The Prince and the Pauper

The Prince and the Pauper

5/5/1937 1h 58m 6.8/10

Overview

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.

Director

William Keighley

Top Billed Cast

Billy Mauch

Billy Mauch

Tom Canty

Robert J. Mauch

Prince Edward

Claude Rains

Claude Rains

Earl of Hertford

Errol Flynn

Errol Flynn

Miles Hendon

Barton MacLane

Barton MacLane

John Canty

Henry Stephenson

Henry Stephenson

Duke of Norfolk

Reviews

CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

6/20/2022

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.

Similar Movies

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

8.5

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

2003

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

8.4

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

2001

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

8.4

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

2002

2001: A Space Odyssey

8.1

2001: A Space Odyssey

1968

Apocalypse Now

8.3

Apocalypse Now

1979

O Brother, Where Art Thou?

7.3

O Brother, Where Art Thou?

2000

The Elementary Particles

6.1

The Elementary Particles

2006

War of the Worlds

6.5

War of the Worlds

2005

The Lord of the Rings

6.6

The Lord of the Rings

1978

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

7.4

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

2000

The Cider House Rules

7.1

The Cider House Rules

1999

All Quiet on the Western Front

7.7

All Quiet on the Western Front

1930

Fahrenheit 451

7.1

Fahrenheit 451

1966

All the King's Men

5.8

All the King's Men

2006

Anatomy of a Murder

7.8

Anatomy of a Murder

1959