1952 MGM Wardrobe Department THE PRISONER OF ZENDA King ' S Uniform STUART GRANGER
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:12529228 |
I AM LISTING FROM A GROUPING OF SELECTED ANTIQUE INVENTORY SOME OF WHICH HAS BEEN STORED FOR YEARS AND IS VERY FRESH TO MARKET SO PLEASE CHECK MY OTHER AUCTIONS FOR MORE GREAT ANTIQUES AND COLLECTIBLES!!!! This listing is for an original fancy uniform jacket coat from Metro Goldwyn Mayer's wardrobe department inscribes as being one for Stuart Granger. I have identified "The Prisoner of Zenda" as the film but have not watched it to see if the coat was screen worn. In watching the traile...r for the movie on Youtube I saw a scene where Granger was wearing a different coat with the same styleized "R" emblem on their buttons. The emblem is also duplicated on the breast of the coat. This emblem is meant to be the crest of King Rudolf who is played by the movie's lead, Granger. Measures about 33" long measured from the collar to the bottom edge along the back. Sleeves measure 24" long from the shoulder to the cuff. I am not an expert so please have a look and ask questions. This is fresh from a closet and shows normal wear and patina for an item of this vintage. Pics give an accurate portrayal of condition. See Pics. I TOOK LOTS OF PHOTOGRAPHS, BE SURE TO SCROLL ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE END OF THE AUCTION TO SEE THEM ALL!!!! I WILL BE LISTING OTHER INTERESTING ANTIQUES THIS WEEK SO PLEASE CHECK MY OTHER AUCTIONS!!! Please look at the photos to get an idea of what this is. Photos accurately reflect the condition on this item. I am not an expert, so please feel free to ask any questions, and I will answer them the best way I can. I may not be able to answer your questions immediately, but every question will be answered. Please try to ask questions before the last day of the auction because I am not always around to answer them then. I will combine packing and shipping on items purchased within 24 hours of each other. International buyers: I will only ship via USPS priority mail due to too many mishaps. I will also not falsify any customs documents so please do not ask. Realistic reserve set just to protect my investment, if there is a reserve at all. I am not interested in selling off of ebay so please do not ask. Payment must be received within three days of close of auction. California residents must add 8.75% sales tax to their purchase unless they hold a valid California resale permit. If you have a permit please include it when sending your payment so that I can have it on file. All packages shipped with insurance, no exceptions. All items sold as-is unless I misrepresent something. Good luck and thanks for looking!!!The Prisoner of Zenda is a 1952 film version of the classic novel of the same name by Anthony Hope and a remake of the famous 1937 film version. This version was made by Loew's and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, directed by Richard Thorpe and produced by Pandro S. Berman.The screenplay, attributed to Noel Langley, was nearly word-for-word identical to the one used in the 1937 Ronald Colman version, which was by John L. Balderston, adapted by Wells Root, from the Hope novel and the stage play by Edward Rose, with additional dialogue by Donald Ogden Stewart.The film stars Stewart Granger, Deborah Kerr, and James Mason (with Louis Calhern, Robert Douglas, Jane Greer and Robert Coote).Alfred Newman's 1937 music score was adapted by Conrad Salinger, since Newman was unavailable to work on the film; and the cinematography by Joseph Ruttenberg. The art direction was by Cedric Gibbons and Hans Peters and the costume design by Walter Plunkett.[2]The silent film versions, The Prisoner of Zenda (1913) starred James K. Hackett and Beatrice Beckly and The Prisoner of Zenda (1922) starred Lewis Stone and Alice Terry. A comedy version The Prisoner of Zenda (1979) starred Peter Sellers and Lynne Frederick. In June 1897, English gentleman Rudolf Rassendyll (Granger) takes a fishing vacation in Ruritania, a small kingdom in the Balkans. While there, he is puzzled by the odd reactions of the natives to him. Rassendyll discovers why when he meets Colonel Zapt and Captain Fritz von Tarlenheim. Zapt introduces him to the soon-to-be-crowned king, Rudolf V, who turns out to be not only his distant relative, but also looks just like him (except for the Englishman's mustache). The king, surprised at first, takes a great liking to the Englishman, and invites him to stay at the royal hunting lodge.They celebrate their acquaintance by drinking late into the night. 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. The next morning brings a disastrous discovery: the wine was drugged. Rudolf cannot be awakened, and if he cannot attend his coronation that day, Michael will try to assume the throne as Regent. 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. Zapt is able to convince a reluctant Rassendyll to impersonate Rudolf for the ceremony.Rassendyll meets Rudolf's betrothed, Princess Flavia (Kerr). She had always disliked her cousin Rudolf, but now finds him greatly changed, very much for the better. As they spend time together, they begin to fall in love.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. Rassendyll is forced to continue the impersonation while Zapt searches for Rudolf. Michael cannot denounce the masquerade without incriminating himself.Help comes from an unexpected quarter. To be king, Michael must marry his cousin Flavia. Rupert sets a trap for Rassendyll and arrives with 2 other men to kill him. 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. 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. With the help of Antoinette and Captain Fritz von Tarlenheim, Rassendyll escapesAfter 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. Rassendyll decides that he is that man to swim the moat, over Zapt's strenuous objections.Their carefully laid plans go awry when Michael finds Rupert trying to seduce his mistress. After Rupert kills him, a heartbroken Antoinette blurts out just enough to alert Rupert to danger. 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. When he finally succeeds, Rupert flees.Rudolf is restored to his throne. Rassendyll tries to persuade Flavia to leave with him, but her devotion to duty is too great, and their parting, while loving, is bittersweet.Cast[edit]Stewart Granger as Rudolf Rassendyl/King Rudolf VDeborah Kerr as Princess Flavia. Jean Simmons, who was married to Granger at the time, and Eleanor Parker were considered for the role.James Mason as Rupert of Hentzau. Richard Greene was to have portrayed Rupert, but had a scheduling conflict.Louis Calhern as Colonel ZaptRobert Coote as Fritz von TarlenheimRobert Douglas as Michael, Duke of StrelsauJane Greer as Antoinette de MaubanLewis Stone as the Cardinal. Stone played the dual lead role in the 1922 silent version.Background and production notes[edit]In May 1951 MGM announced they had bought the rights to remake the 1937 film from David O. Selznick as a vehicle for Stewart Granger. (Granger had just enjoyed enormous success in another remake for MGM, King Solomon's Mines.) Pandro S Berman would produce.[3] MGM were remaking a large number of old movies in color around this time, such as Showboat.[4]According to a Hollywood Reporter news item, MGM was to pay Selznick USD $225, 000 for the remake rights to the novel and the play by Edward Rose.This version of The Prisoner of Zenda used the same shooting script as the 1937 David O. Selznick film. Slight variations in the screenplay were added by Noel Langley. In addition to the dialogue, the same film score, composed by Alfred Newman for the 1937 version, was also used for this version. A comparison of the two films reveals that settings and camera angles, in most cases, are the same.In 1999, blacklisted writer Donald Ogden Stewart, who was credited with additional dialogue on the 1937 production, was given a restored credit for the 1952 film.Director Richard Thorpe and producer Pandro S. Berman had previously collaborated on Ivanhoe (1952) and, in addition to The Prisoner of Zenda, would go on to team up again in All the Brothers Were Valiant (1953), Knights of the Round Table (1953), The Adventures of Quentin Durward, (1955) and Jailhouse Rock (1957)The cast included Lewis Stone, who had appeared in the 1922 film version of the novel.[5]Reception[edit]Box Office[edit]According to MGM records the film earned $2, 078, 000 in North America and $3, 550, 000 elsewhere, making an overall profit of $1, 759, 000.[1]The film was a hit in France, with admissions of 2, 415, 938.[6]
