The Prince and the Pauper – 1977 | 121 mins | Adventure, Drama | Colour

Plot Synopsis

Star-studded adaptation of Mark Twain’s classic novel about two young look-alikes in Tudor England – a poor slum orphan and the heir to the throne. Some of the irony and wit of Mark Twain’s original tale has been lost but this adaptation of The Prince and the Pauper still makes for satisfactory entertainment. Despite the extravagant budget the film is letdown by an unconvincing Mark Lester in a demanding lead dual-role.

Youthful Prince Edward VI (Mark Lester), son of Henry VIII (Charlton Heston), encounters a look-alike street urchin at Westminster Palace and decides it would be a marvellous prank for them to swap places for one night. The mischievous prank quickly becomes more serious when the prince is thrown out onto the cold, harsh streets of London. The prince discovers that medieval England is no Camelot, but a land of wretched poverty and persecution. Meanwhile, the pauper not only swoons over young Lady Jane but also breathes a refreshing humanity into the court of ruthless King Henry.