7/10
Overlong spectacle
30 May 2014
Rex Ingram was one of the finest directors of the silent era, but unfortunately, he is little remembered today. His most famous film is The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, a box office smash in 1920 which put Italian immigrant Rudolph Valentino on the road to full-blown stardom. This 1922 adaptation of The Prisoner of Zenda is one of his better known films among silent movie geeks, but I would not count it among his most outstanding.

There's good scenery and spectacle, and Lewis Stone makes good as the lead. The standout of the cast is without a doubt a young Ramon Novarro as the roguish Rupert of Hentzau. Unfortunately, the rest of the cast is not so memorable. The film is also overlong and the comic relief was mildly painful at best.

Overall, it's watchable, but you'll be better served by watching the 1937 remake. If you want outstanding Ingram, then see Scaramouche or Four Horsemen.
3 out of 3 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

Recently Viewed