Year:  1977
Rating: 5.5

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This film was released in the UK as The Prince and the Pauper but in the USA as Crossed Swords. It is based on the Mark Twain novel and is one of many versions on film, the most famous probably being the Errol Flynn vehicle from 1937. That one had a good cast with Flynn, Claude Rains and Alan Hale but nothing compared to this one which has Oliver Reed, Raquel Welch, Charlton Heston, Ernest Borgnine, Rex Harrison, Harry Andrews, David Hemmings and even an unrecognizable Sybil Danning. So how can a film with so many stars be basically unknown? Well, as I mentioned it had already been done may times before and so felt like old hat I expect. And at a running time of 2 hours it feels like a fat man running a marathon as he huffs and puffs towards the finish line.


Not to say that this film doesn't have some merits - it does with sumptuous sets and photography from the great Jack Cardiff (The Red Shoes, Black Narcissus and the African Queen), an energetic performance from Oliver Reed, fun if not lengthy turns from most of those stars listed and a story that of course has been filmed so many times because it is in fact a classic story. The reason I chose this film was for Raquel I admit but even though she is billed second in the credits, she doesn't make an appearance until the 90-minute mark and even then doesn't have much to do but pick up her paycheck.


The story is a well-known one. A young thief (Mark Lester who had gained fame as a child star in Oliver but who retired after this film) is chased after by constables and mistakenly hides in the palace of King Henry VIII (Charlton Heston) where he runs into Prince Edward (also Lester) and after realizing they look alike they switch places for a costume party. But it isn't fun for long for the Prince as he is booted out of the palace and out into the mean streets where no one will believe him. He is rescued from ruffians by a mercenary Miles Hendon (Reed) and the two of them go on a road trip. Adventure to be had. Eventually, the King dies and the Pauper who has taken his place is about to ascend the throne as he is finding that being the King isn't such a bad thing especially with Lady Jane giving me come hither looks though his half-sister Elizabeth looks on with dismay.



Obviously, this isn't historically accurate - in particular the epilogue which is history for happy endings - but it was even more inaccurate than I expected. In reality Prince Edward became King Edward VI when he was 9 years old and died when he was 15 from illness. After he died Lady Jane took over the throne for 9 days before she was pushed out by Mary - not in the film but also Edward's half-sister (all three children had different mothers who ended up on the chopping block - something to bond over I expect) - and Mary became the ruler of England and beheaded Jane. She lasted for 5 years till she died and Elizabeth became Queen for the next 45 years and got her own movies as the Virgin Queen.