The Prisoner of Zenda [DVD]

Leonard Maltin and others have criminally underrated this charming, rollicking adventure comedy. Admittedly uneven, it boasts gorgeous production design and nuanced performances by the great Sellers, particularly as a warm, caring, dimensional cabbie. As his royal doppelganger, Sellers affects a consistent accent which is somewhat irritating and may cause viewers to lose a line or two.Critics may have expected a comedy with adventure rather than an action spectacle in which comedy is secondary.

The Leonard Maltin Movie Guide assigns this film the BOMB rating. Does anybody there ever watch the movies they are trashing? This is thoroughly engaging lighthearted entertainment. Peter Sellers assumes multiple roles not as memorably as he did in past films but it'll do. The Austrian landscape where the film was made is breathtaking and the production values are first rate. Good supporting cast includes British film veteran Lionel Jeffries, Norman Rossington("A Hard Day's Night"), Blake Edwards regular Graham Stark, and Gregory Sierra from TV's "Barney Miller". This isn't classic stuff but it's good fare to pass the time.

The movie is a loose retelling of "The Prisoner of Zenda" written by Anthony Hope, and contains all the comedy associated with Sellers in those "Pink Panther" movies that established Peter Sellers as an international star. The first of three roles (the aging king) is dispensed with in the first few minutes of the film, and from there Sellers plays two roles, that of Syd and Rudolf. The two are exact physical matches which is explained in the film. All the "Zenda" plot is told with gags and comedy lacing almost every scene. I saw this in 1979 and am very pleased to get to see it again in 2013, and it is still an entertaining film, with no pretension to be more. The fine film score by Henry Mancini makes it even more enjoyable.

This is Peter Sellers at his most madcap. It has little to do with Hope's novel nor with the Ronald Colman nor S. Granger versions of that novel. It has less to do with "Zenda" than did Tom Baker's Dr. Who (Androids of Tara) version. It relates to Zenda as much as the Sellers-Niven-Woody Allen "Casino Royale" has to do with Ian Fleming.

Plenty of vintage Sellers here. Reminiscent of the wonderful "Mouse That Roared" with the multiple roles Sellers plays.

If you like Peter Sellers , you'll appreciate this movie as he plays more than one role . The street smart , self made working class hero and the spoiled worthless , weak king , who's environment has given him political power but no strength of character .

Peter Sellers third last movie featuring his soon to be wife Lynne Frederick. This has always been one of my favourite Sellers movies, based on the classic novel. I loved the blend of slapstick and verbal humour and Rupert of Hentzau has long been my favourite villain. The movie follows the book with reasonable fidelity, although replacing the thoroughly middle class Rudolph Rassendyll with London cabbie, Syd Frewin, adding a side story involving a mistress and her jealous husband and adding a happy ending.This movie is a gentler comedy than many of those Sellers starred in and came out the same year as his finest role, Chance the Gardiner in "Being There".If you love Peter Sellers, this is well worth a look.

One of my favorites of Peter Sellers. I will probably where out the tape and will have to buy another.

Certainly very funny in places but sometimes too predictable. The big fight-out at the end seemed to go on too long. Children might enjoy it more than I did.

Very good

Many thanks for the swift delivery

its not bad film has some very funny bits

Fantastic film from my childhood - absolutley amazing and funny