In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

Not quite the absolute marvel that most critics really enthuse over, but pretty exciting stuff nonetheless, what with Colman shaking hands with himself and Fairbanks Jr as the definitively cavalier villain. Colman is much more animated and interestingly personable than usual, whilst Carroll plays to the hilt. Smith and Niven, alas, are stuck with tediously explanatory roles, though both do their best. Astor's part is small. But Raymond Massey plays the sneering, black-uniformed villain with such striking precision, we can only regret that he is removed from the action too soon.However, when all's said and done, it's Fairbanks's film. He plays with such dash and panache, one can't help but admire so charming a heavy.Technically, the film proves also a second wonder, though the special effects vary from magically fascinating to pretty obvious. The sets, however, are never anything short of sweepingly magnificent. Cromwell has directed with style and finesse. His set-pieces such as the coronation and the ball (with its great introductory tracking shot) are so richly dazzling that director Richard Thorpe had no hesitation imitating Cromwell's set-ups for his 1952 remake. As Brenda Davies comments, our only regret is that Selznick saw fit to have a couple of scenes re-done by other directors. Cukor's renunciation scene marks an abrupt change of tone, but Van Dyke's sword fight with its obvious camera under-cranking, is equally graceless and out of place.Wong Howe's masterly camerawork and skilfully atmospheric lighting is somewhat undermined in present DVD prints by processing in black-and-white. Some sequences of the original were released in sepia. For some odd reason, in 1985 TV copies these scenes were printed green. Alas, they are now all black-and-white. Another problem is that when the movie was originally aired on 1960s TV - miracle of miracles! - the framing story had been restored. The sparkling 16mm prints had obviously been struck from an original negative. The 1985 prints, on the other hand, were duped on to color stock from an old projection print. Alas, no framing story. It is still missing.

Time has not been kind to this cliché ridden matinée style tale. It has an OK look, some good names in the cast but director Cromwell had not yet developed his best form (he was much better as years went by)If you grew up enjoying this film, you probably still will, others might need to beware. Selznick was known for quality works but not a great deal has survived in this production. Lighting and general photography is good (though the TCM Australian print is very poor). The early Alfred Newman score is colorful, Coleman is as grand as always (but even he looks uncomfortable within this silly situation). Fairbanks makes a formidably evil villain but editing is sloppy and screenplay somewhat stale. May have been good in its day, but.....

The oft-filmed Hope novel receives what is generally considered its best screen treatment. Colman is fine if a bit long in the tooth in the dual roles of a king and a look-alike commoner. Carroll makes a lovely princess. Massey looks ill-at-ease as the king's evil brother while Fairbanks seems to be having a ball playing Massey's rascally henchman. Astor, Smith, and Niven lend able support. Given the romantic buildup between Colman and Carroll, the denouement feels false and anti-climactic. Cromwell's direction tends to be stagy and melodramatic, but he is helped by Howe's fine cinematography and Newman's rousing score. What makes the Hope novel so worthy of being filmed so often?

Major disappointing swashbuckling romantic film with the great Ronald Colman playing 2 parts- a cousin who goes to Zenda to attend his cousin's coronation only to be involved when the monarch is kidnapped.Douglas Fairbanks plays the villain here who hatches the kidnap plot to help the evil half-brother, a sinister Raymond Massey usurp the throne. When Michael (Massey) finds Henzlau (Fairbanks) with his beloved Mary Astor, Masse is stabbed to death by Douglas.There are some good romantic scenes between the "Cousin" and Madeleine Carroll. Aubrey Smith, as a confidant to the king, provides an excellent supporting role.The film itself is quite drab at best. How Astor could truly love the sinister Michael is beyond belief.