The Prisoner of Zenda Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

The Prisoner of Zenda Blu-ray Movie Review

Two Stewarts for the price of one.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III August 22, 2025

Anthony Hope's 1894 adventure novel The Prisoner of Zenda has been adapted for film, radio, TV, and even comic books countless times over the last century-plus. This durable source story, which concerns a king who's drugged the night before his coronation and replaced by a lookalike, has a buoyant tone and thus many adaptations lightly lean into its more comedic elements. This 1952 Technicolor version, directed by Richard Thorpe (Ivanhoe) with a great dual lead performance by Stewart Grainger (King Solomon's Mines), carves out a solid balance and still entertains more than 70 years later. You might ultimately prefer John Cromwell and W.S. Van Dyke's great 1937 version, the extra-wacky 1979 satire starring Peter Sellers (probably not), or even the surprise condensed detour in the third act of Blake Edwards' $12 million comedy epic The Great Race... but this one's still a pretty good time at the movies.

Its literal adaptation from the source material and overwhelming similarity to other versions don't warrant much of a synopsis, but here goes: Rudolf Rassendyll (Grainger), on a trout-fishing holiday in picturesque Ruritania, is constantly given odd looks by the locals. Once he's approached by dignitaries Colonel Zapt (Louis Calhern) and Captain Fritz von Tarlenheim (Robert Coote), all is made clear: he's an absolute dead ringer for the soon-to-be crowned King Rudolf V (also Grainger), in part because they turn out to be distant relatives. Their separate upbringings all but ensure different personalities... which turns out to be a small problem once Rudolph is secretly drugged by his conniving half-brother, Duke Michael (Robert Douglas), the night before his coronation. Ruritania is already in political turmoil and their new king kinda has to be conscious to carve out a new path forward, so Rassendyll is eventually convinced to take Rudolf's place during the ceremony. Another problem arises once Rassendyll develops feelings for Rudolf's lovely cousin Princess Flavia (Deborah Kerr), who notices the new king's sudden and drastic change in behavior, and yet another when poor Rudolph is kidnapped by Duke Michael's dastardly henchman, Rupert of Hentzau (James Mason).

Breezy and confidently structured with a 96-minute running time (the "221 minute" claim above includes an earlier version offered as a bonus feature) with stunning Technicolor cinematography to match, this 1952 adaptation might best be seen as one of the more accessible or entry-level iterations of The Prisoner of Zenda. Grainger does a fine job in the lead role, falling slightly behind Ronald Colman's iconic performance in the 1937 version (which for many is the definitive adaptation) but still commanding our attention and passing himself off as two separate people. Supporting roles are filled out extremely well, especially by Deborah Kerr and the similarly lovely Jane Greer (as Antoinette de Mauban, Duke Michael's mistress), while the great James Mason steals almost every scene he's in.

Visually, it's a feast for the eyes with lingering close-ups, workmanlike production design, and excellent framing that uses most of its pre-Cinemascope 1.37:1 compositions very wisely, while the rousing original score by Alfred Newman adds plenty of support during key scenes. These elements and more are supported extremely well by Warner Archive's welcome new Blu-ray edition, one of the rare titles that wasn't touched by the boutique label until now -- its first and only DVD edition was handled by parent company Warner Bros., who released it as part of the 2007 Literary Classics Collection alongside the 1937 version. Needless to say, this one's a major upgrade from top to bottom.

The Prisoner of Zenda Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

To the surprise of exactly no one, Warner Archive's new 1080p transfer of The Prisoner of Zenda -- which is sourced from a recent 4K scan of the original Technicolor negatives -- earns an easy five stars for its stunning clarity, excellent fine detail, consistent stability, and of course jaw-dropping color palette. As usual, a fine layer of film grain can be seen despite the manual removal of all obvious signs of age-related wear-and-tear, reinforcing the film's lustrous sheen and appealing production design. As seen in these first 20 direct-from-disc screenshots, this is a top-tier presentation and stands comfortably alongside the boutique label's previous Technicolor releases, most (if not all) of which have earned a perfect rating from yours truly for the same reasons as this one; I've lost count at this point, but it's surely well into the dozens. Quite simply, this is a best-case scenario for purists and breathes new life into The Prisoner of Zenda, which has likely not looked this good since first-run theatrical showings. In other words, buy with confidence.

The Prisoner of Zenda Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mix is similarly polished to a shine, showcasing the film's original mono audio in a split stereo container to widen its presence while retaining authenticity. Dialogue and effects sound clean and well-balanced, age-related damage is kept to an absolute minimum, and the supportive original score by Alfred Newman (not this guy) has never sounded better. In all respects, it's another understated but solid effort that gets the job done.

Optional English (SDH) subtitles are included during the main feature only, not the extras listed below.

The Prisoner of Zenda Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This one-disc release ships in a keepcase with attractive vintage poster-themed cover artwork and no inserts. Several bonus features are included, led by a full-length 1922 silent version of the original story.

• "The Prisoner of Zenda" Silent Version (113:10) - Metro-Goldwyn (no Mayer yet) proudly presents this comparably solid 1922 silent version of the film, directed by Rex Ingram and starring Lewis Stone (one of the first "Best Actor" nominees for Ernst Lubitsch's 1929 film The Patriot), Alice Terry (The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse), Robert Edeson (Chicago), Stuart Holmes (Duck Soup, The Man Who Laughs), and "Latin Lover" Ramón Novarro ("Ben-Hur" in the original 1925 film). It's presented in standard definition and looks pretty rough, but still definitely worth a look for fans of the source story. Seen in screenshots #21-25.

• Lux Radio Theater (59:01) - This original broadcast from June 4, 1939 stars Ronald Colman and Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., reprising their lead roles in the 1937 film adaptation linked above.

• Screen Director's Playhouse (29:58) - A later adaptation from February 20, 1949, this condensed version stars the returning Colman alongside his wife Benita Hume as Princess Flavia.

• Theatrical Trailer (3:49) - This vintage promotional piece can also be seen here.

The Prisoner of Zenda Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Richard Thorpe's 1952 adaptation of The Prisoner of Zenda is one of many takes on the original story, undoubtedly highlighted by its gorgeous Technicolor cinematography and a fine dual lead performance by Stewart Grainger with support from Robert Douglas, James Mason, Deborah Kerr, and others. The visuals are bolstered by Warner Archive's stunning new restoration for Blu-ray, which also includes solid lossless audio and a nice collection of bonus features including a full-length 1922 silent version in standard definition. Strongly Recommended to fans of the film.