pepe4u22 This movie is everything one wants in a movie action, romance, intrigue and this production hits it one the nose. The story is set in a kingdom where their is intrigue behind the proclamation of the new king. The story involves the man who would be king, his evil half brother and an interloper who is related distantly. Well the movie moves with speed and elan the princess is gorgeous and beguiling. The fight scenes are ripe with flare and bravado. The acting superb by the leads and the supporting cast superb. This movie is in the grandest stage of classic movie making as it takes good story material and makes it alive. To me as an avid movie watcher this is why sometimes older movies are great as the story and production are memorable unlike too many movies of this generation which seem to much copy and paste and generic.

Goingbegging No coincidence that this film about a negligent, pleasure-loving monarch should have appeared in 1937. It was actually meant to point a discreet finger at the fugitive King Edward VIII, with war fast approaching, and notions of duty and leadership suddenly front-of-mind.This was not the first or last dramatisation of the Anthony Hope novel that put Ruritania on the map - feeding a strong psychological need to believe in a recent, yet quite mythical age 'when history still wore a rose'.The mythology is easy to sneer-at now, with an imaginary Balkan state rescued from anarchy by clean-limbed young English-speakers professing the public-school virtues of decency and fair play. But this film was unusually blessed - in the eyes of the viewing public, if not of the production team. And whatever the backstage disagreements, it must go down as a triumph of casting and direction.At its heart was the well-kept and photogenic Ronald Colman, still just young enough to play the suitor, and somehow able to conceal the limp that came with his war-wound, while at least looking as though he was fencing as nimbly and wholeheartedly as the best of them.Colman arrives in Ruritania as an English sporting gent (Rassendyll), hoping for a few days' fishing. But he soon learns that he is the split-image of his distant cousin, the new King, due to be crowned next day. By chance, he is introduced to the King, who is greatly amused at meeting his own double, and entertains him to a lavish dinner, where the King is the only one left awake to drink the drugged wine, sent by his jealous half-brother Michael (Raymond Massey).It is betraying no more than the obvious, if we reveal that the King is not capable of attending his own coronation, and Rassendyll is put under pressure to dress-up and be crowned in his place, while the King is recovering.But if only it were that simple...Along the way, we get Douglas Fairbanks Jr. in his greatest film role as Michael's swashbuckling sidekick Rupert, competing for Mary Astor in her most glamorous appearance as Michael's lover; and Madeleine Carroll, a vision of loveliness and virtue as the future Queen. All presided-over by Aubrey Smith, the ex-England cricketer whose weekend matches so intrigued Hollywood, and brought attention to the young David Niven, who plays his deputy, Fritz.The near-perfect direction is spoiled by three things. Towards the climax, we can't quite keep up with the intricacies of the sub-plot, or grasp which location we're at (mostly outdoors at night). When it comes to the duelling scenes, the dialogue is even more bogus than you expect, with too many comic-strip challenges to chivalric honour. And the final scene between Rudolf and Flavia is disappointingly mechanical and rushed, as their earlier scenes are not.Overall, though, this film manages to distil its various elements into something bigger than just Danubian waltzes and duels - a rare cinematic moment, never to be eclipsed.

Lechuguilla A lookalike cousin comes in handy when a king-in-waiting falls victim to tainted wine. Lots of pomp and ceremonial ritual add luster to this romantic adventure, set in Europe in the late nineteenth century.A convincing performance by Ronald Colman in dual roles helps. C. Aubrey Smith plays his usual gruff self, as Col. Zapt, who masterminds the devious scheme to prevent a villainous brother, effectively played by Raymond Massey, from ascending the throne. The impersonation plot has just enough suspense and humor to hold one's interest.There's more than a hint of romanticized nostalgia in the tone, helped along by regal background music. Consistent with the styles and customs of that historical era, costumes trend stiff and formal. B&W cinematography is quite impressive. Some scenes have a medieval look and feel, especially that island castle.The fencing match is stagy but fun. Both men seem to enjoy fighting to the death, exchanging clever quips. "Stand still and fight, you coward", says one character. His opponent responds: "Bad tempered fellow, aren't you, underneath the charm". This match goes on for several minutes, and is played in a tongue-in-cheek manner.For romantics everywhere, "The Prisoner Of Zenda" is a timeless classic. It's movie making in the old fashioned way, with a clever story, good acting, and some fine camera work.

Daniel Kincaid In "The Prisoner of Zenda", a British major impersonates a foreign king to save his station. The film starts as more of a drama film and makes a transition to action film near the end. It also features nice sets in the old Hollywood style and an appropriate score.The film's cast delivers great performances. Ronald Colman is charming as Major Rudolf Rassendyll. Madeleine Carroll plays Princess Flavia, who is slated to marry the king. Colman and Carroll have chemistry together and nicely develop a relationship. C. Aubrey Smith is well-cast to play the part of Colonel Zapt, the king's loyal helper, and David Niven has a small role, also on the king's support staff. Douglas Fairbanks Jr. creates a memorable villain as the brazen and obnoxious but somewhat clever Rupert of Hentzau. Raymond Massey is decent as the other main villain, Michael, but not on par with Fairbanks.The start of the movie develops the film's premise and then the characters. The film mostly has an interesting story and clever dialogue,but it does have some slower spots in the middle. However, the film makes a transition to an action-oriented approach near the end. This was appropriate and in particular there was one duel with some amusing banter that was a highlight of the action. The film culminates in a satisfactory conclusion and is overall worth seeing for its premise, characters, dialogue and action toward the end.