REGENT THEATRE

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 98, 20 January 1938, Page 13

REGENT THEATRE

“The Prisoner Of Zenda” Swashbuckling excitement and splendour will blaze oti the screen of the Regent Theatre to-morrow when “The Prisoner of Zenda’’ commences screening The film has an admirable heritage of success in the literary, stage and cinema fields. Writteu more than 40 years ago by Anthony Hope, the book has been reproduced in all modern languages and dramatisations have been seen on the stages of the world's moist important cities. _ Two film versions have been made of it in the past twenty-five years, the more pretentious one in 1923, with Lewis Stone, Alice Terry, and Ramon Navarro in the leading roles. In a recent interview, John Cromwell, director of the new Selznick hit, said: "Anthony Hope’s novel is the perfect motion picture story, even though he wrote it before Hollywood was born and before the motion picture was a commercial reality. A critical analysis of his story to-day reveals that it has every element required for a successful picture, while its transference to the screen is simply a matter of conforming its details to camera technique. For screen purposes it could not have been written any better if Hope had been raised on a motion picture lot, and had written the tale directly for the films. It is crammed with action, presented in smooth continuity, and it builds to a smashing climax. 'lt has suspense, great romance, spectacle, comedy, and an ingenious plot. What director, indeed what movie-goer, could ask for more?” Cromwell has enhanced the rich tradition of the original by a splendid job of direction. TU: story flows smoothly in his capable hands'. The work of its principal stars is elegant. Ronald Colman is at his charming best in the difficult dual role of the adventurous Rudolf Rassendyll. and as the roistering King Rudolf V, whom he resembles so closely. When the agents of the King’s brother. Black Michael (Raymond Massey). who is plotting to seize the throne, render the King incapable Of attending his own coronation by drugging his drinks, Colonel Zapt (C. Aubrey Smith) and young Captain von Tarlenheim (David Niven) enlist Rassendyll to impersonate the King at the coronation. Rassendyll does so well that he even deceives the lovely Princess Flavin (Madeleine Carroll), betrothed of the King, who proceeds to fall mjjdly in love with him. Rassendyll loves her, too, and is about to revival the deception when it if> discovered that the King has been kidnapped by Black Michael and ' his henchmen, the dashing Rupert of Tlenfz.au (Douglas Fairbanks Jun.), and imprisoned in Zenda Castle. It thus becomes necessary to keep Rassendyll on the throne, nnd the story progresses excitingly from this point to a resounding climax. Lavishly mounted with some sixty-odd breath-taking sets, including a cathedral, a castle and the aumptous castle ballroom. “The Prisoner of Zendn” offers some of the most impressive and beautiful scenes ever filmed, notably the coronation ceremony and the coronation ball. The pietore' is a triumph for the lending actors engaged in the piece, and also a triumph for the skill of David O. Selznick, ils producer