The Prisoner of Zenda (1937)

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Movie
German title The prisoner of Zenda
Original title The Prisoner of Zenda
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1937
length 101 minutes
Age rating FSK 12
Rod
Director John Cromwell ,
WS Van Dyke (without mentioning)
script John L. Balderston ,
Edward E. Rose ,
Wells Root ,
Donald Ogden Stewart
production David O. Selznick
music Alfred Newman
camera James Wong Howe
cut James E. Newcom
occupation
synchronization

The Prisoner of Zenda (Original title: The Prisoner of Zenda ) is an American adventure film from 1937 with Ronald Colman in a dual role. The novel of the same name (1894) by Anthony Hope served as a literary model .

action

The Englishman Rudolf Rassendyll is on vacation in the small Balkan state of Ruritania . On his journey, the people of the country encounter him with strange behavior. When he meets Colonel Zapt and Fritz von Tarlenheim and they introduce him to Rudolf V, the future King of Ruritania, on the eve of his coronation, the behavior of the people becomes clear to him. He and Rudolf V look very similar. As it turns out, they are related, which is why they toast with a glass of wine. Rudolf is particularly taken with a bottle of wine that his half-brother Michael, the Duke of Streslau, sent him and that he drinks alone. However, the wine was poisoned, so that Rudolf is unable to get up the next morning. However, if he does not appear for his own coronation, his half-brother Michael will usurp the throne. Colonel Zapt is certain of this, which is why he persuades the initially hesitant Rassendyll to endure the ceremony in Rudolf's place.

While the festivities are being prepared, Rassendyll meets Rudolf's fiancée, Princess Flavia. She never liked her fiancé. Not knowing that she is now facing a doppelganger, she believes that Rudolf has changed to his advantage, and they are gradually getting closer. After the successful coronation, Rassendyll wants to swap roles with Rudolf again. In the meantime, however, the real king was found and taken to hiding by Rupert von Hentzau, a follower of Michael. Rassendyll is forced to continue playing his role while Colonel Zapt tries to find Rudolf.

To become king himself, Michael would have to marry Flavia, which is why his jealous lover Antoinette de Mauban reveals that the king is being held captive by Michael in his castle Zenda. In addition, the French woman promises to help Zapt and Rassendyll in the liberation of Rudolf. Since the latter would be killed immediately in a large-scale rescue attempt, a man is supposed to swim alone through the moat of Zenda, overcome the guards and free Rudolf from his dungeon before Colonel Zapt and his army can penetrate the castle via the lowered drawbridge. Rassendyll decides against the protests of Zapt to take on this task.

Meanwhile, Michael Rupert caught seducing Antoinette. A fight ensues between the two men, in the course of which Rupert stabs Michael. In grief over Michael's death, Antoinette screams Rassendyll's attack on the guards. When he lowers the drawbridge for Zapt and his men, a bitter duel ensues between him and Rupert. Rupert is forced to flee when Zapt and his entourage pour inexorably into the castle. After Rudolf has finally assumed his rightful inheritance and ascended the throne, Rassendyll and Flavia have to say goodbye to each other. Although Flavia genuinely loves Rassendyll, she does not want to abandon her country. Rassendyll finally returns to England alone.

background

"Zenda", the fictional name of the castle, is derived from the Persian word "zendân", which means something like "prison". Anthony Hope's novel The Prisoner of Zenda was published in 1894 and was shortly thereafter reworked into a play of the same name, which premiered on January 7, 1896 in London . After the story was brought to the screen several times as a silent film, the abdication of the English King Edward VIII in November 1936 inspired film producer David O. Selznick to shoot a new version. Douglas Fairbanks Jr. originally wanted to play the lead role. In his place, however, Ronald Colman was cast as Rassendyll or Rudolf V, while he received the smaller part of the devious Rupert von Hentzau. After filming, directed by John Cromwell , Selznick was dissatisfied with the fencing scenes, which is why he let director W. S. Van Dyke shoot them again.

The film premiered on November 2, 1937 at London's Odeon Cinema. In 1952, director Richard Thorpe shot a remake for MGM with Stewart Granger and Deborah Kerr under the title Im Schatten der Krone , for which Thorpe copied the 1937 version scene by scene and also reused Alfred Newman's score . Lewis Stone , who played the leading role in a silent film version from 1922, was seen in the versions of 1937 and 1952 in a supporting role as cardinal.

Reviews

Variety found John Cromwell's direction "excellent" and noted that Ronald Colman had the ability to "make a dress uniform look as comfortable as pajamas." Michael Betzold of the All Movie Guide described the film as "one of Hollywood's most entertaining adventure stories of all time." He is "a triumph in terms of daring sword fights, careful direction and reliable professional acting". Ronald Colman and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. would have shown their "best side". "The costumes, camera work and sword fighting choreography" are "all first class" under John Cromwell's direction. Hope's story was filmed several times before and later, but the critics among themselves “agree that this is the best screen adaptation”.

"One of the great Hollywood successes of the 30s with Fairbanks in a brilliant role," says the lexicon of international films . For Prisma it was “a successful mix of adventure and costume film”. Leading actor Ronald Colman shines “as heir to the throne and daring daredevil”, who “does not need to hide behind Douglas Fairbanks Jr. as a villain”. “Best adaptation of the Anthony Hope novel,” was the simple conclusion of Cinema .

Awards

At the Academy Awards in 1938 , the film was nominated for an Oscar in the categories of Best Production Design and Best Film Music . But neither the production designer Lyle R. Wheeler nor the composer Alfred Newman , who received a total of 41 nominations for an Oscar in the course of his career, could prevail. In 1991, The Prisoner of Zenda was inducted into the National Film Registry .

German version

A German dubbed version was created in 1994 by Interopa Film GmbH , Berlin, for television. Jürgen Neu wrote and directed the dialogue .

role actor Voice actor
Major Rudolf Rassendyll / Rudolf V. Ronald Colman Bodo Wolf
Princess Flavia Madeleine Carroll Petra Barthel
Rupert von Hentzau Douglas Fairbanks Jr. Ulrich Matthes
Colonel Zapt C. Aubrey Smith Friedrich W. Building School
Michael von Strelsau Raymond Massey Hans-Jürgen Wolf
Antoinette de Mauban Mary Astor Sabine Jaeger
Fritz von Tarlenheim David Niven Bernd Vollbrecht

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Sheridan Morley: The Brits in Hollywood . Robson Books, 2006, p. 161.
  2. ↑ “Cromwell's direction is excellent. [...] Colman has the ability to make a full dress court uniform appear as comfortable as a suit of pajamas. " See The Prisoner of Zenda . In: Variety . 1937.
  3. ↑ “One of Hollywood's most entertaining adventure stories of any era is a triumph of swashbuckling swordplay, careful direction, and reliably professional acting. Ronald Colman and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. are at their best […]. Costuming, photography, and sword-fight choreography are all top-notch under the direction of John Cromwell. Hope's story had been filmed twice before […], and there would be two later versions; but critics agree that this is the best rendering. " Michael Betzold, cf. omovie.com
  4. ↑ The Prisoner of Zenda. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed March 2, 2017 .Template: LdiF / Maintenance / Access used 
  5. ↑ cf. prisma.de
  6. ↑ cf. cinema.de
  7. ↑ The Prisoner of Zenda. In: synchronkartei.de. German synchronous file , accessed on July 30, 2018 .