THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER
US, 1937, 120 Minutes, Black and White.
Errol Flynn, Billy and Bobby March, Claude Rains, Alan Hale.
Directed by William Keighley.
The Prince and the Pauper is based on Mark Twain's fairytale of Elizabethan and Tudor England. Errol Flynn is at home in the central role and the whole film is given the Warner Brothers treatment in the style of the 30s, settings, lavish music etc. It is very enjoyable adventure entertainment. The Walt Disney studios remade the story for television in the 60s and the Salkinds made a very lavish version with an all-star cast in the 70s. In terms of quality, this version is probably the best.
1. How attractive a fantasy? The appeal of a historical fantasy? The film said it might have been true? Could this have been so? Audience appeal in the 30s? Now?
2. Comment on the Warner Bros. styles of filmmaking in the 30s: black and white photography, sets, strong musical accompaniment, stars?
3. The background of Henry VIII and his expectations? The presentation of the king, his hope for a son, his response to the birth of Edward, his reaction to Jane Seymour? The scenes with his son? His dying hopes for his son?
4. The film's use of the twins, their similarities, the magical overtones of having two boys looking so much the same and appealing quite quickly? Part of the charm of the film?
5. The way the film contrasted the poor family and the birth of their son? The lack of hopes?
6. The similarities and contrasts of the boys' lives? The comparison of their fathers, court life and those plotting at court, compared with the atmosphere of thieves? The brutality of both worlds? The poor boy playing king, fighting for his reputation, as did Prince Edward? How well did the film make these parallels?
7. How enjoyable was the encounter of the two boys? Their playing games, changing clothes, the risk of the consequences?
8. What did the pauper learn by his experience as a prince? It was revealed to him, what a king really was, what he has? The world of intrigue, the pressures of the Earl of Hertford? Forced to sign papers, the non-questioning? Loneliness? The coronation?
9. What did the prince learn by becoming a pauper? His pompous attitudes, being physically hurt, being rescued by Miles, experiencing the pauper's father, the world of thieves, harshness and escape and hiding, his hearing about the oppression of England's laws, his being forced to rob, his being threatened even to death?
10. The importance of the climax sequences with the real king being threatened by the soldiers? His facing of death?
11. How attractive was miles as a hero for the film? Errol Flynn's style? The soldier, the help, his non-belief about the king, his enjoying the encounter with the poor boy who was pompous, his realization of the truth, his split-second timing for the rescue, the fight, his humility about the reward and wanting to remain a soldier?
12. The pageantry of the coronation and the humour of the various messages to check out the truth about the king and the Royal Seal?
13. The importance of the character of the Earl of Hertford? The sinister ambition? His pressure on the king? The unmasking? His being punished?
14. The morality of the film with villains punished and good rewarded? How appropriate? How appropriate the happy ending? How could the film be seen as a fable? A moral fable? What did Mark Twain intend by writing it for the American public?
