| “ | Paul: Sorry, no Prince Paul here. Anastasia: But... but you... Paul: ...Are a colonel in the Cheka! An imposter! A fake prince! The real Prince Paul was taken care of years ago in anticipation of this very day! Isn't it ironic? No one, not even the Dowager Empress would believe you were the real princess, and I got them all to believe I am the real prince! (laughs evilly) |
„ |
| ~ Prince Paul revealing his identity to Anastasia. |
| “ | If you want the picture of a charming prince! I take the cake. But now you find me all the more alarming since I'm charming as a rattlesnake. My debonair and dazzling personality was like a dream. But now that you're awake the harsh reality is things aren't always what they seem. Taken in, by my dashing grin. You have failed to note the pointy teeth! I'm no fraud, but beneath this warm facade, I'm Prince Charmless, underneath! Just look at what a perfect little royal pair we're gonna make, 'cause everyone is absolutely unaware that we two are both completely fake! You've been grand for the plots I've planned. And my gratitude's profound and large. Now's the time for the world to know that I'm hardly harmless. Ill-equipped or armless. No I'm Prince Charmless, and I'M IN CHAAAAARGE! | „ |
| ~ Prince Paul describing himself in his song, "Prince Charmless". |
Prince Paul (also simply known as Paul) is the main antagonist of the 1997 animated direct-to-video film The Secret of Anastasia.
He was voiced by the late Earl Hammond, who also portrayed Mon*Star in the SilverHawks series.
Biography[]
Paul is a pompous colonel in the Cheka (the Soviet secret police) and is out looking for Anastasia Nikolaievna Romanov, the youngest daughter of Tsar Nicholas II, who has escaped the massacre of her family. He finds her in the abandoned Romanov palace, where he and his men attempt to capture Anastasia, but Anastasia escapes with her magical instruments, who were really the spirits of her family, and flees for Copenhagen.
Paul pursues Anastasia, where he assumes the guise of Prince Paul, a Russian royal who was murdered years ago. He arrives when Anastasia is presented to the White emigres (exiled Russians who had supported the White Army) and woos Anastasia, who immediately becomes infatuated with him.
Paul and Anastasia begin to spend much time together - dancing, dining, and sightseeing together. Vladimir Vasilianov Ivanovitch, the general who presented Anastasia to the emigres, becomes completely jealous by this. As Paul sees Vladimir as a threat, he (in his Cheka guise) orders his men to attack Vladimir when he is leaving the hotel that Anastasia is staying at. Vladimir is thus unable to go with Anastasia when she faces the Dowager Empress.
The next day, Paul presents Anastasia to the Dowager Empress, who at first does not believe that she is Anastasia, her lost granddaughter. However, when Anastasia sings "In the Sun", a song that the Dowager Empress taught her as a child, the Empress finally believes Anastasia and announces that Anastasia and Paul can finally be married, as she reveals that Anastasia was betrothed to Prince Paul when she was two years old. Anastasia agrees to the wedding.
Paul (seeing that his plans had fallen through) dines with Anastasia that night, wooing her. Anastasia remarks that she never remembers Paul being so kind, happy, polite, careful, friendly, and optimistic. Paul responds "People change, Your Highness...people change", saying the last two words in a villainous, manipulative, and sinister tone. Paul's men soon break into the restaurant and carry Anastasia away. Paul does nothing, saying that he will rescue her when the moment is right.
When Anastasia is tied up and held hostage at an old abandoned warehouse, Anastasia begs Paul to let her go, but Paul refuses to help Anastasia, and reveals the truth to her - he is not a prince, but the Colonel in the Cheka, and has murdered the real Prince Paul years ago. Paul then sings the song "Prince Charmless". Afterward, he prepares to lure Vladimir to capture him as well.
Anastasia's brother, Alexei, overhears this and rushes back to Vladimir and Anastasia's other three instruments. As Alexei tells Vladimir that Paul is part of the revolution, Anastasia's family and Vladimir go to save Anastasia. The instrument family fight Paul's men while Vladimir rushes upstairs, unties Anastasia, and apologizes and convinces her that he had loved her from the start, just as Anastasia convinces Vladimir that she loves him.
Paul soon appears before Anastasia and Vladimir, telling them that he has nothing but contempt for both of them as he reveals his plan is to return to Russia and have both Anastasia and Vladimir hanged for their "crimes". He then kicks Vladimir and points his gun at him. As Vladimir lunges at Paul, the two of them fight and tumble across the floor, eventually rolling out the window. Anastasia tries to rescue Vladimir by asking for his hand, but he and Paul fall into the canal. Paul drowns while Vladimir holds on to a rock.
With Paul deceased, Anastasia is finally free from the Cheka. Her instruments then reveal that they are the spirits of her family, and they are able to revive Vladimir before they depart for the Heavens.
Personality[]
Prince Paul is shown to be rude, pompous, egotistical and arrogant. He is accompanied by several mercenaries (most notably the incompetent Goofinov) and an unnamed raven.
Appearance[]
Prince Paul is a tall man with blonde hair and blue eyes. He wears a lavender jacket, white pants, black boots, black and white gloves, and a black cape with a red interior. His Cheka guise consists of a gray trench coat with a red scarf and a gray hat with a red star (symbolizing the Soviet Union).
He is accompanied by several mercenaries (most notably the incompetent Goofinov) and an unnamed raven.
Trivia[]
- He is named after Prince Paul von Haraldberg (portrayed by the late Ivan Desny) from the 1956 Anastasia movie.
- General Gleb Vaganov (from the Broadway musical adaptation of Don Bluth's Anastasia) is similar to Prince Paul, as both are military members with the goal of killing Anastasia, however, Paul is far more evil than Gleb Vaganov.
Gallery[]
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Marcelle Maurette's  Villains
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Don Bluth films Golden Films Secret of Anastasia 2016 Musical: | ||