AllMovie

Whatever its flaws, The Prince and the Pauper is certainly a lavish and visually stylish adaptation of the Mark Twain classic. The sets and costumes are quite eye-catching, and Jack Cardiff has photographed the proceedings to take advantage of every opportunity to show them and the cast off. And quite a few members of that cast are well worth showing off. Even if Oliver Reed could perhaps have benefited from at least a hint of a sense of humor, the intensity that he brings to his role is still quite impressive. Raquel Welch has rarely looked better; what's surprising is that she has also rarely acted better, turning in a delightful performance with more depth to it than usual. Ernest Borgnine and George C. Scott chew up the scenery in a most delightful manner, and Rex Harrison is dry, wry and commanding. On the other hand, Charlton Heston is a bit too broad (and American) as Henry VIII and David Hemmings is a bit too one-note as the villain in a role that requires at least a modicum of Basil Rathbone-like charm. Much more problematic is Mark Lester in the title roles. He's too old for the parts, and while he seems to be trying to act young, his physical presence works against him. In addition, it's an awkward and unconvincing pair of performances; if his Prince just barely passes muster, his Pauper falls far short of the mark. He's not helped by the lackluster direction of Richard Fleischer, which lacks the imagination that is required. Fleischer's work here is literal-minded when what is required is flamboyance. The Prince and the Pauper survives the direction and the miscasting, but these deficits do drag it down.