} Crítica Retrô: O Prisioneiro de Zenda / The Prisoner of Zenda (1937)

Tradutor / Translator / Traductor / Übersetzer / Traduttore / Traducteur / 翻訳者 / переводчик

Thursday, July 13, 2017

O Prisioneiro de Zenda / The Prisoner of Zenda (1937)

A “visão dupla” é uma das técnicas mais ricas, mais exploradas e mais comentadas na mídia filmada. Até hoje, quando um ator interpreta dois papéis em um só filme ou programa de TV, é gerada uma curiosidade e surgem alguns artigos em sites e revistas sobre como o efeito foi criado. Com técnicas de edição, pintura mate e o uso de sombras, não é muito difícil ter “dublês” em filmes. E, em 1937, a técnica foi usada com perfeito realismo em “O Prisioneiro de Zenda”.

“Seeing double” is one of the richest, more commonly explored and more talked about techniques in filmmaking. Until today, when an actor plays two roles in the same movie or TV production, there is curiosity and a few articles in sites and magazines about how the effect was achieved. With editing, matte paintings and the use of shadows, it isn't really that difficult to have doubles in a film. And in 1937, the technique was used with perfect realism in “The Prisoner of Zenda”.
O entusiasta da pesca inglês Rudolf Rassendyll (Ronald Colman) chega em um país europeu fictício perto da Áustria e da Romênia e chama a atenção de todos. Há uma razão para isso: ele é um sósia do príncipe do lugar, que será coroado rei no dia seguinte.

English fishing enthusiast Rudolf Rassendyll (Ronald Colman) arrives in a fictional European country near Austria and Rumania and calls everybody's attention. There is a reason for that: he looks exactly like the prince of the place, who will be crowned king the following day.
Não demora muito até que o príncipe Rudolf (também Ronald Colman) encontra 0 inglês Rudolf e o convida para celebrar o encontro em uma taverna – porque o príncipe tem um probleminha com a bebida. Logo seus companheiros, Rudolf e Fritz (David Niven) caem no sono, e o príncipe decide fazer um último brinde – com um vinho que foi envenenado por seu irmão usurpador, Michael (Raymond Massey).

It doesn't take long until the prince Rudolf (also Ronald Colman) finds the Englishman Rudolf and invites him to a tavern to celebrate their meeting – because the prince has a little problem with alcohol. Soon his companions, Rudolf and Fritz (David Niven) are asleep, and the prince decides to take one last toast – with a wine that happens to have been poisoned by his envious brother, Michael (Raymond Massey).
No dia seguinte, o príncipe está em coma. A única solução encontrada pelo coronel Zapt (C. Aubrey Smith), conselheiro do príncipe, é colocar Rudolf no lugar do príncipe durante a coroação para evitar um escândalo. Rudolf faz isso, e algo mais: ele se apaixona pela noiva do príncipe, a princesa Flavia (Madeleine Carroll). Mas a mentira terá de durar mais que o esperado, porque o capanga de Michael, conde Rupert de Hentzau (Douglas Fairbanks Jr) encontrou e raptou o príncipe.

The next day, the prince is comatose. The only solution found by Colonel Zapt (C. Aubrey Smith), the prince's counselor, is for Rudolf to replace the prince in the coronation to avoid a scandal. Rudolf does this, and more: he falls in love with the prince's fiancée, Princess Flavia (Madeleine Carroll). But the lie will have to last longer than intended, because Michael's minion, Count Rupert of Hentzau (Douglas Fairbanks Jr) have found and kidnapped the real prince.
“O Prisioneiro de Zenda” tem um grande elenco. Você acabou de ver: Colman, Carroll, Massey, Fairbanks Jr, Niven, C. Aubrey Smith – um dos meus favoritos – e Mary Astor como Antoinette, uma garota apaixonada por Michael. Douglas Fairbanks Jr havia feito teste para o duplo papel protagonista, mas Colman foi escalado, o que devastou o jovem atlético. Seu pai, o ídolo Douglas Fairbanks, disse que o papel de Rupert era, na verdade, “uma bênção disfarçada”.

“The Prisoner of Zenda” has a great cast. You just read: Colman, Carroll, Massey, Fairbanks Jr, Niven, C. Aubrey Smith – a personal favorite – and Mary Astor as Antoinette, the girl in love with Michael. Douglas Fairbanks Jr had tested for the double leading role, but Colman got it instead, which devastated the young athletic man. His father, the swashbuckling idol Douglas Fairbanks, said that the role of Rupert was actually “a blessing in disguise”.
E o velho Fairbanks tinha razão. Embora Rudolf seja a estrela e Colman seja ao mesmo tempo charmoso, brincalhão e destemido – Rupert é também um ótimo personagem – e talvez até mais interessante. Rupert é esperto e leal apenas a si mesmo. Ele é ambicioso, corajoso e ousado. E ele se envolve em uma luta de esgrima fantástica e climática contra Rudolf – uma sequência que só ficou completa com vívidas sombras dos dois duelando.

And the old Fairbanks was right. Although Rudolf is the star and Colman is at the same time charming, playful and daring, Rupert is also a great – if not more interesting – character. Rupert is smart and loyal only to himself. He's ambitious, daring and fearless. And he engages in a fantastic climatic swordfight against Rudolf – a sequence that was made complete by vivid shadows of them fencing.
Se você esperava uma produção com cenários maravilhosos, não ficará desapontado. As duas personagens femininas no filme têm menos substância que as masculinas, com Mary Astor se saindo melhor que Madeleine Carroll. A atenção de Selznick ao detalhe ajudou o visual do filme a ser surpreendente – incluindo as três cenas em que Ronald Colman contracena com “ele mesmo”.

If you expected a production with lavish sets, you won't be disappointed. The two female characters in the film have less substance than their male counterparts, with Mary Astor performing better than Madeleine Carroll. Selznick's attention to detail helped the visuals of the film to be wonderful – including the three scenes in which Ronald Colman shares the screen with himself.
“O Prisioneiro de Zenda” teve diversas adaptações para o cinema, começando em 1913. Esta é a primeira da era falada, e também a versão definitiva. Ronald Colman adicionou uma tonelada de carisma aos dois papéis que interpretou, mas são as cenas de ação e o clímax tenso que tornam o filme extremamente divertido.

“The Prisoner of Zenda” had several adaptations to the screen, starting in 1913. This one is the first of the sound era, and also the definitive one. Ronald Colman injected a ton of charisma in his two roles but the action scenes and the tense climax are the elements that make the film extremely enjoyable.


This is my contribution to the Swashaton – The Swashbuckler Blogathon, hosted by Fritzi at Movies, Silently.

11 comments:

Caftan Woman said...

This version of The Prisoner of Zenda is magical, and will always have a special place in my heart. It is the sort of movie you hate to see end.

Fritzi Kramer said...

Thank you so much for joining in. I enjoyed your review of this "double vision" as it's one of my favorites as well. Fairbanks Sr. was right! Junior was a dream as a baddie.

Anonymous said...

Really enjoyed reading your review. This is such a great film. Ronald Colman is perfect in this. Maddy from maddylovesherclassicfilms.

Rebecca Deniston said...

I've always heard about this movie, but never seen it. Looks like a good one! Also looks like there was a "Best Mustache" contest happening on the side. :-)

Linda J. Sandahl said...

Apparently Colman didn't think he did his double roles that well -- he didn't went to portray both Darnay and Carton in A Tale of Two Cities, for example. I can see what he meant but who cares? The more Ronald Colman the better!

Silver Screenings said...

Great choice for the blogathon, Le! Fabulous cast and great sets and costumes. (And Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. is PERFECT.)

I love what a previous commenter said about a "Best Moustache" contest. I'm going to watch for that the next time I see this film. :)

la Clarina said...

This is my favourite version of TPoZ - for many reasons, but especially because of Douglas Fairbanks Jr's perfect Rupert, the boy with the sunny smile and the ready knife! I can't help thinking that a dull or "wrong" Rupert is bound to thoroughly ruin an adaptation of Zenda.

Clara @ Scribblings

Unknown said...

Marvelous review! I just watched this last month again and thoroughly enjoyed it. That certainly would have been interesting if Fairbanks had played the dual role, but it's hard to wish him in any other role than Rupert. :)

I was actually first introduced to the 1952 Prisoner of Zenda, but once I saw this one, it became my favorite version.

Quiggy said...

The Zenda story is one that I loved as a kid, when I was a much more avid reader, but I haven't actually seen any versions of it. Not direct versions, anyway, although I have seen a couple of movies inspired by the story.

Joe Thompson said...

Hi Lê. I'm happy you wrote about this version of The Prisoner of Zenda. I love the movie and I particularly love both Ronald Colman and Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. C Aubrey Smith and David Niven were very good, too. I agree that Mary Astor did better than Madeline Carrol. I read the book when I was in grammar school, even before I saw the movie. The movie did not disappoint me. The version with Stewart Granger copied this one pretty closely, but the actors were not as good.

Michaela said...

I was blown away by this film when I first saw it. I'll admit I was expecting it to be kind of dull, but I was proven completely wrong. The visuals are stunning and the acting is brilliant. Just looking at those photos made me grin. Fantastic choice!

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