The Prisoner of Zenda (1952)

The Prisoner of Zenda (1952) (DVD) (*)

$20.99

Language Selections:
English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 )
Spanish ( Dolby Digital 2.0 )
Spanish ( Subtitles )

Product Origin/Format:
Spain ( PAL/Region 0 )

Running Time:
99 min

Aspect Ratio:
Fullscreen

Special Features:
Interactive Menu

Movie filmed in 1952 and produced in:
United States ( USA, Canada )

Directed By:
Richard Thorpe

Written By:
John L. Balderston
Noel Langley

Actors:
Stewart Granger ..... Rudolf Rassendyll
King Rudolf V ..... Princess Flavia
Deborah Kerr ..... Col. Zapt
Louis Calhern ..... Antoinette de Mauban
Jane Greer ..... The Cardinal
Lewis Stone ..... Michael, Duke of Strelsau
Robert Douglas ..... Fritz von Tarlenheim
Robert Coote ..... Johann
Peter Brocco ..... Josef
Francis Pierlot ..... Rupert of Hentzau
James Mason

Synopsis:

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.

English trout fisher Rudolf Rassendyll is about the only tourist not coming for the coronation of Central-European King Rudolf V at Strelsau, but happens to be a distance relative and is approached on account of their canning resemblance to stand in for the drunk king, in order to prevent his envious half-brother Michael, who arranged spiking his wine to seize the throne when the reputedly less then dutiful Rudolf stays away. The ceremony goes well, and he gets acquainted with the charming royal bride, related princess Flavia, but afterward the king is found to be abducted; he must continue the charade and once the hiding place, the castle of Zenda, is found is involved in the fight between political parties for control over Rudolf V, his the throne and his bride, for which a formidable third candidate, Michael's disloyal co-conspirator Rupert of Hentzau, was waiting in the curtains.

This product was added to our catalog on Tuesday 13 September, 2011.

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