There are two memorable versions of this story – Ronald Colman and Douglas Fairbanks Jr in the 1937 one and then Stewart Granger and Janes Mason in the Technicolor 1952 film. Both very good and both virtually the same

I have to say, that I thought Ronald Colman was much better as Rudolph Rassendyll – he was a much better screen actor than Stewart Granger but in fairness Stewart Granger was pretty good and very athletic in the final sword fight.

In this film is another Coronation and that is the reason for this article at this particular time

Whilst nowhere near as impressive as the one we witnessed yesterday in England, this is very well filmed and on a pretty large scale with impressive sets – and Technicolor at it’s best – unrivalled !!

The Prisoner of Zenda 1952 – Rudolph Rassendyll takes a fishing holiday in a European Country, where his remarkable resemblance to The King of that same country forms the basis to this thrilling adventure story

The Prisoner of Zenda 1952 Below with the Princess Flavia

The Prisoner of Zenda 1952

The Prisoner of Zenda 1952 – The Coronation

The casting of Stewart Granger in the double role of Rudolph Rassendyll and his royal cousin, the Crown Prince Rudolph of Ruritania and James Mason as the villainous Rupert of Hentzau proves to be inspired casting. If Stewart Granger doesn’t have Ronald Colman’s flair for the spoken word – very few ever have had – he makes a fine hero. As for James Mason, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. took the Rupert part because he was advised it’s one of the best villains ever created in drama. James Mason obviously relishes the role and he is very much the equal of his predecessor

MGM decided in 1952 that it was time to do another remake of The Prisoner Of Zenda in time to coincide with the publicity of Queen Elizabeth II’s Coronation. Commercially they were right as this film did very well at the Box Office.