Ronald Coleman is one of my favorite actors of the classical
film genre. And this is one of my favorites of the scores of films in which he
starred. In this film he plays Rudolf Rassendyll, a British subject, who has
arrived in the Kingdom of Zenda by train for a vacation of fishing in the
countryside. Almost immediately he finds himself the subject of much attention,
which no one is willing to explain. He is a typical Englishman of the 1930’s,
complete with tweed suit and pipe. He is
a man at peace with himself; but not for long.
Rudolf does finally find out that he has arrived in the
country just in time for the coronation of the new King; who is a drunken
playboy with no real eagerness to ascend the throne. In addition, it is feared
by many that when he does it will be the ruination of the kingdom. To cap it
all off, Rudolf is the spitting image of the King.
When the two meet for the first time it is reminiscent of
the “Prince and the Pauper” as they carefully take measure one another. Much to
their astonishment they discover that they are actually distant cousins; and
set off to drink to the occasion. The Colonel and Fritz; the King’s two
bodyguards; played by C. Aubrey Smith and David Niven respectively; are less
than pleased by this turn of events. The Coronation is to take place the
following morning, and if the King isn’t there the Crown falls to the evil
Prince Michael; played perfectly by Raymond Massey.
As the evening waxes late the two cousins are still
drinking. They are even toasting the health of the two persons whose one time dalliance
centuries ago made them the distant cousins they are today; the king’s
great-great-great-grandfather Rudolf and Rudolf’s great-great-great-grandmother
Amelia. To ensure that the King will not be able to make it to the Coronation
Prince Michael has a bottle of wine laced with a sedative. Thinking that the
trap is set, he retires.
When the morning comes and the sun has risen, the Colonel
and Fritz find the King and Rudolf unconscious. The King has drunk from the
bottle which was laced; but Rudolf has not. Thinking quickly they decide to
hide the King in the wine cellar with a trusted servant, while prepping Rudolf
in a ll the customs necessary to take the throne in a few hours.
At first Rudolf refuses; he fears his fate should the ruse
be discovered. But then he meets the King’s intended bride, the lovely Princess
Flavia; played by Madeleine Carroll. The true King has been less than attentive
to his would be bride in the days leading up to these events, and she is
surprised at the difference in his new attitude towards her. Rudolf; of course;
cannot tell her anything of the truth, but he is clearly smitten with her.
Accordingly he decides to go for it.
The trio boards the train for the capital, where the
coronation will take place; while Prince Michael readies himself to announce
the disappearance of his brother and usurp the throne. When the King and his bodyguards
arrive at the cathedral, Michael is shocked. Worse still, he cannot say a word
without giving himself away.
The Cardinal crowns the King amid pomp and ceremony and
Rudolf makes his speech. The Colonel and Fritz are greatly relieved that the
plan has worked. Now if you want to know what happens to the real King, who you
will recall has been left in the wine cellar; or what happens when/if the
Princess learns that she is now in love with a different man; or even if the
King and Rudolf simply change lives; then you’ll have to see this remarkable
film to find out.
I will tell you this; there is a marvelous swashbuckling
swordfight which surpasses any other ever filmed. Douglas Fairbanks, Jr; one of
the screen’s original swashbucklers; is fantastic as he battles with David
Niven through the cathedral up and down the steps. The only special effects in
a classic film like this are the tights the two are wearing. I can’t figure out how they got in them.
You simply can’t go wrong with this film, which is taken
from the Anthony Hope novel of the same name. John Balderston does a bang up job with the
screenplay, and John Cromwell directed with assistance from the celebrated W.S.
Van Dyke.
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