The Prisoner of Zenda (1979)

Director:

Richard Quine

Writers:

Dick Clement (screenplay) and
Ian La Frenais (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

17 August 1979 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy

Plot:

Anthony Hope's classic tale gets a decidedly 'un-classic' treatment at the hands of Peter Sellers. Following the story somewhat...

Plot Keywords:

Impersonation | Substitution | Impostor | Based On Novel

Cast

Peter Sellers	...	Rudolf IV / Rudolf V / Syd Frewin
Lynne Frederick	...	Princess Flavia
Lionel Jeffries	...	General Sapt
Elke Sommer	...	The Countess
Gregory Sierra	...	The Count
Jeremy Kemp	...	Duke Michael
Catherine Schell	...	Antoinette
Simon Williams	...	Fritz
Stuart Wilson	...	Rupert of Hentzau
Norman Rossington	...	Bruno
John Laurie	...	Archbishop
Graham Stark	...	Erik
Michael Balfour	...	Luger
Arthur Howard	...	Deacon
Ian Abercrombie	...	Johann
Michael Segal	...	Conductor
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Harry Wüstenhagen
Erik Cord	...	(uncredited)
Joe Dunne	...	(uncredited)
Dick Geary	...	(uncredited)
Mickey Gilbert	...	(uncredited)
Larry Holt	...	(uncredited)
John Hudkins	...	(uncredited)
John Moio	...	(uncredited)
Victor Paul	...	(uncredited)
Gil Perkins	...	(uncredited)
George Robotham	...	(uncredited)
Joe Yrigoyen	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
Richard Quine

Writing credits
Dick Clement		(screenplay) and
Ian La Frenais		(screenplay)
Anthony Hope		(novel "The Prisoner of Zenda")
Edward E. Rose		(dramatisation) (as Edward Rose)

Produced by
Peter Macgregor-Scott	....	associate producer
Walter Mirisch	....	producer

Original Music by
Henry Mancini

Cinematography by
Arthur Ibbetson		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Byron 'Buzz' Brandt

Casting by
Lesley De Pettit

Production Design by
John J. Lloyd

Art Direction by
Herwig Libowitzky

Set Decoration by
Joe Chevalier
Marc E. Meyer Jr.		(as Marc Meyer)

Costume Design by
Sue Yelland		(as Susan Yelland)

Makeup Department
Dick Dawson	....	makeup artist
Dorothy Fix	....	hair stylist
Harry Frampton	....	makeup artist
Bobbie Smith	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Peter Naguschewski	....	second unit manager
Laci von Ronay	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
David Menteer	....	assistant director
Larry Mirisch	....	assistant director: second unit
Ted Morley	....	assistant director
Louis Race	....	second assistant director
David Tomblin	....	second unit director
Victor Tourjansky	....	assistant director
David Wimbury	....	second assistant director
Don French	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Art Hanson	....	property master
Jack Towns	....	property master

Sound Department
Lowell Harris	....	sound
Robert L. Hoyt	....	sound re-recordist
Brian Marshall	....	sound
Vince Melandri	....	dialogue loop editor
James Troutman	....	sound effects editor (as Jim Troutman)
Roger Sword	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
A. Paul Pollard	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Dennis Glouner	....	matte photography
Bill Taylor	....	matte photography
Albert Whitlock	....	special visual effects
Henry Schoessler	....	matte crew (uncredited)

Stunts
Erik Cord	....	stunts (as Eric Cord)
Joe Dunne	....	stunts
Dick Geary	....	stunts
Mickey Gilbert	....	stunts
Larry Holt	....	stunts
John Hudkins	....	stunts
John Moio	....	stunts
Victor Paul	....	stunts
Gil Perkins	....	stunts
George Robotham	....	stunt coordinator
George Robotham	....	stunts
Joe Yrigoyen	....	stunts
Orwin C. Harvey	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jaysen Hayes	....	stunts (uncredited)
Pete Kellett	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Peter Biddle	....	assistant camera
Howard Block	....	camera operator
David Cadwallader	....	key grip
Al Chapman	....	assistant camera
Steve Claydon	....	assistant camera
Joe Cole	....	gaffer
Freddie Cooper	....	camera operator
Bob Feller	....	assistant camera
Erich Kristufek	....	gaffer
Joe Riggio	....	key grip
Bob Thompson	....	camera operator: second unit
Frank Watts	....	camera operator: second unit
Harry L. Wolf	....	additional photographer
Maurice Gillett	....	gaffer (uncredited)
Chris Warren	....	video operator (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Izzy Berne	....	wardrobe supervisor
James Smith	....	wardrobe supervisor (as Jimmy Smith)

Editorial Department
Bill Theobald	....	assistant film editor

Music Department
Stephen A. Hope	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Gerhard Rupp	....	driver: Richard Quine (uncredited)

Other crew
Bob Forrest	....	script supervisor
Carl Lawrence Ludwig	....	stand-in (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1979) (USA) (theatrical)
• MCA Home Video (1983) (USA) (video)

Runtime:

108 min | Canada:93 min (Ontario)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Canada:PG (Ontario) | Finland:K-12 | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Universal Studios Theme Park, Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

Final film of Lynne Frederick.

Movie Connections:

Spoofs The Prisoner of Zenda (1937)

an unknown treasure

The new king is a fop, and a London cabbie, who is a gem, looks just like him (the old king used to come to London for recreation) so the cabbie is hired to stand in for the king. While assassins try to kill him, the pretty lady sees him for what he is - and falls in love with him. I cannot give away the ending, it's too amazing.

This movie is full of jokes of all kinds, from subtle funny looks, to hilarious switcheroos; I think Peter Seller's very best movie. He's very funny, from the slapstick to the dumb looks in strange situations, etc. He was abused in the Pink Panther movies - having to do the same jokes over and over. Here we see some different ones, and quite good too. "She did an owl!!!" "He did a chicken!!" "What are you doing?" "That's my secret chicken signal." "You can't do that; that's my secret chicken!!!" "Whooo whooo!!!" "Bok bok bok!!!" The principle actors do their parts very well. I find myself cheering for the valiant cabbie, what a dude! and disgusted by the foppy prince - and have to stop and realize, it's the same actor! The actresses are one thing they certainly should be: gorgeous. And some of the minor parts are really nicely played, too. "Take this." "What is it?" "It's a ring, stolen from the Hapsburgs. It's priceless." Jailer squints at it trying to decide if it's worth risking his life over, and drops it in the sewer. "Ow... got anything else?" The look on his face is perfect.

And there are themes of vast import behind the story. We are all fops and gems, rolled into one; the gem part of us is a prisoner inside, and the fop is what the world has cultivated.

I haven't seen much of the other movies based on this same book, but this one does the story justice, and adds the funny element. I'd say it well improves the book, which was a little too baroque for my tastes.

This movie has the one flaw that it looks like it was made in the 40's or 50's: the special effects are cheap, like the king falling down the well - these people could have gotten those effects looking better, but they chose not to for some reason. Let's assume that it was because they loved the old time movies with those fake-looking special effects. I just think of it as quaint and relax and enjoy the show. Maybe they spent their budget on sets and costumes - a lot of them look pretty elaborate. My copy is a VHS I taped off of WKRP or somewhere one night - the music sounds like it's been thru the grinder - and I still watch it occasionally and enjoy it for its immense merit as a story, and the acting and the jokes. Actually the fights aren't all that bad. I actually like the one on top of the carriage. Pretty amusing... "We're driverless!!!" "Not while I'm here you're not!"