The Prisoner of Zenda

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Royal pageantry! Forbidden romance! Intrigue! Skullduggery! Bad wine! A castle complete with moat, drawbridge, dank dungeon, and a raft of evildoers! Gunplay! Swordplay! Knifeplay! Horseplay! Waltzing! Fishing! Please be sure your swashes are buckled.

The story: Brit Rudolf Rassendyll is off to Ruritania for a spot of fishing. But he's blissfully unaware that, thanks to a spot of royal indiscretion in the distant past, he's a dead ringer for the about-to-be King Rudolf V. The Rudolfs meet and carouse on the eve of the coronation, but soon the King falls victim to the insidious plot of his half-brother Michael; Rassendyll must impersonate the King to prevent the kingdom falling into the hands of the would-be usurper.

This is really a lot of fun. Ronald Coleman plays the two Rudolfs, C. Aubrey Smith and David Niven his loyal allies, and Madeleine Carroll plays gorgeous Princess Flavia, torn between true love and royal duty. Scheming Michael is played by Raymond Massey; he's assisted by Rupert of Hentzau (Douglas Fairbanks Jr.), a charming but murderous psychopath.

The flip side of the DVD has the 1952 version of the movie. I'll report back on that soon.


Last Modified 2024-01-31 5:34 AM EDT