"The Prisoner of Zenda" (1984) (mini)TV mini-series

Director:

Leonard Lewis

Writers:

James Andrew Hall (adaptation)
Anthony Hope (novel)

Release Date:

12 August 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure

Plot:

BBC adaptation of Anthony Hope's classic adventure novel.

Cast

Malcolm Sinclair	...	Rudolf Rassendyll / King Rudolf V
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Peter Copley	...	Marshal Strakencz
Benjamin Feitelson	...	De Gautet (as Ben Feitelson)
Clyde Gabell	...	Krafstein
Nicholas Gecks	...	Fritz von Tarlenheim
George Irving	...	Michael, Duke of Strelsau ('Black Michael')
John Moore	...	Josef
Pauline Moran	...	Antoinette de Mauban
Jonathon Morris	...	Rupert of Hentzau
Peggy Shields	...	Frau Holf
Gary Waldhorn	...	Smithers
George Waring	...	Prefect of Police
Victoria Wicks	...	Princess Flavia
John Woodvine	...	Colonel Sapt
Gabriel Woolf	...	Cardinal-Archbishop of Strelsau

Runtime:

UK:180 min (6 parts)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Movie Connections:

Version of The Prisoner of Zenda (1952)

One of the Very Best Versions Ever Made

My husband and I are great aficionados of this story, and we have every single version available (except the Peter Sellar's travesty) - and our only quibble is that he still thinks the Ronald Coleman version is the best, while I think *this* version is the best. But I admit that it's hardly fair to compare a black-and-white movie, with the necessary time constraints, to a color (gotta show that RED HAIR!) mini-series with a great deal more scope to develop the characters, etc.

I agree with the previous assessment of the British viewer about the cast, with the addition of saying that Victoria Weeks made a perfect Princess Flavia: a real grasp of the character as a person as well as a position - no cardboard/cookie cutter princess portrayal there. Malcolm Sincalir said that he felt it was rather obvious that he was very young and untried when he did the series, but I honestly can't see it.

Perhaps one of the best things about the series is the feel; contributed to by not just the setting - everything had the look and feel of a small country tucked away in the requisite Balkans - but the costumes as well were undeniably the best of any version made to date. People rarely think about costuming setting the mood, but with a period piece, it is crucial to get the clothes right, or no one buys that it's another time and place.

It's a crime, I tell you, a CRIME that the Beeb hasn't brought this out on video or DVD!!