1937 - THE PRISONER OF ZENDA, good 1930's adventure/romance

Super producer David O. Selznick was probably at the height of his creative powers when he decided to take on this old warhorse of a story.  The Prisoner of Zenda is about duty, honor and saving the kingdom of Ruritania  from "Black Michael" the evil half brother of the future king.  The twist in this story is that an Englishman, Rudolf Rassendyll who just happens to be on vacation in Ruritania, is a dead ringer for the future King.  When the future King is kidnapped Rudolf Rassendyll saves the day by impersonating him since he is now The Prisoner of Zenda.  Rassendyll rescues the King, foils the evildoers and rides off into the sunset.

This is an enjoyable 1930's film that plays very well.  David O. Selznick wasn't a successful producer for nothing.  He spent lavishly on a good cast, hired one of the best cinematographers in Hollywood, James Wong Howe and had a number of good writers adapt the book into an entertaining piece of Hollywood hokum.  The film is a very good looking production with excellent sets and costumes.

 

The film's cast starts with Ronald Colman (of the mellow voice) in the dual role of Rudolph Rassendyll and the King.  The stunning Madeline Caroll is what else, a princess who Rasendyll falls in love with.  Raymond Massey is the evil half brother "Black" Michael, Mary Astor is his French mistress and probably the actor having the most fun, Douglas Fairbanks Jr. is the witty villain Rupert of Hentau who gets all the best dialog.  

 

As was the way with Selznick who was somewhat of a perfectionist, he used three different directors during the film.  John Cromwell who filmed most of the story.  George Cukor who filmed the love scenes and W.S. Van Dyke who filmed the sword fight at the end.  Selznick also switched cinematographers during filming and dropped an epilogue that would have been a downer for the end of the film.

You can criticize the incredible plot of this film but you sure can't argue that this is a superb Hollywood production.

The film has a lot of writers as was the Selznick way.  Wells Roo, Donald Ogden Stewart, Ben Hecht, Sidney Howard and John L. Balderston.  The running time is 101 minutes.