the prisoner of zenda be one of the most fondly remembered film of the 30 and and for good reason . it offer ronald colman and one of hollywood most beloved british star and in the dual role of rudolf and crown prince of a small european kingdom and and rudolf rassendyll and his look alike british cousin and end product of a brief affair of an ancestor ( a the englishman put it and fish in forbidden water ) while the radiant madeleine carroll and best know a robert donat lead lady in hitchcock classic the 39 step and a the royal betroth and who fall in love with the pretender while raymond massey and canadian star of h. g. well sf masterpiece and thing to come ( and and 3 year later and the quintessential abraham lincoln on stage and in film . ) and a black michael and rudolf scheme half brother while and and best of all and a youthful douglas fairbanks and jr. and son of silent hollywood great swashbuckler ( and a pretty fair swashbuckler and himself ) and a the suavely villainous ally of michael . the story be simple and and have be do many time before and but never with such elan while drug monarch to be must be impersonate by look alike for coronation and l kingdom fall into hand of evil half brother . in the hand of this perfect cast ( with terrific support by c. aubrey smith and a young david niven and and mary astor ) the tale become a stylish tale of love and intrigue and and derring do . high point include an astonishingly beautiful royal ball and where colman and carroll reveal their love while a very funny yet menace meeting between colman and fairbanks and a they discuss the real king potential fate while and best of all and a magnificent climactic swordfight between the pair and a they lunge and parry furiously through the hall of a castle and while exchange quip and one liner . this be swashbuckling at it fine . if you be unfamiliar with ronald colman work and youre in for a treat . don not miss it .