Year: 1933. PD In UK At GATT Date. A jovial film which equates the joy of sex with the pleasure of food, The Private Life of Henry VIII depicts the British Monarch's personal relationship with five of his six wives. Un film franchement étonnant, qui aborde la cour d'Henry VIII comme une énorme farce, avec un Charles Laughton sublime, tour à tour grotesque et vulnérable, drôle et cruel, stupide et touchant, souvent en même temps! Laughton would later reprise the same role in 1953 in the film Young Bess, opposite Jean Simmons as his daughter, Elizabeth. Their liaison is discovered by Henry's court and the two are executed. The Private Life of Henry VIII is a 1933 British film which was directed and co-produced by Alexander Korda and starring Charles Laughton, Robert Donat, Merle Oberon and Elsa Lanchester.The film focuses on the marriages of King Henry VIII of England.It was written by Lajos Bíró and Arthur Wimperis for London Film Productions, Korda's production company. Format: 4K DCP. The Private Life of Henry VIII Charles Laughton gulps beer and chomps on mutton, in his first of many iconic screen roles, as King Henry VIII, the ultimate anti-husband. Great Britain. [8] Notably, in the film both the French and the Germans are portrayed as equally the aggressors, which fitted in with popular British views of Franco-German relations in the interwar period. [23] The desire of Anne of Cleves to stay in England is explained in the film in romantic terms because of her love for Peynell, but in reality, her unwillingness to return to Cleves seems to have been to escape the tyrannical supervision of her stern brother, the Duke of Cleves, who did not allow her to go outside without an escort and made her wear a veil in public. Starring Charles Laughton and Robert Donat. Cast: Charles Laughton, Merle Oberon, Robert Donat, Binnie Barnes. With Charles Laughton, Robert Donat, Franklin Dyall, Miles Mander. It was written by Lajos Bíró and Arthur Wimperis for London Film Productions, Korda's production company. The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933) clip - YouTube. But due to language it had inroads to the United States as well as the empire. London Film Productions. | This was not only those born … In the United States the film's original 1933 copyright registration[32] was not renewed after the initial 28-year term, and thus it fell into the public domain there. [16] By 1925, only 5% of the films being shown in Britain were British with the majority of the other 95% being American. Alexander Korda’s first major international success is a raucous, entertaining, even poignant peek into the boudoirs of the infamous king and his six wives. [19] The character of John Bull was portrayed as uncultured, but also as good-natured, kind, boisterous and exuberant, full of a zest for life and good humor, which were all qualities that taken as being typically British/English. The film follows the private life of the infamous 16th century British monarch, King Henry the VIII, and his misadventures in his various marriages. He turns to food in his loneliness, devouring and flinging a chicken leg over his shoulder. A lighthearted film looking at the reign of Henry VIII. This film inaugurated the first syndicated television presentation of a package of major studio feature films on USA television; it premiered in St. Louis Sunday 30 May 1948 on KSD (Channel 5), followed by Chicago Monday 7 June 1948 on WGN (Channel 9), by Cleveland Sunday 27 June 1948 on WEWS (Channel 5), by New York City Sunday 11 July 1948 on WPIX (Channel 11), and by Boston Sunday 29 August 1948 on WBZ (Channel 4); in Philadelphia, it first aired Friday 19 November 1948 on WFIL … [17] In 1932, a former diplomat, Sir Stephen Tallents, published a call for what he called "The Projection of England", saying that Britain needed films to project its own image, warning that the British film industry failed to tell its own stories that would define Britain, then Hollywood would do so. [11] Among the pro-rearmament camp was a tendency to favor increasing spending on the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, throught not the British Army, as the "continental commitment" in the First World War where Britain sent a large expeditionary force to fight on the continent was considered to be a mistake. The Private Life of Henry VIII. Directed by Alexander Korda in 1933, and featuring Charles Laughton as Henry VIII, in an Oscar-winning performance, it is a film which greatly simplifies Henry VIII’s life. Directed by Alexander Korda • 1933 • United Kingdom Charles Laughton gulps beer and chomps on mutton, in his first of many iconic screen roles, as King Henry VIII, the ultimate anti-husband. Full Cast and Crew; Release Dates; Official Sites; Company Credits; Filming & Production; Technical Specs ; Paris : PFC Vidéo [distrib.] | - Fiction. King Henry VIII marries five more times after his divorce from his first wife Catherine of Aragon. [22], Anne of Cleves is incorrectly shown in being in love with another man before she marries the king, which is presented as her reason for wanting to end her marriage with Henry. It's always a joy when a classic lives up to its reputation. Korda chose to completely ignore the religious and political issues of Henry's reign, as the film makes no mention of the break with Rome, and instead focused on Henry's relations with his wives.[2]. I found the movie do be ridiculous, with many random pointless scenes done with over acting and silliness by King Henry. The film does not bother with Henry's first wife, Catherine of Aragon: an opening title explains that she was too respectable. [24] As part of its efforts to present Henry in a generally favorable light, the film portrayed Catherine Howard as a mature, intelligent woman who knew the risks of adultery, which makes Henry's decision to have her executed more forgivable to the audience. [20] In reality, the decision to exclude Catherine of Aragon was taken because of her stubbornness in refusing to be pushed aside to allow Henry to marry Anne Boleyn, saying she was the queen and would remain so, which might had weakened the audience identification with the king. [3] The film premiered to record-breaking crowds at New York's Radio City Music Hall and London's Leicester Square Theatre (now the Odeon West End), running for nine weeks at the latter venue from 27 October 1933. If it had failed, he would have been cleaned out". In the interwar period, the Treaty of Versailles was widely considered in Britain to be too harsh towards Germany, and successive British governments attempted to promote revision of the Versailles treaty in Germany's favor while at the same time not wishing for a situation where Germany might dominate Europe. (Exterior shots) 2 of 2 found this interesting. [13] Korda disliked the Labour Party with its call for disarmament, and Henry's navalist message in the film was intended as a rebuke to those who called for Britain to disarm more. In May 1536, in the immediate aftermath of the execution of his second wife, Anne Boleyn (Merle Oberon), King Henry VIII (Charles Laughton) marries Jane Seymour (Wendy Barrie), who dies in childbirth eighteen months later. He then weds a German princess, Anne of Cleves (played by Laughton's real-life wife Elsa Lanchester). On a plus side, it was good to see that they had an accurate Anne Boleyn who had dark hair and dark eyes. The film was a major international success, establishing Korda as a leading filmmaker and Laughton as a box office star. Le film s'ouvre le jour où il doit se marier avec Jane Seymour, sa troisième épouse, la journée même où il fait exécuter sur l'échafaud Anne Boleyn pour adultère. The Private Life of Henry VIII. [23] The real Anne of Cleves appears to have been a lesbian who was not interested in men at all. [24] Likewise, Catherine Parr was not like the nagging tyrant portrayed in the film; as the real Catherine Parr was an intellectual with a strong interest in Protestant theology, and she had a kindly, gentle character. La Vie privée d'Henry VIII (The Private Life of Henry VIII) est un film américano-britannique réalisé par Alexander Korda, sorti en 1933.. Ce film évoque la vie privée tourmentée du roi d'Angleterre Henry VIII à travers ses mariages successifs souvent fatals pour ses épouses. There is no real story line and the wives get rushed through the film so you only get a glimpse of them. Official Sites If it could not meet Hollywood's (or Ufa's) best production values, it had a stable of actors that were hard to match. The private life of Henry VIII : film Réalisé par : Alexander Korda (1893-1956) Country : Grande-Bretagne: Language : anglais: Genre or work form : Audiovisual works (including radio) Date : 1933: Note : Avec Charles Laughton et Lady Tree Long métrage. Read more. [9] A British audience in 1933 would understood Henry's monologue where he warns that the French and Germans will destroy Europe because of their mad hatred for one another and it is his duty to save the peace by mediating the Franco-German dispute as a reference to the current British foreign policy of trying to revise the Treaty of Versailles in Germany's favor without weakening France too much. [8] In the 1930s, the power of strategical bombing was vastly exaggerated, and at the time it was believed that strategical bombing could not only destroy cities, but also end civilization itself. The film was one of United Artists' most popular films of the year.[5]. - Fiction. "[2] Catherine of Aragon was excluded because she was a "respectable woman" as the introduction says. [18] As part of "The Projection of England" effort, the character of John Bull was also tapped into as a symbol of Britishness/Englishness. Charles Laughton, King Henry VIII, Merle Oberon, Wendy Barrie, Elsa Lanchester, Binnie Barnes, Everley Gregg, Mystic Nights Videos The private life of King Henry VIII and his many wives. The audience is encouraged by vicarious identification into considering kingship to be an unenviable burden. Biography, Drama, History, Charles Laughton, Elsa Lanchester, Merle Oberon, Publisher. In history of the motion picture: Great Britain, The Private Life of Henry VIII, 1933; Rembrandt, 1936; Elephant Boy, 1937; The Four Feathers, 1939), and John Grierson, who produced such outstanding documentaries as Robert Flaherty’s Industrial Britain (1933) and Basil Wright’s Song of Ceylon (1935) for the Empire Marketing Board Film Unit and… Newsletter; Sign-In; Sign-Up; The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933) STARRING: Charles Laughton, Robert Donat. Details. Charles Laughton gulps beer and chomps on mutton, in his first of many iconic screen roles, as King Henry VIII, the ultimate anti-husband. Contact; Press Release; Subscribe. Screenplay by Lajos Biró, Arthur Wimperis. ", Alexander Korda was looking for a film project suitable for Charles Laughton and his wife, Elsa Lanchester. Company Credits The story of how Henry beheaded his 2nd wife [ Anne Boleyn ] and acquire 4 more.STARRING - CHARLES LAUGHTON & ROBERT DONAT & ELSA LANCHESTER & MERLE OBERON [10] In 1932, the World Disarmament Conference opened, and at the time conference generated much discussion in Britain whatever the nation should disarm or rearm. (In an imaginative and high-spirited scene, Anne "wins her freedom" from Henry in a game of cards on their wedding night.) [23] The relationship between the king and Anne of Cleves is played for comic effect, but the film's picture of both parties wanting to end the marriage was based in reality, through it took several months to end the marriage instead over the course of a single night as portrayed in the film. These are just superficial examples of how the truth about historical figures can become distorted."[31]. The film focuses on the marriages of King Henry VIII of England. Director: Alexander Korda. , 1996 (DL) Documents sur "The private life of Henry VIII : film… [13] Korda was close to more right-wing MPs of the Conservative Party, and the way in which the film has Henry advocate a stronger Navy, saying that he needs "ships, ships and more ships" to allow him to "compel" the French and Germans to make "peace, peace, peace" reflects the thinking in Conservative circles at the time. [22] The real Jane Seymour was an intelligent woman who excelled at manipulating Henry instead of being the manipulated one as portrayed in the film. Presented in all its visual grandiosity in a new 4K restoration, the immensely successful and entertaining Henry VIII not only gave Academy Award winner Charles Laughton his most petulant, bawdy, yet noble of roles … | Helpful. [4] It earned rentals of £500,000 on its first release. [8] The film makes no mention of the fact that Charles was as Carlos I the king of Spain, and gives the highly misleading impression that the Habsburg-Valois wars were primarily Franco-German wars instead of being Franco-Spanish wars.[7]. But what's the use of new territories or wars, wars, wars again?". Interesting? is a prime example of the latter sort of counterfactuality. ), it expired at the end of 2006. The film was the first British production to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. The Private Life of Henry VIII. [10] The Hapsburg-Valois wars were primarily fought in Italy, but the film gives the impression that Flanders was the main battlefield; a British audience in 1933 would had understood the references to fighting in Flanders as a reference to the First World War, where Flanders was one of the main battlefields. In fact, many of them ended up in Hollywood (much to Korda's disgust). [18] As part of "The Projection of England", there was a marked interest in the Tudor era, which was seen nostalgically as a simpler, better and "purer" time. [22] The film's picture of Jane as a vain, stupid, child-like woman who was only concerned with her clothes and appearance is inaccurate. La vie privée d'Henry VIII (1996) Paris : Canal+ vidéo [éd.] It was also Oberon's first major film role. Originally, the story was to focus solely on the marriage of King Henry VIII and his fourth wife Anne of Cleves, but as the project grew, the story was re-modified to focus on five of Henry's six wives. The Private Life of Henry VIII is a 1933 British film which was directed and co-produced by Alexander Korda and starring Charles Laughton, Robert Donat, Merle Oberon and Elsa Lanchester. [17] Korda, an Anglophile Hungarian Jew who wanted very much to be accepted in his adopted country, applied much of the imagery associated with John Bull to Henry VIII in his film. Hampton Court Palace, East Molesey, Surrey, England, UK. - Film biographique . Merle Oberon, whom I usually don't like, is wonderful as the doomed Anne Boleyn. The Private Life of Henry VIII gives Korda an assured place among the important directors in contemporary cinema. Ways To Watch; About. The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933) clip. [21] The film inaccurately portrays Henry as marrying Jane Seymour on the same day as Anne Boleyn was beheaded; in fact, Henry only obtained permission to remarry from Archbishop Cranmer on that day, and the king married Jane on 30 May 1536. 'The private life of Henry VIII' est le premier film britannique à véritablement triompher aux USA et vaudra à Charles Laughton un Oscar. The film's … Territory: International. Several stories of the film's genesis exist: the resemblance between a statue of Henry VIII and Laughton, a cabby singing the music hall song "I'm Henery the Eighth, I Am", and a discussion on a set of one of his previous films. Directed by Alexander Korda. Britain's film industry was never as wealthy as it's American cousin (or it's German cousin, for that matter). [8] The Locarno treaties of 1925 were an example of a British attempt to improve Franco-German relations, and evidence from the time suggests that such a foreign policy was very popular with the British people. It makes smart choices about what to cover in the life of Henry, and while Charles Laughton's performance is justly famous, there are plenty of other nice bits in the film as well. The Private Life of Henry the VIII is without a doubt one of the funniest movies I have ever seen. This marriage ends in divorce when Anne deliberately makes herself unattractive so she can be free to marry her sweetheart. The private life of Henry VIII : film (1893-1956) Pays : Grande-Bretagne Langue : Anglais Genre ou forme de l’œuvre : Œuvres audiovisuelles (y compris radio) Date : 1933 Note : Avec Charles Laughton et Lady Tree Long métrage. The movie is a biographical and comprehensive account of King Henry VIII's six catastrophic marriages. 2 people found this helpful. It was the 12th most successful film at the US box office in 1933. A British production directed by Alexander Korda, The Private Life Of Henry VIII features the husband-and-wife team of Charles Laughton and Elsa Lanchester having some on-screen fun. [8] The way in which Henry paints the Franco-German enmity in starkly apocalyptic terms as threatening to "destroy" Europe refers more to the fears of the 1930s rather than the 1530s. 97 min. Given the way that her brother had treated her, Henry's offer to Anne of Cleves of an estate and income that allowed her independence must had been very appealing to her. 1933. [23] The real Catherine Howard was an immature teenager of limited intelligence who apparently did not understand that she was risking her life by committing adultery with Thomas Culpeper. As for his pursuit of the ladies, there is plenty of evidence, but most of it fragmentary, for Henry was also far more discreet and prudish than we have been led to believe. Full Cast and Crew As a non-US film still in copyright in its country of origin, its US copyright was automatically restored in 1996, with a term of 95 years from release, that will therefore expire at the end of 2028. King Henry VIII marries five more times after his divorce from his first wife Catherine of Aragon. [23] Walker noted, "...there is no need to invent reasons why an young woman in her twenties might not wish to be married to a bloated, ill-tempered monarch twice her age". Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Painting of Henry VIII Holding a Turkey Leg – Debunking Mandela Effects", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Private_Life_of_Henry_VIII&oldid=1017426082, Cultural depictions of the wives of Henry VIII, Films featuring a Best Actor Academy Award-winning performance, Articles that may contain original research from February 2021, All articles that may contain original research, Wikipedia articles with WorldCat-VIAF identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 12 April 2021, at 17:50. Artists ' most popular films of the dialouge sounded like gibberish about historical figures can become distorted ``... Korda 's production company same role in the private life of henry viii film locations in the film was a `` woman... Unusually obsessed with hygiene his daughter, Elizabeth Bess, opposite Jean Simmons as his daughter,.. 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