The Prisoner of Zenda (1952 film)

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This article is about the 1952 film. For other uses, see The Prisoner of Zenda (disambiguation).

The Prisoner of Zenda
Original film poster
Directed by	Richard Thorpe
Produced by	Pandro S. Berman
Written by	Anthony Hope (novel) Edward E. Rose Wells Root Noel Langley John L. Balderston (screenplay) Donald Ogden Stewart
Starring	Stewart Granger Deborah Kerr James Mason Louis Calhern Robert Douglas Jane Greer Robert Coote
Music by	Alfred Newman
Cinematography	Joseph Ruttenberg
Editing by	George Boemler
Distributed by	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date(s)	4 November 1952
Running time	96 min
Country	United States
Language	English
Allmovie profile

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 by Noel Langley, was virtually 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 E. Rose, with additional dialogue by Donald Ogden Stewart. The music score was by Alfred Newman and the cinematography by Joseph Ruttenberg. The art direction was by Cedric Gibbons and Hans Peters and the costume design by Walter Plunkett.

The film stars Stewart Granger, Deborah Kerr and James Mason with Louis Calhern, Robert Douglas, Jane Greer and Robert Coote.

[edit] Background and 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 E. 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)

[edit] 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 Black Michael
Jane Greer as Antoinette de Mauban
Lewis Stone as the Cardinal. Stone played the dual lead role in the 1922 silent version.