The Prince and the Pauper (1937 film)

The Prince and the Pauper
Directed by	William Keighley William Dieterle (uncredited)
Produced by	Jack L. Warner (uncredited exec. producer) Hal B. Wallis (uncredited exec. producer)
Written by	Mark Twain (novel) Laird Doyle Catherine Chisholm Cushing
Starring	Errol Flynn Billy and Bobby Mauch Claude Rains
Music by	Erich Wolfgang Korngold
Release date(s)	May 8, 1937 (1937-05-08)
Running time	118 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

The Prince and the Pauper is a 1937 film adaptation of the novel of the same name by Mark Twain. It starred Errol Flynn, twins Billy and Bobby Mauch in the title roles, and Claude Rains.

The film was originally intended to coincide with the coronation of King George VI in 1936. However, its release was delayed until the following year.

The second theme of the final movement of Erich Wolfgang Korngold's violin concerto was drawn from the music he composed for this film.

Plot

In Tudor England, two boys are born on the same day in the most different circumstances imaginable. Tom (Billy Mauch) is the son of vicious criminal John Canty (Barton MacLane), while Edward VI (Bobby Mauch) is a prince and the heir of King Henry VIII of England (Montagu Love). One grows up in poverty, hungering for something better for himself and his family, the other in isolated luxury, with a strong curiosity about the outside world.

When they are youngsters, they meet and are astounded by their striking resemblance to each other. As a prank, they exchange clothes, but the Captain of the Guard (Alan Hale, Sr.) mistakes the prince for the pauper and throws him out of the palace grounds. Tom is unable to convince anybody except for the Earl of Hertford (Claude Rains) of his identity. Everyone else is convinced that he is mentally ill. When Henry VIII dies, Hertford threatens to expose Tom unless he does as he is told. Hertford also blackmails the Captain into searching for the real prince to eliminate the dangerous loose end.

Meanwhile, Edward finds an amused, if disbelieving protector in Miles Hendon (Errol Flynn). An attempt to assassinate the boy on the instigation of the Earl of Hertford, who fears for his power if the real king lives, changes Hendon's opinion of Edward's story. With Hendon's help, Edward manages to re-enter the palace just in time to interrupt the coronation ceremony and prove his identity. Tom is made a ward of the new king, Hertford is banished for life, and Hendon is rewarded for his services.

Cast

• Errol Flynn as Miles Hendon
• Billy Mauch as Tom Canty
• Bobby Mauch as Prince Edward/King Edward VI
• Claude Rains as the Earl of Hertford
• Henry Stephenson as the Duke of Norfolk
• Barton MacLane as John Canty
• Alan Hale, Sr. as the Captain of the Guard
• Eric Portman as the First Lord
• Lionel Pape as the Second Lord
• Leonard Willey as the Third Lord
• Murray Kinnell as Hugo Hendon
• Halliwell Hobbes as the Archbishop
• Phyllis Barry as the Barmaid
• Ivan F. Simpson as Clemens
• Montagu Love as Henry VIII of England
• Fritz Leiber as Father Andrew
• Elspeth Dudgeon as John Canty′s mother
• Mary Field as Mrs. Canty
• Forrester Harvey as the Meaty Man
• Joan Valerie as Lady Jane Seymour
• Lester Matthews as St. John
• Robert Adair as the First Guard
• Harry Cording as the Second Guard
• Robert Warwick as Lord Warwick
• Rex Evans as a Rich Man
• Holmes Herbert as the First Doctor
• Ian MacLaren as the Second Doctor
• Anne Howard as Lady Jane Grey
• Gwendolyn Jones as Lady Elizabeth
• Lionel Braham as Ruffler
• Harry Beresford as The Watch
• Lionel Belmore as the Innkeeper
• Ian Wolfe as the Proprietor

External links

• The Prince and the Pauper at the TCM Movie Database
• The Prince and the Pauper at the Internet Movie Database