MovieChat Forums > Moon Over Parador (1988) Discussion > It's the Prisoner of Zenda!

It's the Prisoner of Zenda!

posted 16 years ago by leewit
5 replies | jump to latest

I haven't watched this yet, but a friend we showed Dave to thought it was borrowed from this. I think both were borrowed from the Prisoner of Zenda, written around the turn of the last century. All the prime roles of Prisoner of Zenda are represented in Dave and it looks like they did something similar here.
I strongly recommend the 1952 version if you want to compare notes.
Leewit
PS Since Dave came out at the beginning of the Clinton Presidency, barely, it might be a more a poke at the Democrats than the Republicans. Also, Kevin Kline is rather FDRish, which would make Sigourney Weaver Eleanor. We loved it and I would recommend it highly.

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] 16 years ago

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[–] wsmith-912-823845 13 years ago

I agree. It's basically the same plot as Prisoner of Zenda, although it wouldn't surprise me if Prisoner of Zenda was based on a plot much older than that.

[–] rizdek 12 years ago

Perhaps loosely based on the concept used in The Prince and the Pauper. I'm guessing it is a much older concept than even that book by Twain.

my god its full of stars

[–] ratapp 11 years ago

This idea has been used in many different books and movies.

Another book which is similar is Double Star by Robert A. Heinlein. An actor takes over for the president of Mars who has been kidnapped by a rival faction before an important ceremony.