THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER

US, 1977, 121 minutes, Colour.
Oliver Reed, Raquel Welch, Mark Lester, Ernest Borgnine, George C. Scott, David Hemmings, Charlton Heston, Rex Harrison.
Directed by Richard Fleischer.

Mark Twain's legend about Edward VI and the poor slum boy - 30s Errol Flynn, 60s Disney and now the Salkinds (Musketeers, Superman) production, lavish costumes, sets and stars, best of whom are George C. Scott as the Ruffler and Charlton Heston as the aged Henry VIII. A gangly adolescent, Mark Lester portrays the boys stolidly with Oliver Reed in the Flynn role. Treatment is more adult than family. George Mac Donald Frazer of the Flashman series finalised the script which has a funny, heavily ironic postscript spoken by Rex Harrison always himself as the Duke of Norfolk. There is a sometimes brutal tone, especially when very baddies Ernest Borgnine and David Hemmings appear.

1. The tone of the title, expectations? Mark Twain's story and his explanation of the legend and its possibility and moral? Previous versions, Errol Flynn, Walt Disney?

2. The production values of this film, the lavish style, costumes, sets, European locations for England? Colour and Panavision, musical score? How important the style?

3. The use of international stars and their particular styles and audience expectation of them? Blending together, particular important sequences compared with others?

4. The initial note about the legend, its possibility? The history of Henry the Eighth and Edward the Sixth? London in the sixteenth century? The authentic English atmosphere of Court, slum, countryside? The legend as plausible?

5. How well did the film portray England in the sixteenth century: the initial presentation of the slum world, people at market, people in poverty, thieves? Home style and oppression? The contrast with the court of Henry the Eighth, the courtiers' style, the Duke of Norfolk? The presentation of the two boys and Mark Lester's performance as both? Did he differentiate well the two boys? Insufficiently? The importance of the paralleling of the two fathers? The plausibility of the accidents of their change of identity and role? The basis for the further adventures of both? The opportunity of each to learn?

6. How attractive a boy was Tom? His relationship with his father and his father's brutality towards him, his mother's sickliness and support? Presenting him and his robberies, the long chase and its view of people and of London? His father's brutality towards him? The irony of his escaping and finding himself in the Court? The reaction of Henry the Eighth and his harsh treatment of him? The plea of the Duke of Norfolk and its later irony in the boy helping him to save his life? The continued hiding and the incident in the chimney and the encounter with Edward?

7. The contrast with Edward and his role in the Court, his valour, his relationship with his father, the heir apparent? The bond with Norfolk? His skills, his petulance? The preparations for the fancy-dress ball and the various courtiers, especially Dirk Brie?

8. The encounter of the two boys? Their presence together on the screen and the interest in their identity? The accident of the change? The irony of the Prince being beaten? The humour of Tom at the ball and the comedy of his dancing? Henry the Eighth and the courtiers alarmed and then laughing? His coping with an impossible situation? How plausible each in his own new identity? Prince Edward on the steps, with the Seal, thieves, being beaten and rescued by Miles Hendon?

9. Tom as Prince and what he experienced? His father’s disbelief? The importance of the talk with Henry the Eighth and Henry's attitude towards his son? Tom's ability to cope, his behaviour in the Court, his fascination for Jane, the persecution of Elizabeth? The experience of Henry the Eighth at the ball, his death? The importance of saving Norfolk? The courtiers and their diplomacy? The Parliament and his keeping it waiting to dally with Jane? The build-up to the coronation? His realization that he was not borne to be Prince or King?

10. The comparison with Prince Edward as a pauper? The bond with Miles Hendon and fighting with him and saving him? His talking about being Prince and not being believed? The reaction to Miles Hendon taking him to John