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The Prince and the Pauper

Play trailer Poster for The Prince and the Pauper Released May 5, 1937 2h 0m Adventure Play Trailer Watchlist
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71% Tomatometer 7 Reviews 62% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
A new addition to a poor London family, Tom Canty (Billy Mauch) enters the world on the same day as the child who's in line to be king. As boys, Tom and his royal counterpart bump into one another, and after realizing that they're virtual twins, they swap outfits and the boys end up trading homes. Tom soon draws the ire of a scheming royal aide (Claude Rains), but palace hanger-on Miles Hendon (Errol Flynn) comes to his defense, as both boys try to reclaim their identities.
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The Prince and the Pauper

Critics Reviews

View All (7) Critics Reviews
Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Warner does all right by the Twain tale. Rated: 3/4 Feb 10, 2024 Full Review Meyer Levin (Patterson Murphy) Esquire Magazine The kids are surrounded with a terrific cast, including Claude Rains, Errol Flynn, Barton MacLane... May 5, 2020 Full Review Ann Ross Maclean's Magazine It's a sort of Tom Sawyer-Huckleberry Finn adventure in a royal sixteenth-century setting. Aug 7, 2019 Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews It's fine as passable entertainment. Rated: C+ Jan 14, 2014 Full Review Daniel Eagan Film Journal International Smart Twain adaptation with plenty of derring-do Rated: 4/5 Oct 28, 2005 Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com Rated: 2/5 Jun 19, 2005 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Steve D Ok version thanks to the cast, Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/08/24 Full Review Bill T FAIRLY cute adaptation of the Mark Twain Novel.. not a big fan of the author quite frankly.. Anyways, this is the tale where a prince and a beggar who look awfully alike get together and swap clothes and then find themselves stuck in the clothes so to speak. The kids who play the title role are cute and do a good job, Errol Flynn looks like he's there for the paycheque. Do we really absolutely need the swordfighting scenes from him? Oh, while we're on it. I'm sure I know how coronations work, so we didn't need the 20 minute one that is the main setpiece of the final act. It's fantastically detailed, but dreadfully uneccessary. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 04/15/23 Full Review Audience Member Yes, I know that Billy and Bobby Mauch are playing the title roles, but my complaint still stands. Errol = cute; Mauch Twins= Not so much. Flynn really rocks thigh high boots well-- a look that really only works if you're tall and long legged. Flynn was his usual dashing hero self and Rains was excellent as the Earl. The Mauch twins were fine, though there was a little too much giggling for my tastes. I thought that they brought Mark Twain's story to life pretty well. I enjoyed Errol's 2:1 sword fight and his eventual duel with Alan Hale. This may be the only film in which Errol and Alan are adversaries rather than allies. While normally I wouldn't have a preference for a film being in color or black and white, I cannot help but think that this film would have looked better in Technicolor. With the elaborate sets and costumes, the addition of Technicolor would have aesthetically enhanced the the look of the film. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/08/23 Full Review Audience Member Errol Flynn y Claude Rains! en esta aceptable versiòn del clà sico de Mark Twain- Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/13/23 Full Review Audience Member There is either a mad prince or a beggar on the thrown. Two little boys run into each other in the back yard of the palace. They decide it would be neat to switch places; the problem, one of the boys is the son of the King of England and the other is a poor boy. When the poor boy has to become the King of England because the king dies, their little game becomes complicated. Can the poor boy work with a local swordsman to find a way back to the throne? "It may have happened. It may not have happened. But it could have happened." William Keighley, director of The Adventures of Robin Hood, The Street with No Name, G Men, The Man Who Came to Dinner, Valley of the Giants, and The Match King, delivers The Prince and the Pauper. The storyline for this picture is fun to watch unfold and very entertaining. The script is clever and well written and everyone delivers a solid performance. The cast include Errol Flynn, Alan Hale, Barton MacLane, Claude Rains, and Henry Stephenson. "One day I'll have your head for calling me that; or maybe your feet, they're more in the way." This is a movie I DVR'd because it starred the great Errol Flynn. I found the movie fun and was surprised he didn't join the film until it was two-thirds over. Overall, this is a very entertaining picture that is fun and can be enjoyed by the whole family. This is definitely a classic picture that is underrated. "The king is dead." Grade: B- Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/19/23 Full Review Audience Member good version of this Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/21/23 Full Review Read all reviews
The Prince and the Pauper

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Movie Info

Synopsis A new addition to a poor London family, Tom Canty (Billy Mauch) enters the world on the same day as the child who's in line to be king. As boys, Tom and his royal counterpart bump into one another, and after realizing that they're virtual twins, they swap outfits and the boys end up trading homes. Tom soon draws the ire of a scheming royal aide (Claude Rains), but palace hanger-on Miles Hendon (Errol Flynn) comes to his defense, as both boys try to reclaim their identities.
Director
William Keighley
Producer
Hal B. Wallis
Screenwriter
Laird Doyle
Production Co
Warner Brothers/Seven Arts
Genre
Adventure
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
May 5, 1937, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 1, 2009
Runtime
2h 0m
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