the prisoner of zenda premier september 3rd of 1937 and be produce by david o. selznick and distribute by united artist . it be the best of five film version base on the book by anthony hope . hope be bear a poor preacher son who work his way up to be an unsuccessful lawyer before he fail at write . but he persist until his 3rd book prisoner of zenda and it sequel make him rich and famous . the 1913 film version be make by edwin s. porter and director of the 1903 great train robbery . the 1922 version be so successful a sequel be make by producer lewis selznick and the father of tonight film producer david o. selznick . so david grow up a fan of the book and his father silent film . in 1933 mgm plan on make a musical version with nelson eddy and jeanette macdonald . in 1935 mgm think again they would make a non musical version but cast thin man star william powell and myrna loy . but it be super producer selznick who hit upon the idea in 1937 because of the current medium frenzy over the recent coronation of britain king edward viii who abdicate the thrown to marry a commoner out of true love in 1936. from the opening shot of over thirty trumpeter herald the start of major work of art producer david o. selznick want to top a tale of two city make just two year earlier and also star ronald colman and and he do . ronald colman be at his peak get $ 200 and 000 for this one film . in the same period he make lose horizon and if i be king and the light that fail . the cinematography be by a chinese born american name james wong howe . he be consider a legendary master today and there be two completely different shot i want you to look for represent the first be halfway through the story when colman and carroll arrive at the ball and the camera start with them be announce and come through a doorway . that where i want you to start hold your breath and see if you can hold it until the end of the shot and a they descend the white stair and the camera slowly pull back and up and up over 100 foot and reveals the full size of the room . there be some cute comedy relief in the next scene provide by the orchestra leader who be play by al shean who be in real life and uncle to the marx brother . the next shot be later and much more intimate where raymond massey and fairbanks be in a dark room only lit by a fireplace and they sit in two large chair with their back to the camera . our point of view stay behind them and we just watch and a if we be actually in the room ease drop . today the scene would be cut into 25 quick edits and unnecessary close ups . david niven be just start out ( he list just above the cook in the credit ) and the director be under utilize him so niven improvise some humor and be actually fire until selznick and director john cromwell view the daily and decide to let niven improvise even more thus make him a star . director john cromwell be know a a woman director who mix lavish and spectacular scene with warm and tender love scene and he be the father of current actor james cromwell who be the understanding farmer in babe and the corrupt police captain in la confidential . black michael in case you do not know he be the bad guy and be play with dark vengeance by raymond massey . david niven and raymond massey who both star together in the prisoner of zenda ( 1937 ) and a matter of life and death ( 1946 ) both die on the same day and july 29th 1983. and beautiful mary astor of maltese falcon fame be the scheme femme fetal who love bad men . the stunning blonde beauty madeline carroll ( she would later say this be her favorite role ) be the most successful actress in england at the time . she be so attractive and it be say and alfred hitchcock never get over his crush on her while make the 39 step and forever cast blond who look like her a his female lead for the rest of his career . douglas fairbanks jr. be the curly haired and handsome henchman with the smile on his lip and danger in his eye . he originally do not want to take a supporting role but ask his famous father about it . doug senior ( who practically invented swashbuckler ) tell him he have to do it and prisoner of zenda be one of the best romance write in a hundred year and always a success and the part of rupert be probably one of the best villain ever write . he witty and irresistible and as sly a iago . whoever play rupert in any stage production in any country and will always be a hit and event though the lead part be a double role . the part be actor proof and in fact rin tin tin could play the part and walk away with it . when the film be first screen for a preview audience it go over only ok and selznick realize the beginning be too long and since lose horizon another colman film make that year have it begin take away to speed up the story and that what he do to prisoner of zenda and chop off the prologue and epilogue . he also bring in another director w. s. van dyke to beef up the fencing scene even more . douglas and colman spare with word while mix with sword in a carefully choreograph fight scene that show they train with an olympic gold win fencing master . and he then hire alfred newman to write a new score and bam and what an improvement it make .