The Prisoner of Zenda

"The most thrilling swordfight ever filmed..."

Sep 3 1937 Approved 1h 41m
Adventure, Drama, Romance

A kingdom's ascending heir, marked for assassination, switches identities with a lookalike, who takes his place at the coronation. When the real king is kidnapped, his followers try to find him, while the stand-in falls in love with the king's intended bride, the beautiful Princess Flavia.

Plot

This is a classic swashbuckler. Rudolph Rassendyll, Rudolf V's identical distant cousin, is asked to risk his life and impersonate the would-be king when his relative is kidnapped before his impending coronation. If Rudolf V isn't present at the ceremony, he will forfeit the crown to his older half-brother. Complications ensue when Princess Flavia, the king's cousin and betrothed, begins to notice a "personality change" in her fiancé.

Written by

Anthony Hope, John L. Balderston, Edward E. Rose

Directed by

John Cromwell, W.S. Van Dyke

Production Countries

United States of America

Production Companies

Selznick International Pictures, United Artists

Languages

Français, English, Español

Awards

Nominated for 2 Oscars. 1 win & 3 nominations total

Scores
# of Votes
5,224
Average Rating
7.6 out of 10
Metascore
NA
Popularity
NA