The Prisoner of Zenda

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Alexander C @RT20623201 07/06/2025 One of the best adventure films ever made. Judging from the number of ratings, I wish more knew that See more Joe S @RT65550607 08/17/2023 Ronald Colman is Great, but it's Douglas Fairbanks, Junior's film! See more Steve D @RT35616104 05/20/2023 Lame swashbuckler that hasn't aged as well as many. See more Taylor L @RT77267842 09/03/2022 Raymond Massey here is the spitting image of Christopher Lloyd, same distinctive facial structure. Classic villain look when you give him a monocle. Like most swashbucklers, The Prisoner of Zenda is unashamedly rooted in Victorian sensibilities (it is based on an 1894 novel, after all); when a character pulls a pistol instead of facing down his adversary with a gilded saber, there's this sense of implicit contempt as if they are breaking the unwritten rules of conduct. It's a narrative that exists in exotic ballrooms with intrigue and adventure lingering just below the surface, with love that takes hold quickly and burns bright, and characters full of wit and daring ready to do what is right. It's a boyhood adventure romp, not a hardboiled noir, and it's perfectly serviceable in that role, an updated rendition of classic Douglas Fairbanks pictures of years prior. It's not the type of film that could ever be made seriously again, but still feels fun and entertaining if fantastical. Speaking of Faribanks, this is perhaps the single greatest role for his son, Fairbanks Jr., who shines as a charming but vicious supporting antagonist who gradually takes center stage through his scheming; he really fills out everything you could ask for in a roguish villain, the kind that wears his military cap at an angle and carries a throwing knife up his sleeve. (3.5/5) See more 09/11/2019 One of my all-time favorites - first discovered it on late-night TV as a kid, and it still delights. See more Thomas M @TMProofreader 01/26/2019 The best thrilling movie ever made! With the best movie character ever portrayed: Douglas Fairbanks Jr. as Rupert of Hentzau! See more Read all reviews

The Prisoner of Zenda

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