{"id":15862,"date":"2011-02-14T12:45:11","date_gmt":"2011-02-14T19:45:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=15862"},"modified":"2021-01-29T00:44:43","modified_gmt":"2021-01-29T07:44:43","slug":"private-life-of-henry-viii-the-1933","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=15862","title":{"rendered":"Private Life of Henry VIII, The (1933)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;Am I a king or a breeding bull?&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-Henry-VIII-Poster.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-Henry-VIII-Poster-199x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"199\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-15863\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-Henry-VIII-Poster-199x300.jpg 199w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-Henry-VIII-Poster-85x128.jpg 85w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-Henry-VIII-Poster.jpg 580w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 199px) 100vw, 199px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nAfter ordering the execution of his second wife (Merle Oberon), King Henry VIII (Charles Laughton) marries a series of women in succession &#8212; Jane Seymour (Wendy Barrie), Anne of Cleves (Elsa Lanchester), Katherine Howard (Binnie Barnes), and Katherine Parr (Everley Gregg).\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Biopics<\/li>\n<li>Charles Laughton Films<\/li>\n<li>Elsa Lanchester Films<\/li>\n<li>Historical Drama<\/li>\n<li>Marital Problems<\/li>\n<li>Merle Oberon Films<\/li>\n<li>Robert Donat Films<\/li>\n<li>Royalty and Nobility<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Response to Peary\u2019s Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nPeary accurately refers to Alexander Korda&#8217;s Oscar-winning biopic (the first internationally acclaimed British film) as &#8220;creaky but still delightful&#8221;. Charles Laughton literally burst onto the screen (and immediately won an Oscar) in a larger-than-life yet memorably nuanced portrayal as the infamous monarch with multiple wives. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-of-Henry-Laughton.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-of-Henry-Laughton-1024x772.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"483\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-66695\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-of-Henry-Laughton-1024x772.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-of-Henry-Laughton-300x226.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-of-Henry-Laughton-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-of-Henry-Laughton-768x579.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-of-Henry-Laughton-358x270.png 358w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-of-Henry-Laughton.png 1365w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>As its title suggests, the film &#8220;centers less on Henry&#8217;s politics than on his personal relationships&#8221;, emphasizing the &#8220;human, typical-husband side of Henry&#8221; as he cycles through a series of wives for one reason after the other. (Only his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, is missing from the remarkably economical 1.5 hour screenplay; she&#8217;s simply mentioned at the beginning of the film as &#8220;too respectable to spend time on&#8221;.) <\/p>\n<p>The screenplay is surprisingly risque, with much made of King Henry&#8217;s need to sire a male heir (or two, or three) for the crown; indeed, his sexual appetites &#8212; and the ramifications they have for the very survival of his kingdom &#8212; serve as the foundation of the entire film. The best, all-too-brief scenes are between Laughton and his real-life wife, Lanchester, who gives a truly fearless performance as a woman supposedly too ugly for Laughton to stomach (though I&#8217;ve never been convinced that Lanchester is anything less than stunning, in her own quirky fashion). Her clever machinations on her wedding night, as she swiftly works to prevent Laughton from bedding her, are classic evidence of feminine wiles at work; she manages to maintain not just her head but her lover and her previous existence &#8212; in noticeable contrast to foolish Binnie Barnes&#8217; Katherine Howard, a socially ambitious noblewoman who openly makes a fool of Laughton, at her own expense. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Charles Laughton as Henry VIII<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-of-Henry-Laughton3.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-of-Henry-Laughton3-1024x767.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"479\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-66692\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-of-Henry-Laughton3-1024x767.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-of-Henry-Laughton3-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-of-Henry-Laughton3-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-of-Henry-Laughton3-768x575.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-of-Henry-Laughton3-361x270.png 361w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-of-Henry-Laughton3.png 1369w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Elsa Lanchester as Anne of Cleves<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-of-Henry-Lanchester.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-of-Henry-Lanchester-1024x761.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"476\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-66694\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-of-Henry-Lanchester-1024x761.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-of-Henry-Lanchester-300x223.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-of-Henry-Lanchester-128x95.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-of-Henry-Lanchester-768x571.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-of-Henry-Lanchester-363x270.png 363w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-of-Henry-Lanchester.png 1379w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Binnie Barnes as Katherine Howard<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-of-Henry-Barnes.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-of-Henry-Barnes-1024x772.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"483\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-66693\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-of-Henry-Barnes-1024x772.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-of-Henry-Barnes-300x226.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-of-Henry-Barnes-128x97.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-of-Henry-Barnes-768x579.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-of-Henry-Barnes-358x270.png 358w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-of-Henry-Barnes.png 1367w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Fine cinematography and sets<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-of-Henry-Still2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-of-Henry-Still2-1024x763.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"477\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-66697\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-of-Henry-Still2-1024x763.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-of-Henry-Still2-300x224.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-of-Henry-Still2-128x95.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-of-Henry-Still2-768x572.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-of-Henry-Still2-362x270.png 362w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-of-Henry-Still2.png 1367w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-of-Henry-Still.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-of-Henry-Still-1024x768.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-66696\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-of-Henry-Still-1024x768.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-of-Henry-Still-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-of-Henry-Still-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-of-Henry-Still-768x576.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-of-Henry-Still-360x270.png 360w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Private-Life-of-Henry-Still.png 1377w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>A clever, often wittily racy script\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nYes, as an Oscar winning film with historical importance. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Categories<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Historically Relevant<\/li>\n<li>Noteworthy Performance(s)<\/li>\n<li>Oscar Winner or Nominee<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0024473\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/1933\/10\/13\/archives\/charles-laughton-in-the-title-role-of-the-british-film-the-private.html\">NY Times Original Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tcm.com\/tcmdb\/title\/87210\/the-private-life-of-henry-viii\/#articles-reviews?articleId=208737\">TCM Article<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dvdtalk.com\/dvdsavant\/s2904kord.html\">DVD Savant Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.timeout.com\/movies\/the-private-life-of-henry-viii\">Time Out Capsule Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Am I a king or a breeding bull?&#8221; Synopsis: After ordering the execution of his second wife (Merle Oberon), King Henry VIII (Charles Laughton) marries a series of women in succession &#8212; Jane Seymour (Wendy Barrie), Anne of Cleves (Elsa Lanchester), Katherine Howard (Binnie Barnes), and Katherine Parr (Everley Gregg). Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Biopics Charles Laughton Films Elsa Lanchester Films Historical Drama Marital Problems Merle Oberon Films Robert Donat Films Royalty and Nobility Response to Peary\u2019s Review: Peary&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=15862\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15862","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-responses-to-peary"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15862","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=15862"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15862\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":66698,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15862\/revisions\/66698"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=15862"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=15862"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=15862"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}