The Prince and the Pauper

1937

1h 58m

IMDb RATING

6.7/10

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19 Images

Adventure

Drama

Family

Fantasy

Two boys – the prince Edward and the pauper Tom – are born on the same day. Years later, when young teenage Tom sneaks into the palace garden, he meets the prince. They change clothes with one another before the guards discover them and throw out the prince thinking he's the urchin. No one believes them when they try to tell the truth about which is which. Soon after, the old king dies and the prince will inherit the throne.

Directors

William Keighley

Writers

Mark Twain(novel by)

Laird Doyle(screenplay by)

Stars

Errol Flynn

Claude Rains

Henry Stephenson

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Videos1

Trailer
Watch The Prince and the Pauper (1937) Official Trailer - Errol Flynn, Claude Rains Movie HD

Photos19

Top cast

Miles Hendon

Earl of Hertford

Duke of Norfolk

John Canty

Tom Canty

Prince Edward

Captain of the Guard

First Lord

Second Lord

Third Lord

Hugo

Archbishop

Barmaid

Clemens

Henry VIII

Father Andrew

Grandmother Canty

Mrs. Canty

Directors

William Keighley

Writers

Mark Twain(novel by)

Laird Doyle(screenplay by)

All cast & crew

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Featured review

7/10

So Henry VIII finally has his beloved son - the Prince Edward whom he protects at all costs. All the walls and guards, though, don't stop the wandering urchin "Tom Canty" from getting into his apartment. The two boys chat and decide it might be a bit of fun to swap clothes as the King is throwing a fancy dress party that night. Their roles now reversed, the wrong boy now comes a cropper at the hands of his own guards and is turfed out leaving "Tom" to fill some rather luxurious britches. Despite his protestations that he's not the Prince, he isn't believed - not even by his own ailing father (Montagu Love) - a fact that the scheming Hertford (Claude Rains) plays to his full advantage when the king dies and he gets himself appointed the Lord Protector. If "Tom" thinks he's having it bad, just wait and see what the real Prince is having to deal with. Clad in rags and proclaiming his true status, everyone just thinks he's a bit bonkers. About to get a sound beating, he is saved by soldier of fortune "Miles Hendon" (Errol Flynn) who takes the boy under his wing. Initially, he's no more convinced about the tales of royalty either, but gradually he begins to believe and together they have to find a way to stop the coronation before the wrong boy is crowned and Hertford lops of the head of the Duke of Norfolk (Henry Stephenson) and rules the roost. Now, the pair have quite a few adventures and along the way the boy realises some of the iniquities of his kingdom, vowing that he will be a better king if he ever gets the chance. Will he? Flynn is on good form here but it's really the two Mauch twins - Robert is the Prince and Billy is the pauper, who steal the show. They look like they are having good fun playing their way through parts that were probably every boy's dream. Eric Portman and Alan Hale pop up now and again too and there's precisely no romance at all to clutter up the swash, buckle, duplicity and entertainment. It's one of Mark Twain's better stores, I think, and this is the best version made for the silver screen.

Geronimo196720 Jun, 2022