| The Prisoner of Zenda | |
|---|---|
&sq=&lang=&file=File:The_Prisoner_of_Zenda_(1937_film_poster).jpg) Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | John Cromwell W. S. Van Dyke (uncredited) |
| Written by | Wells Root (adaptation) Donald Ogden Stewart (additional dialogue) Ben Hecht (uncredited) Sidney Howard (uncredited) |
| Screenplay by | John L. Balderston from the novel (and Edward Rose's dramatization) |
| Based on | The Prisoner of Zenda 1894 novel by Anthony Hope |
| Produced by | David O. Selznick |
| Starring | Ronald Colman Madeleine Carroll Douglas Fairbanks Jr. |
| Cinematography | James Wong Howe Bert Glennon (uncredited) |
| Edited by | James E. Newcom Hal C. Kern (supervising film editor) |
| Music by | Alfred Newman |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | United Artists |
Release date |
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Running time | 101 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $1,250,000[1] |
| Box office | $2.5 million (U.S. and Canada rentals)[2] |
The Prisoner of Zenda is a 1937 American black-and-white adventure film based on Anthony Hope's 1894 novel and the 1896 play. A lookalike has to step in when his royal distant relative is kidnapped to prevent his coronation. This version is widely considered the best of the many film adaptations of the novel and play.
The film stars Ronald Colman, Madeleine Carroll and Douglas Fairbanks Jr., with a supporting cast including C. Aubrey Smith, Raymond Massey, Mary Astor and David Niven. It was directed by John Cromwell, produced by David O. Selznick for Selznick International Pictures and distributed by United Artists. The screenplay was written by John L. Balderston, adapted by Wells Root from the novel, with dramatization by Edward Rose; Donald Ogden Stewart was responsible for additional dialogue and Ben Hecht and Sidney Howard made uncredited contributions.
Alfred Newman received the first of his 43 Academy Award nominations, for Original Music Score, while Lyle R. Wheeler was nominated for Best Art Direction. In 1991, the film was deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the United States Library of Congress and selected for preservation in its National Film Registry.