The Prisoner(s) of Zenda

Ronald Colman (1937) and Stewart Granger (1952).

When is a movie a sequel or just another adaptation of the same literary source? That can be a complex question, but it's not in the case of 1952's The Prisoner of Zenda. MGM's lavish costume adventure is a remake in every sense of the word. It uses the same screenplay and the same music score as David O. Selznick's 1937 The Prisoner of Zenda.

Both films are based on Anthony Hope's popular 1894 novel. Its plot concerns an English gentleman named Rudolf Rassendyll who, while vacationing in the fictional country of Ruritania, discovers he bears a striking resemblance to a distant cousin: the soon-to-be crowned King Rudolf V. When the king is kidnapped by his treacherous half-brother on the eve of his coronation, Rassendyll is persuaded to impersonate the king to prevent political chaos. With the help of two of  loyal advisors, Rassendyll navigates the perilous court politics, tries to figure out how to rescue the king, and falls in love with Princess Flavia, the king's betrothed. 

The plot doesn’t hold up to much scrutiny, of course. It’s a fanciful tale that blends romance and swashbuckling effectively, though in uneven portions. Each film devotes about a third of its running time to the romance between Rudolf and Flavia. That subplot gets cast aside, though, when our hero hatches a scheme to save the king from Black Michael, the evil half-brother. A longer running time—to develop the love story and gallant adventure in equal measure—might have improved both versions of The Prisoner of Zenda. Still, considering their overall entertainment value, such criticism may seem a minor quibble.

Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. and James Mason play Rupert of Hentzau.

So, which movie is the better Prisoner of Zenda? I give the 1937 film the edge—but just barely. Ronald Colman is perfectly cast in the dual roles of king and cousin. He gets outstanding support from Raymond Massey as Michael and Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. as his opportunistic, rakish henchman. Madeleine Carroll makes a classy Flavia, but her scenes with Colman could use more passion.

Deborah Kerr as Flavia.

In contrast, Deborah Kerr shines brightly as Flavia in the 1952 movie and generates plenty of sparks with co-star Stewart Granger. The latter may lack Colman’s acting chops, but he makes a likable, charming hero. James Mason matches Fairbanks, Jr. as the henchman Rupert of Hentzau. However, instead of a rakish rogue, his Rupert is delightfully threatening and contemptible. The color photography is a bonus, too, adding some MGM glitter to the coronation and the royal ball scenes.

There have been numerous other adaptations of Anthony Hope’s novel, including a silent film with Ramon Novarro, a TV version starring Christopher Plummer, and a big screen comedy with Peter Sellers. The TV series Get Smart parodied Zenda in the episode “The King Lives.” It featured Don Adams doing a memorable impersonation of Ronald Colman and Johnny Carson in a cameo role as a footman.