this be probably ronald coleman best film and though he do have other terrific film to his credit . why be it so good . well and the pacing be brisk and the story engaging and act superb and the support cast be dynamite how can you fail when you be support by the like of the david niven and dougals fairbanks and jr. and c. aubrey smith . plus and rayond massey be great a the menacing villain leader part jonathan brewster ( from arsenic and old lace ) and part snidley whiplash ( from bullwinkle ) . plus madeleine carroll be so beautiful and captivate i could see how coleman would have a terrible time let go of her . the story start in a small mythical kingdom . it seem on the eve of his coronation and the king to be be drug by the evil villain . it just so happen that the good guy have stumble on an exact double of the indisposed king and they ask this very surprised chap to sit in for the king . he reluctantly agree but it be for a lot more than he expect after the king to be be kidnap and he must remain king for the foreseeable future . this be rouse adventure in the grand tradition . if you love film such a captain blood and the adventure of robinhood and you will be in for a real treat if you watch this film . note represent the entire movie be re film nearly scene for scene in the 1950s with stewart granger in the lead . it and too and be an excellent film but offer nothing significantly well than the original . my advice be to try the original first a overall it a little bit well . also and peter sellars do an unbelievably terrible version of this film in 1979. avoid it unless you be into masochism . new note represent i review this wonderful movie a couple year back and tonight i be surprise to see ronald coleman be a very and very and very similar film call the masquerader ( 1933 ) in which he once again play two role of people who be suppose to be identical but not twin . consider that this be a bit of a silly cliché and that he do the masquerader several year earlier and this make the prisoner of zenda a bit less original than i would earlier thought and so i be now score the movie with a 9 instead of a 10. it still a lovely film just not quite so original .