In the final scene, Zapt and von Tarlenheim escort Rassendyll to the border, where Fritz tells him, 'Fate doesn't always make the right man King,' and Colonel Zapt salutes him, saying, 'You're the noblest Elphburg of them all,' as Rudolf rides over the border. Rassendyll tries to persuade Flavia to leave with him, but her devotion to duty is too great and their parting, while loving, is bittersweet.

Rassendyll fights and kills the guards, but must engage in a prolonged duel with Rupert while at the same time trying to lower the drawbridge to let Zapt and his men inside. After Rupert kills him, a heartbroken Antoinette blurts out just enough to alert Rupert to danger. Their carefully laid plans go awry when Michael finds Rupert trying to seduce his mistress. Rassendyll decides that he is that man to swim the moat, over Zapt's strenuous objections. With the help of Antoinette and Captain Fritz von Tarlenheim, Rassendyll escapesДЄfter meeting with Rupert where he offers Rassendyll 100,000 pounds to leave (and having Fritz and Col Zapt killed), Rassendyll, Fritz, and Col Zapt plan a rescue. Since Rudolf would be executed at the first sign of a rescue attempt, she proposes that one man swim the moat and hold off his would-be assassins, while loyal troops storm the castle. But before Rupert arrives, Antoinette de Mauban (Greer), Michael's jealous French mistress, slips in and reveals to Rassendyle that (1) it is a trap to kill him, and (2) that the king is being held in Michael's castle near Zenda and promises to help rescue him. Rupert sets a trap for Rassendyll and arrives with 2 other men to kill him. To be king, Michael must marryвЂ…hisвЂ…cousin Flavia. Michael cannot denounce the masquerade without incriminating himself. Rassendyll is forced to continue the impersonation while Zapt searches for Rudolf. With the coronation accomplished, Rassendyll returns to resume his real identity, only to find the king has been kidnapped by Rupert of Hentzau (Mason), Michael's charmingly amoral henchman. As they spend time together, they begin to fall in love. She had always disliked her cousin Rudolf, but now finds him greatly changed, very much for the better. Rassendyll meets Rudolf's betrothed, Princess Flavia (Kerr). Zapt is able to convince a reluctant Rassendyll to impersonate Rudolf for the ceremony. It is revealed that Michael is bitter that, because his mother was not of royal blood, the younger Rudolf is the heir to the kingdom. Rudolf cannot be awakened, and if he cannot attend his coronation that day, Michael will try to assume the throne as Regent. The next morning brings a disastrous discovery: the wine was drugged. Rudolf is particularly delighted with a bottle of wine given to him by his scheming half-brother, Duke Michael (Douglas), so he drinks it all himself, and he soon passes out. They celebrate their acquaintance by drinking late into the night.

The king, surprised at first, takes a great liking to the Englishman, and invites him to stay at the royal hunting lodge. Zapt introduces him to the soon-to-be-crowned king, Rudolf V, who turns out to be not only his distant relative, but also looksвЂ…justвЂ…likeвЂ…him (except for the Englishman's mustache). Rassendyll discovers why when he meets Colonel Zapt and Captain Fritz von Tarlenheim. While there, he is puzzled by the odd reactions of the natives to him. In June 1897, English gentleman Rudolf Rassendyll (Granger) takes a fishing vacation in Ruritania, a small kingdom in the Balkans. The art direction was by CedricвЂ…Gibbons and HansвЂ…Peters and the costume design by WalterвЂ…Plunkett. ДЄlfred Newman's 1937 music score was adapted by Conrad Salinger, since Newman was unavailable to work on the film and the cinematography by JosephвЂ…Ruttenberg. The screenplay, attributed to NoelвЂ…Langley, was nearly word-for-word identical to the one used in the 1937 RonaldвЂ…Colman version, which was by JohnвЂ…L.вЂ…Balderston, adapted by WellsвЂ…Root, from the Hope novel and the stage play by EdwardвЂ…Rose, with additional dialogue by DonaldвЂ…OgdenвЂ…Stewart. It stars StewartвЂ…Granger, DeborahвЂ…Kerr, and JamesвЂ…Mason (with LouisвЂ…Calhern, RobertвЂ…Douglas, JaneвЂ…Greer and RobertвЂ…Coote). This version was made by Loew's and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, directed by RichardвЂ…Thorpe and produced by PandroвЂ…S.вЂ…Berman. The Prisoner of Zenda is a 1952 Technicolor film version of the 1894 novelвЂ…ofвЂ…theвЂ…sameвЂ…name by AnthonyвЂ…Hope and a remake of theвЂ…1937вЂ…filmвЂ…version and the 1922 silent version as well. For the many other adaptations for film and television, see TheвЂ…PrisonerвЂ…ofвЂ…ZendaвЂ…(disambiguation).

For the original 1894 novel, see TheвЂ…PrisonerвЂ…ofвЂ…Zenda.

For the 1937 film starring Ronald Colman on which it is based, see TheвЂ…PrisonerвЂ…ofвЂ…ZendaвЂ…(1937вЂ…film). This article is about the 1952 film starring Stewart Granger.

The prisoner of zenda 1913