The Prisoner of Zenda (1952) DVD5 Untouched - Stewart Granger, Deborah Kerr [DDR]

The Prisoner of Zenda is a 1952 film version of the classic novel of the same name by Anthony Hope and a remake of the famous 1937 film version. 
This version was made by Loew's and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, directed by Richard Thorpe and produced by Pandro S. Berman.

The screenplay, attributed to Noel Langley, was nearly word-for-word identical to the one used in the 1937 version, which was by John L. Balderston, adapted by Wells Root, from the Hope novel and the stage play by Edward Rose, with additional dialogue by Donald Ogden Stewart.

The film stars Stewart Granger, Deborah Kerr and James Mason with Louis Calhern, Robert Douglas, Jane Greer and Robert Coote.
Alfred Newman's 1937 music score was adapted by Conrad Salinger, since Newman was unavailable to work on the film; and the cinematography by Joseph Ruttenberg. The art direction was by Cedric Gibbons and Hans Peters and the costume design by Walter Plunkett.

    CAST:-
    Stewart Granger as Rudolf Rassendyl/King Rudolf V
    Deborah Kerr as Princess Flavia. Jean Simmons, who was married to Granger at the time, and Eleanor Parker were considered for the role.
    James Mason as Rupert of Hentzau. Richard Greene was to have portrayed Rupert, but had a scheduling conflict.
    Louis Calhern as Colonel Zapt
    Robert Coote as Fritz von Tarlenheim
    Robert Douglas as Michael, Duke of Strelsau
    Jane Greer as Antoinette de Mauban
    Lewis Stone as the Cardinal. Stone played the dual lead role in the 1922 silent version.

Directed by Richard Thorpe
Produced by Pandro S. Berman
Written by Edward Rose, Wells Root, Noel Langley
Music by Alfred Newman
Running time 96 minutes

MOVIE REVIEW:- The Prisoner of Zenda (1952)
Mistaken identity and underhanded dealings set the stage for this adventure story based on Anthony Hope's classic novel. Rudolph Rassendyll (Stewart Granger) is a British tourist visiting the nation of Ruritania in the Balkans. A number of people comment upon Rassendyll's remarkable resemblance to Prince Rudolph, who in a matter of days is to be crowned the nation's new king, and the prince's staff even arranges a meeting between the two men. But Rudolph's devious brother believes it is he who should be the king, and he arranges for Prince Rudolph to be poisoned the night before his coronation. Desperate, Rudolph's minders beg Rassendyll to participate in the ceremony in Rudolph's place so that the usurper cannot take the throne. Rassendyll agrees, and the ceremony goes off without a hitch, but when the brother's men discover this subterfuge, they imprison the real Prince as they threaten to reveal the secret of the new "king." Rassendyll's dilemma is compounded when he finds himself falling in love with Princess Flavia (Deborah Kerr), Rudolph's intended. This was the fourth screen adaptation of The Prisoner of Zenda; a fifth, which focused on the tale's comic possibilities, starred Peter Sellers and was released in 1979

Men may come and men may go—as Presidential candidates or what—but there seems to be no termination to the longevity of "The Prisoner of Zenda" of Anthony Hope. This original Ruritanian romance, which was published first in 1894 and has already had three expensive and historic productions in films, is now in its fourth regeneration on the Capitol Theatre's screen, by courtesy of the bold and munificent escort service of M-G-M. And decked but this time in Technicolor, with Stewart Granger as its brave, swashbuckling star, it looks quite as youthful and unblushing as if it bore not the slightest trace of age.

As a matter of fact, the illusion of the recklessness of hot, romantic youth is by far the most concrete satisfaction that this fabulous period film achieves. For, of course, its fantastic story of the English gentleman who stands in for the bibulous heir (his secret cousin) to a Graustarkian monarchy and thereby encounters wild adventures and a princess beyond all compare is as obvious and fustian a fable as is hallowed upon the screen. And its pretense of idea love relinquished is pretty quaint in this realistic day.

But the deathless potential of this idyll is in the glowing opportunities it provides for sweeping pictorial action in a regal heroic style. And it is this untarnished potential that has been seized upon by M-G-M, by Producer Pandro Berman and Director Richard Thorpe. Although the script is essentially the same as was happily used in the production which David O. Selznick turned out some fifteen years ago, the romance is overpowered by action, the sentiment by play with the sword. Rudolf bears stronger resemblance to Douglas Fairbanks than he does to Romeo.

And Mr. Granger (or his athletic double in the more demanding scenes) is obviously the fellow who can master the verisimilitude. He has the build of an athlete, a chest that can proudly be exposed and the face of a dauntless Adonis who gallantly leaps to muscular deeds. Fortunately, he doesn't brandish his pearly teeth as much as he did in "Scaramouche," but he has no inhibitions with the cutlass and the dirk. His climactic battle with James Mason, who is sheer Machiavelli in the role of the treacherous Rupert of Hentzau, is the dandiest excitement in the film. It matches in leaping virtuosity that terminal duel in "Scaramouche."

As the beautiful Princess Flavia Deborah Kerr is winsome and warm and Jane Greer is appropriately hot-headed as the familiar femme fatale. Louis Calhern is lordly and formidable as the loyal authoritarian, Colonel Zapt, and Robert Douglas is grim and malignant as Black Michael, the fable'sdupe. But it is Mr. Granger as the two Rudolfs, the gallant gentleman and the feeble, sodden heir, who combines with Mr. Mason in making this "Prisoner of Zenda" spin. Theirs is the sort of play-acting that defies the solemnities of time, the smirks of sophistication and the rigidities of age.

PRODUCTION NOTES:-
This version of The Prisoner of Zenda used the same shooting script as the 1937 David O. Selznick film directed by John Cromwell and starring Ronald Colman and Madeleine Carroll. Slight variations in the screenplay were added by Noel Langley. In addition to the dialogue, the same film score, composed by Alfred Newman for the 1937 version, was also used for this version. A comparison of the two films reveals that settings and camera angles, in most cases, are the same.

According to a Hollywood Reporter news item, MGM was to pay Selznick USD $225,000 for the remake rights to the novel and the play by Edward Rose.

In 1999, blacklisted writer Donald Ogden Stewart, who was credited with additional dialogue on the 1937 production, was given a restored credit for the 1952 film.

Director Richard Thorpe and producer Pandro S. Berman had previously collaborated on Ivanhoe (1952) and, in addition to The Prisoner of Zenda, would go on to team up again in All the Brothers Were Valiant (1953), Knights of the Round Table (1953), The Adventures of Quentin Durward, (1955) and Jailhouse Rock (1957)

According to MGM records the film earned $2,078,000 in North America and $3,550,000 elsewhere, making an overall profit of $1,759,000.

A direct remake of the John Balderston screenplay for the 1937 classic that was in turn adapted from a novel by Anthony Hope, The Prisoner of Zenda is a fast-paced adventure that follows the exploits of a brave hero who is asked to masquerade as a king who has secretly been kidnapped. During the ruse, he finds himself falling in love with the queen and this creates all sorts of problems. 

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:-
Video Codec: MPEG-2
Video Bitrate: 6615 kbps
Video Resolution: 720x480
Video Aspect Ratio: 1.333:1
Frames Per Second: 29.970
Audio Codec:  AC3
Audio Bitrate: 192kb/s CBR 48000 Hz
Audio Streams:  1
Audio Languages: English
RunTime 96 mins
Subtitles: NONE
Ripped by: Trinidad [DDR]