Kitty H. you are glorious, enchanting and all 'round wonderful. I begin to watch and fun, joy and pleasure ensues!!!!! Love from San Diego, California.
I bought this DVD and the one with Stewart Granger was with it as well. I had seen the Stewart Granger one as a teenager and loved it, but I agree this one is superior.
Thanks again for your classic film review series. Really enjoyable and interesting. I didn't enjoy this film so much the first time I saw it. I think I was expecting a different kind of swashbuckler. The second time I loved it. It walks a fine line between tongue-in-cheek and genuinely stirring. Great dialogue delivered by excellent cast and exactly the right kind of imaginary world created.
Apparently, one of the stipulations of MGM buying the re-make rights from Selznick is that DOS demanded that Alfred Newman's original '37 score be used in the remake. The trouble was that, by 1952, Newman was head of music at rival 20th Century-Fox and he had too many responsibilities at Fox to come over to Metro on loan-out.However, if you see the remake credits you see Newman does get score credit for an MGM film. However, you see that Conrad Salinger gets adaptation credit. Turns out this was a labor of love for Salinger, who was brought out to MGM to work in the 1940s. Salinger went on to a great career as MGM's chief orchestrator for two decades.
Just had to say how much I agree on (most) everything. Douglas Fairbanks Jr. steals this movie in the best ways possible. Such a shame that he wasn't cast opposite a more alluring Antoinette. Mary Astor was a good actress but never came across as someone to crush on. Imagine gorgeous smoky eyed Francis Drake as Antoinette in scenes with Fairbanks Jr. Sizzling.
I also saw the Stewart Granger remake and the action sequences are different, but as you say almost all the staging and dialogue are the same (exactly the same). I suppose without VHS or DVD copies and only the possibility of a cinema re-release of the original, that was more understandable at the time.
I believe Stewart Granger brought the idea to MGM as a way of getting something else done that he was more interested in. This film cost very little as the script was already there and Zenda had always proved such a money-spinner that they didn't think they could go wrong. I personally, as I have said, can't bear watching James Mason as Rupert, having seen Douglas Fairbanks Jr, but I think the audiences of the 1950's were much kinder.
Kitty H. you are glorious, enchanting and all 'round wonderful. I begin to watch and fun, joy and pleasure ensues!!!!! Love from San Diego, California.
I bought this DVD and the one with Stewart Granger was with it as well. I had seen the Stewart Granger one as a teenager and loved it, but I agree this one is superior.
Thanks Kitty your reviews of classic old movies are a delight
Thanks again for your classic film review series. Really enjoyable and interesting. I didn't enjoy this film so much the first time I saw it. I think I was expecting a different kind of swashbuckler. The second time I loved it. It walks a fine line between tongue-in-cheek and genuinely stirring. Great dialogue delivered by excellent cast and exactly the right kind of imaginary world created.
Apparently, one of the stipulations of MGM buying the re-make rights from Selznick is that DOS demanded that Alfred Newman's original '37 score be used in the remake. The trouble was that, by 1952, Newman was head of music at rival 20th Century-Fox and he had too many responsibilities at Fox to come over to Metro on loan-out.However, if you see the remake credits you see Newman does get score credit for an MGM film. However, you see that Conrad Salinger gets adaptation credit. Turns out this was a labor of love for Salinger, who was brought out to MGM to work in the 1940s. Salinger went on to a great career as MGM's chief orchestrator for two decades.
Madeleine Carroll was my father's favorite actress. And my mother named me after Ronald Coleman.
The sword fight was also memorably referenced in "The Great Race".
One of the greatest spoofs in history.
I haven't seen that picture of Uncle Jimmie Wong Howe before at :41. Thanks!
Yes the Stewart Grainger version was MY Prisoner of Zenda did you know it was spoofed in a Hancock's Half Hour BBC Radio comedy ?
Just had to say how much I agree on (most) everything. Douglas Fairbanks Jr. steals this movie in the best ways possible. Such a shame that he wasn't cast opposite a more alluring Antoinette. Mary Astor was a good actress but never came across as someone to crush on. Imagine gorgeous smoky eyed Francis Drake as Antoinette in scenes with Fairbanks Jr. Sizzling.
I also saw the Stewart Granger remake and the action sequences are different, but as you say almost all the staging and dialogue are the same (exactly the same). I suppose without VHS or DVD copies and only the possibility of a cinema re-release of the original, that was more understandable at the time.
I believe Stewart Granger brought the idea to MGM as a way of getting something else done that he was more interested in. This film cost very little as the script was already there and Zenda had always proved such a money-spinner that they didn't think they could go wrong. I personally, as I have said, can't bear watching James Mason as Rupert, having seen Douglas Fairbanks Jr, but I think the audiences of the 1950's were much kinder.
@@KittyHollywoodReview I agree with you. Mason was very good, but no match for Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.
For 3rd year Secondary stage O level
Stewart Granger!
Not a bad commentary but please stop with the exaggerated hand movements aaarrrrggghh 👹
I find Kitty's hand movements charming and amusing. She's such fun.