has limited screen time but remain impressive with his naughty mannerism and rascal-alike grinning. Ronald colman has the elegant screen presence as well as his composed charisma in the aristocratic costumes, while madelein carroll luminates the scenes with her striking beauty in the utmost degree, particularly in the cross-staring in the annoitment scene. wouldn't that be the whole swashbuckler thing about? to add up the hardship, the englishman falls head over heels in love with the queen-to-be (carroll).with all the conditions above, the price of honor and chivalric nobility appears precious. but the king's grudgy half brother covets the throne while his mischievous accomplice(fairbanks) drools over his mistress (mary astor). so the loyal defenders of the king scheme to have the englishman as temporal substitute during his recovery. the king-to-be has been narcotized before the day he's about to be throned in consecration.
the infatuation over this swashbucking tale has been remade four times in cinematic history.Ĭolman impersonates dual roles in this piece, the king to be throned and his identifical double who is merely an english man visiting outlandish nation. and raymond massey form a league of doublecrossing vallainy. "prisoner of zenda" is an original british swashbuckler with aristocraticly dashing ronald colman as the brave knight who defends the secred throne of a nation madeleine carroll, the british rose, as the divine love interest dandy douglas fairbanks jr.