History Film / ThePrisonerOfZenda

* OperaGloves: Logically enough, seeing that the films are set in [[TheEdwardianEra Edwardian Era]] Europe and include coronation and fancy-ball scenes with ''lots'' of GorgeousPeriodDress / PimpedOutDress in evidence, the major actresses in the theatrical film versions - Madeleine Carroll and Mary Astor (1937), Deborah Kerr and Jane Greer (1952), and Lynne Frederick, Creator/ElkeSommer and Catherine Schell (1979) - all wear long gloves in key scenes.

%% * GettingCrapPastThe Radar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, GCPTR is on-page examples only until 01 June 2021. If you are reading this in the future, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.

* AwesomeMomentOfCrowning: The coronation scene, including the use of a Händel anthem (''See'' PublicDomainSoundtrack, ''below''), was probably inspired by the coronation of [[UsefulNotes/TheHouseOfWindsor George VI]] of England.

The most famous, however, is the 1937 David O. Selznick production directed by John Cromwell. The film stars Creator/RonaldColman in the dual role of Rudolf Rassendyll, English gentleman, and Rudolph V, the ne'er-do-well king (the name is spelled both ways in the film); and co-stars Madeleine Carroll, as the lovely and lively Princess Flavia, and Creator/DouglasFairbanksJr, as the [[AffablyEvil wicked but engaging]] Count Rupert of Hentzau. Raymond Massey as the saturnine and ambitious Duke Michael, Creator/MaryAstor as his beautiful but hapless mistress Antoinette de Mauban, Creator/CAubreySmith as the crusty, Macchiavellian Colonel Zapt [''sic''], and Creator/DavidNiven (in his first major role) as the faithful though feckless Fritz von Tarlenheim lend sterling support. The sweeping romantic score, supported by use of Wagnerian [[{{Leitmotif}} leitmotives]], is by Music/AlfredNewman.

* AwesomeMomentOfCrowning: The coronation scene, including the use of a Händel anthem (''See'' PublicDomainSoundtrack,'' ''below''), was probably inspired by the coronation of [[UsefulNotes/TheHouseOfWindsor George VI]] of England.

There have been many film adaptations of the Anthony Hope novel ''Literature/ThePrisonerOfZenda''. There were silent versions in 1913 and 1915; another silent version in 1922, starring Lewis Stone as Rudolf/Rudolph and Ramon Novarro as Rupert; a 1952 version with Stewart Granger, Creator/JamesMason, and Creator/DeborahKerr; a 1979 version starring Creator/PeterSellers in one of his last roles; and a TV movie version in 1984.

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_prisoner_of_zenda_combined_cast_11.jpg]] [[caption-width-right:300:Toward the close of the last century, when History still wore a Rose, and Politics had not yet outgrown the waltz...]]

There have been many film adaptations of the Anthony Hope novel ''Literature/ThePrisonerOfZenda''. There were silent versions in 1913 and 1915, another silent version in 1922 starring Lewis Stone as Rudolf/Rudolph and Ramon Novarro as Rupert, a 1952 version with Stewart Granger, Creator/JamesMason, and Creator/DeborahKerr, a 1979 version starring Creator/PeterSellers in one of his last roles, and a TV movie version in 1984.

The most famous, however, is the 1937 David O. Selznick production directed by John Cromwell. The film stars Creator/RonaldColman in the dual role of Rudolf Rassendyll, English gentleman, and Rudolph V, the ne'er-do-well king (the name is spelled both ways in the film); and co-stars Madeleine Carroll, as the lovely and lively Princess Flavia, and Creator/DouglasFairbanksJr, as the [[AffablyEvil wicked but engaging]] Count Rupert of Hentzau. Raymond Massey as the saturnine and ambitious Duke Michael, Creator/MaryAstor as his beautiful but hapless mistress Antoinette de Mauban, Creator/CAubreySmith as the crusty, Macchiavellian Colonel Zapt [''sic''], and Creator/DavidNiven (in his first major role) as the faithful though feckless Fritz von Tarlenheim lend sterling support. The sweeping romantic score, supported by use of Wagnerian [[{{Leitmotif}} leitmotives]] is by Music/AlfredNewman.

* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: Some highly entertaining verbal gymnastics were needed to convey the fact that a previous King of Ruritania had an affair with a married woman and got her pregnant in a manner acceptable to film censorship boards of the era.

The most famous, however, is the 1937 David O. Selznick production directed by John Cromwell. The film stars Creator/RonaldColman in the dual role of Rudolf Rassendyll, English gentleman, and Rudolph V, the ne'er-do-well king (the name is spelled both ways in the film); and co-stars Madeleine Carroll, as the lovely and lively Princess Flavia, and Creator/DouglasFairbanksJr, as the [[AffablyEvil wicked but engaging]] Count Rupert of Hentzau. Raymond Massey as the saturnine and ambitious Duke Michael, Creator/MaryAstor as his beautiful but hapless mistress Antoinette de Mauban, C. Aubrey Smith as the crusty, Macchiavellian Colonel Zapt [''sic''], and Creator/DavidNiven (in his first major role) as the faithful though feckless Fritz von Tarlenheim lend sterling support. The sweeping romantic score, supported by use of Wagnerian [[{{Leitmotif}} leitmotives]] is by Music/AlfredNewman.

* NotableOriginalMusic: Alfred Newman's lush romantic score, which was mined for use in other films and repeated entire for the 1952 remake. Notable for its use of {{Leitmotif}}.

* OperaGloves: Logically enough, seeing that the films are set in [[TheEdwardianEra Edwardian Era]] Europe and include coronation and fancy-ball scenes with ''lots'' of GorgeousPeriodDress / PimpedOutDress in evidence, the major actresses in the theatrical film versions - Madeleine Carroll and Mary Astor (1937), Deborah Kerr and Jane Greer (1952), and Lynne Frederick, Elke Sommer and Catherine Schell (1979) - all wear long gloves in key scenes.

** Also, at the ball, the orchestra plays the „''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_W8LX7Jorw Künstlerleben]]''" ("Artists' Life") Waltz by Johann Strauss the Younger. Later on in the film, Kraftstein whistles a few bars of Strauss's waltz, „''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTqlLKBKFhg An der schönen blauen Donau]]''" ("The Blue Danube").

[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_prisoner_of_zenda_combined_cast_11.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:Toward the close of the last century, when History still wore a Rose, and Politics had not yet outgrown the waltz...]]

The most famous, however, is the 1937 David O. Selznick production directed by John Cromwell. The film stars Creator/RonaldColman in the dual role of Rudolf Rassendyll, English gentleman, and Rudolph V, the ne'er-do-well king (the name is spelled both ways in the film); and co-stars Madeleine Carroll, as the lovely and lively Princess Flavia, and Creator/DouglasFairbanksJr, as the [[AffablyEvil wicked but engaging]] Count Rupert of Hentzau. Raymond Massey as the saturnine and ambitious Duke Michael, Mary Astor as his beautiful but hapless mistress Antoinette de Mauban, C. Aubrey Smith as the crusty, Macchiavellian Colonel Zapt [''sic''], and Creator/DavidNiven (in his first major role) as the faithful though feckless Fritz von Tarlenheim lend sterling support. The sweeping romantic score, supported by use of Wagnerian [[{{Leitmotif}} leitmotives]] is by Music/AlfredNewman.

* ReliableTraitor

The most famous, however, is the 1937 David O. Selznick production directed by John Cromwell. The film stars Creator/RonaldColman in the dual role of Rudolf Rassendyll, English gentleman, and Rudolph V, the ne'er-do-well king (the name is spelled both ways in the film); and co-stars Madeleine Carroll, as the lovely and lively Princess Flavia, and Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., as the [[AffablyEvil wicked but engaging]] Count Rupert of Hentzau. Raymond Massey as the saturnine and ambitious Duke Michael, Mary Astor as his beautiful but hapless mistress Antoinette de Mauban, C. Aubrey Smith as the crusty, Macchiavellian Colonel Zapt [''sic''], and Creator/DavidNiven (in his first major role) as the faithful though feckless Fritz von Tarlenheim lend sterling support. The sweeping romantic score, supported by use of Wagnerian [[{{Leitmotif}} leitmotives]] is by Music/AlfredNewman.

* PlayingAgainstType: Douglas Fairbanks Jr., as a ''villain?'' That's playing against ''two generations'' of type.