The Prisoner of Zenda
“The most thrilling swordfight ever filmed...”
Synopsis
A kingdom's ascending heir, marked for assassination, switches identities with a lookalike, who takes his place at the coronation. When the real king is kidnapped, his followers try to find him, while the stand-in falls in love with the king's intended bride, the beautiful Princess Flavia.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Prisoner of Zenda (1937) Original trailer starring Ronald Coleman
Type: Trailer • Published 2024-06-21
Top Cast
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Ronald Colman
Major Rudolf Rassendyll / The Prisoner of Zenda
Madeleine Carroll
Princess Flavia
Douglas Fairbanks Jr.
Rupert of Hentzau
Mary Astor
Antoinette de Mauban
C. Aubrey Smith
Colonel Zapt
David Niven
Captain Fritz von Tarlenheim
Raymond Massey
Black Michael
Montagu Love
Detchard
Philip Sleeman
Albert von Lauengram
Eleanor Wesselhoeft
Frau Holf the Cook
Torben Meyer
Max the Butler
Wilhelm von Brincken
Krafstein (uncredited)
Ben Webster
Lord Topham (uncredited)
Byron Foulger
Johann (uncredited)
Charles K. French
Bishop (uncredited)
Release History & Theatrical Window
New York City, New York
Festival / Special Debut
September 3, 1937
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$1.3M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$5M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
4x
+$3.8M net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- John Cromwell
- Screenplay & Story
- John L. Balderston
- Original Score
- Alfred Newman
- Original Title
- The Prisoner of Zenda
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- French, English
- Runtime
- 1h 41m
- Production Budget
- $1.3M
- Worldwide Gross
- $5M
- Production Studios
- Selznick International Pictures
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
John Cromwell
John L. Balderston, Anthony Hope, Edward E. Rose, Wells Root, Donald Ogden Stewart, Sidney Howard, Ben Hecht
Alfred Newman
James Wong Howe, Bert Glennon
James E. Newcom
David O. Selznick
Department Leadership Roster
David O. Selznick
Producer
John L. Balderston
Screenplay
Edward E. Rose
Writer
John Cromwell
Director
Ernest Dryden
Costume Design
James E. Newcom
Editor
James Wong Howe
Director of Photography
Bert Glennon
Director of Photography
Sidney Howard
Writer
Alfred Newman
Original Music Composer
Ben Hecht
Writer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NR: Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Prisoner of Zenda.
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Prisoner of Zenda
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Prisoner of Zenda about?
A kingdom's ascending heir, marked for assassination, switches identities with a lookalike, who takes his place at the coronation. When the real king is kidnapped, his followers try to find him, while the stand-in falls in love with the king's intended bride, the beautiful Princess Flavia.
Who directed The Prisoner of Zenda?
The Prisoner of Zenda was directed by John Cromwell.
Who stars in The Prisoner of Zenda?
The principal cast of The Prisoner of Zenda includes Ronald Colman, Madeleine Carroll, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Mary Astor, C. Aubrey Smith.
When was The Prisoner of Zenda released and how long is it?
The Prisoner of Zenda was released in 1937 with a total runtime of 1h 41m.
What was the box office and production budget of The Prisoner of Zenda?
The Prisoner of Zenda had a reported production budget of $1.3M and grossed $5M at the worldwide box office (4 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
Who composed the musical score for The Prisoner of Zenda?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Prisoner of Zenda was composed by Alfred Newman.
Is The Prisoner of Zenda based on a book or true story?
The Prisoner of Zenda is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Anthony Hope".
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Prisoner of Zenda?
The Prisoner of Zenda holds official age classifications: US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).