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Prisoner of Zenda, The (1937)The best of the many versions of this classic "identity theft" story. It stars Ronald Colman in the title/duel role. Madeleine Carroll plays love interest Princess Flavia; C. Aubrey Smith and David Niven play the members of the King's court who devise the deception to keep Raymond Massey, aided by Douglas Fairbanks Jr., from assuming power. Mary Astor also stars. The film received two Academy Award nominations (Lyle Wheeler's first for Art Direction and Alfred Newman's first Oscar nominated Score) and was added to the National Film Registry in 1991. It was produced by David O. Selznick, directed by John Cromwell, based on Anthony Hope's novel, and features a screenplay, adaptation, and dialogue written by half a dozen others (credited and uncredited) including John Balderston (The Lives of a Bengal Lancer (1935)) and Donald Ogden Stewart (Laughter (1930)). The film was remade (using the same script, virtually shot-for-shot) in 1952 featuring Stewart Granger in the leading role, Deborah Kerr as Princess Flavia, Louis Calhern, Jane Greer, Lewis Stone, Robert Douglas, and James Mason (among others). |
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