I can't even fathom how bad the king's breath had to have been. If those teeth were fake it is without a doubt the best makeup trick in the history of film. In fact, I have nightmares to this day of that big fat king lying there in bed, calling his son to him so he can breathe in his face. I'm sure the prince just loved those face to face meetings. "Hey, dad! Thanks for leaving an entire steak's worth of meat to rot between your teeth! Sing to me! Sing soooo slowly into my face!" My opinion of this movie is that it is amazing. The mother's accent is alone worth the time, but there are plenty of other pearls nestled within.

Disney fooled me and I thought that this was a theatrical production, so I watched it. This is actually a made for TV from the 1960s. But honestly, it doesn't differ much from their live-action of the time. There's a vague historical aspect, a lot of British actors, and a very out of place American accent. The story more or less sticks to the plot of The Mark Twain original, but it is done with more of a divine right of kings Flair. It is clear that the poor boy would make a better King, is making a better King, but he gives it all up when the real king returns from his adventures. It would have been a much better film if the boy had decided, i'm the king now take this Ruffian and throw them in the tower. The real King dies at the age of 15 which the film barely hits at, although they do suggest that his sister Mary was a fanatic. Although Elizabeth the first, barely mentioned and that's probably because this film was made during the early years of the reign of Elizabeth II.

A film crew and actors arrived in County Meath, Donaghpatrick in the early 1960s. A thatched cottage with road and grass frontage (no wall or gate) was used. It was on a very quiet country road running parallel to the Blackwater river. (Half way between Navan and Kells). We think this was The Prince and the Pauper. Another local cottage was used as a make-up studio.