Cast:
Rudolf Rassendyll - Ronald Colman
Prince Rudolf V - Ronald Colman
Princess Flavia - Madeleine Carrol
Duke Michael - Raymond Massey
Rupert - Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.
Colonel Zapt - C. Aubrey Smith
Captain Fritz von Tarlenheim - David Niven
Antoinette de Mauban - Mary Astor
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High Points:
- Gripping, intense, suspenseful plot with unexpected twists and surprises
- Star-studded cast that handles the story brilliantly
- High-budget film with lavish cinematography, beautiful costumes, and realistic props and scenery
- Excellent mix of swashbuckling action, suspenseful dialogue, and poignant romance
- Swordfights!
Could Be Better:
- If you're a hopeless romantic like me, you won't like the ending. :-}
Possible Concerns:
- The consumption of wine is central to one of the first scenes, since it is the drugged wine that starts the plot rolling. As long as you know that the point of this scene is Rudolf's being drugged, as well as to point out his irresponsible and thoughtless personality, you can skip this part without missing anything crucial.
- Duke Michael's henchman, Rupert, is in love with Michael's lover Antoinette, and she uses his attraction during the escape scene to lure him into her rooms so Rassendyll can rescue the Prince. All he does once he gets there is kiss her, but if the idea makes you uncomfortable, it also can be easily skipped, as it is very brief and not essential to the plot.
Vicki's Vote: 6/5!
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Review: The Prisoner of Zenda is one of my new all-time favorite movies! I had heard of the book but never read it; I knew it was supposed to be very exciting, so when I saw a version made in the 1930's, and then saw so many of my favorite actors in the cast, I decided to give it a try. I'm very glad I did!
On the surface, this seems like a typical action-adventure movie. Because of this, I was surprised at how much depth of emotion there was in this movie. Rassendyll goes through many powerful emotions as he is yanked from a peaceful fishing trip to the throne room of Ruritania in one day, and he struggles to evade Michael's net, learns to love the sweet and beautiful Princess Flavia, fights through obstacles to get to the Prince, and wrestles with his own knowledge that someday he must give up the throne to its rightful owner. I had never seen Ronald Colman in any movies before, and I was pleasantly surprised by the depth of emotion he could convey in his face (a key criteria on whether I like an actor/actress).
The ending scene between Rassendyll and Princess Flavia is one of the most powerful I have seen in a long time. Rassendyll says one of the most beautiful lines in film: "There's a world out there, our world; and there's a home for you, and a throne - a woman's throne, in my heart."
I also enjoyed the performances of the bad guys, Duke Michael (the creepy Raymond Massey) and Rupert (Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.). Duke Michael was calculating, always calm and in control with a scary coldness. Rupert, on the other hand, was roguishly charming and arrogant. Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. was only 28 years old when this movie was made, and he brings a lot of youthful enthusiasm and complexity to his role.
But even though there is depth to it, it's still a great, suspenseful action-adventure movie. You're really not sure how this movie is going to end, who is going to win each battle, or what Rassendyll is going to decide to do in the end. And there's something for everyone - do you like swordfights, gunfights, escape scenes, evil schemes, lavish royal balls, beautiful princesses, midnight rescues, or acrobatic stunts? Or any of the above? Then you will like this movie.
This movie is a must-see for any serious black-and-white movie critic. Not only is it based on a great work of literature, but the combination of plot and cast make it a truly exceptional movie.
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