The Prisoner of Zenda (1937)
Reference View | Change View
- Approved
- 1h 41min
- Adventure, Drama
- 03 Sep 1937 (USA)
- Movie
- Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 1 win & 1 nomination.
- See more »
Photos and Videos
Cast verified as complete
Ronald Colman | ... |
Major Rudolf Rassendyll / The Prisoner of Zenda
|
|
Madeleine Carroll | ... |
Princess Flavia
|
|
C. Aubrey Smith | ... |
Colonel Zapt
|
|
Raymond Massey | ... |
Black Michael
|
|
Mary Astor | ... |
Antoinette de Mauban
|
|
David Niven | ... |
Fritz von Tarlenheim
|
|
Douglas Fairbanks Jr. | ... |
Rupert of Hentzau
|
|
Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
Torben Meyer | ... |
Max
|
|
Evelyn Beresford | ... |
Lady Topham (uncredited)
|
|
Ricardo Lord Cezon | ... |
Little Boy (uncredited)
|
|
Spencer Charters | ... |
Railroad Porter (uncredited)
|
|
Sally Conlin | ... |
(uncredited)
|
|
D'Arcy Corrigan | ... |
Traveler (uncredited)
|
|
Bonnie Gaye Cowen | ... |
(uncredited)
|
|
Alexander D'Arcy | ... |
De Gautet (uncredited)
|
|
Billy Diamond | ... |
(uncredited)
|
|
Ralph Faulkner | ... |
Bersonin (uncredited)
|
|
Billy Finnegan | ... |
(uncredited)
|
|
Byron Foulger | ... |
Johann (uncredited)
|
|
Charles K. French | ... |
Bishop (uncredited)
|
|
Otto Fries | ... |
Luggage Officer (uncredited)
|
|
Lawrence Grant | ... |
Marshal Strakencz (uncredited)
|
|
Charles Halton | ... |
Passport Officer (uncredited)
|
|
Lillian Harmer | ... |
Traveler (uncredited)
|
|
Darryl Hickman | ... |
(uncredited)
|
|
Boyd Irwin | ... |
Master of Ceremonies (uncredited)
|
|
Emmett King | ... |
Lord High Chamberlain (uncredited)
|
|
Isabel La Mal | ... |
Traveler (uncredited)
|
|
Howard Lang | ... |
Josef (uncredited)
|
|
Montagu Love | ... |
Detchard (uncredited)
|
|
Ian Maclaren | ... |
Cardinal (uncredited)
|
|
Marilyn Marlin | ... |
(uncredited)
|
|
Dickie Meyers | ... |
(uncredited)
|
|
June Parkes | ... |
(uncredited)
|
|
Alexander Pollard | ... |
Court Officer (uncredited)
|
|
Russ Powell | ... |
Traveler (uncredited)
|
|
Henry Roquemore | ... |
Man with Female Traveler (uncredited)
|
|
Sam Savitsky | ... |
Announcer at Grand Ball (uncredited)
|
|
Al Shean | ... |
Orchestra Leader (uncredited)
|
|
Leslie Sketchley | ... |
Guard at Lodge (uncredited)
|
|
Philip Sleeman | ... |
Albert von Lauengram (uncredited)
|
|
Pat Somerset | ... |
Guard at Lodge (uncredited)
|
|
Count Stefenelli | ... |
Royal Subject (uncredited)
|
|
Wilhelm von Brincken | ... |
Krafstein (uncredited)
|
|
Ben Webster | ... |
Lord Topham (uncredited)
|
|
Eleanor Wesselhoeft | ... |
Frau Holf (uncredited)
|
Directed by
John Cromwell | ||
W.S. Van Dyke | ... | (uncredited) (reshoots) |
Written by
Anthony Hope | ... | (celebrated novel) |
John L. Balderston | ... | (screen play) |
Edward E. Rose | ... | (dramatization) (as Edward Rose) |
Wells Root | ... | (adaptation) |
Donald Ogden Stewart | ... | (additional dialogue) |
Ben Hecht | ... | () (uncredited) |
Sidney Howard | ... | () (uncredited) |
Produced by
David O. Selznick | ... | producer |
Music by
Alfred Newman |
Cinematography by
James Wong Howe | ... | (photography) |
Bert Glennon | ... | (uncredited) |
Editing by
James E. Newcom |
Editorial Department
Hal C. Kern | ... | supervising film editor |
Art Direction by
Lyle R. Wheeler | ... | (as Lyle Wheeler) |
Costume Design by
Ernest Dryden | ... | (as Ernst Dryden) |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Fred Spencer | ... | assistant director (as Frederick A.Spencer) |
George Cukor | ... | director: reshoots (uncredited) |
W.S. Van Dyke | ... | director: fencing sequences (uncredited) |
Art Department
Casey Roberts | ... | interior decoration |
Sound Department
Oscar Lagerstrom | ... | sound recordist |
Special Effects by
Jack Cosgrove | ... | special effects |
John M. Nickolaus | ... | special effects (uncredited) |
Harry Redmond Jr. | ... | special effects (uncredited) |
Stunts
Fred Cavens | ... | fencing stunts (uncredited) |
Ralph Faulkner | ... | fencing double (uncredited) |
Jean Heremans | ... | fencing master (uncredited) |
Dick Simmons | ... | stunt double: Ronald Colman (uncredited) |
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Eugene Joseff | ... | costume jeweller (uncredited) |
Music Department
Hugo Friedhofer | ... | composer: additional music (uncredited) / orchestrator (uncredited) |
Alfred Newman | ... | musical director (uncredited) |
Edward B. Powell | ... | orchestrator (uncredited) |
Additional Crew
Ivar Enhörning | ... | technical advisor (as Colonel Ivar Enhorning) |
Prince Sigvard Bernadotte | ... | technical advisor |
William H. Wright | ... | assistant to producer |
Russell Birdwell | ... | publicity chief (uncredited) |
Production Companies
- Selznick International Pictures (presents)
Distributors
- United Artists (1937) (United States) (theatrical) (released by)
- United Artists (1937) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
- Les Artistes Associés (1937) (France) (theatrical)
- United Artists (1938) (Belgium) (theatrical)
- Loet C. Barnstijn's Standaard Films (1938) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
- United Artists (1938) (Sweden) (theatrical)
- Kommunenes Filmcentral (KF) (1938) (Norway) (theatrical)
- United Artists (1941) (United States) (theatrical) (re-release)
- United Artists (1941) (United Kingdom) (theatrical) (re-release)
- MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1990) (United States) (VHS)
- ClassicLine (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)
- Warner Home Video (2007) (United States) (DVD) (double feature with the 1952 version)
- Junes Planning (2008) (Japan) (DVD)
- Universal Pictures Home Entertainment (UPHE) (2011) (United States) (DVD) (Universal Vault Series)
- The Criterion Channel (2022) (United States) (tv) (streaming)
- Turner Entertainment (tv)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- Western Electric (noiseless recording)
Storyline
Plot Summary |
It's the late nineteenth century. British Major Rudolf Rassendyll is in central Europe on a fishing vacation, he having no intention of attending what is the reason others are in the country, namely the coronation of Rudolf V to the throne the following day. In a chance encounter with Rudolf V and two of his longtime trusted advisers, Colonel Zapt and Fritz von Tarlenheim, in the countryside, Rassendyll discovers that he and the future King are not only distant cousins, hence both having the long held family male given name of Rudolf, but that they could be twins. Spending the evening with the three men, Rassendyll further discovers the future king is an irresponsible heavy drinker, something that his older half brother, Michael, wants to use to ascend to the throne himself. Michael, using his own operatives, has managed to drug Rudolf, heavily enough to miss the coronation ceremony, at which time Michael plans to address the people to name him king instead. With risk to all three of their lives if discovered, Zapt and von Tarlenheim are able to convince Rassendyll to masquerade as Rudolf at the coronation. Another risk is Michael using other means to dispose of who he believes is his brother. Michael, however, has other issues with which he has to address. Antoinette de Mauban, Michael's girlfriend, does not want him to be king as such would mean marriage to who has been the king's long ago named betrothed, namely Rudolf and Michael's cousin, Princess Flavia. In turn, another of Michael's operatives, Rupert of Hentzau, is in love with Antoinette himself, and thus has his own self-directed motivations different than Michael's. Conversely, other complications arise as Rassendyll, in posing as his cousin, falls in love with Princess Flavia himself. Flavia, who has had a long relationship of animosity with Rudolf who she does not love let alone really like, has fallen in love with this new version of Rudolf. She may be torn if she ever discovers the truth of the deception as she has long been bound a sense of duty, which means marrying the king, whoever he may be. Written by Huggo |
Plot Keywords | |
Taglines | A RECKLESS LOVE THAT FOUGHT to LIVE! (Print Ad-Greensburg Daily Tribune, ((Greensburg, Penna.)) 22 October 1937) See more » |
Genres | |
Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
Certification |
Additional Details
Also Known As |
|
Runtime |
|
Country | |
Language | |
Color | |
Aspect Ratio |
|
Sound Mix | |
Filming Locations |
Box Office
Budget | $1,250,000 (estimated) |
Did You Know?
Trivia | Douglas Fairbanks Jr. initially wanted the double role for himself and actually tested for it. He was devastated when it was awarded to Ronald Colman. Instead he was offered the part of "Rupert of Hentzau" and, according to David O. Selznick, "Nobody else stood a chance!" His father, Douglas Fairbanks Sr., convinced his son that it was a blessing in disguise, as it was the best part in the piece, and advised him on billing and costume. See more » |
Goofs | Princess Flavia gives Rassendyll a red rose in the garden. As it lies on a book a little while later, it is white. See more » |
Movie Connections | Featured in The Swashbucklers (1964). See more » |
Soundtracks | Artist's Life, Op. 316 See more » |
Quotes |
Captain Fritz von Tarlenheim:
Fate doesn't always make the right men kings. See more » |