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Movie Info
Renowned for his excess, King Henry VIII (Charles Laughton) goes through a series of wives during his rule. With Anne Boleyn (Merle Oberon), his second wife, executed on charges of treason, King Henry weds maid Jane Seymour (Wendy Barrie), but that marriage also ends in tragedy. Not one to be single for long, the king picks German-born Anne of Cleves (Elsa Lanchester) as his bride, but their union lasts only months before an annulment is granted, and King Henry continues his string of spouses.
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Genre: History, Drama
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Original Language: English
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Director: Alexander Korda
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Release Date (Theaters): original
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Release Date (Streaming):
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Runtime:
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Distributor: United Artists
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Production Co: London Film Production
Cast & Crew
Critic Reviews for The Private Life of Henry VIII
Audience Reviews for The Private Life of Henry VIII
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It is ironic that this was considered to be Laughton's star turn because it is probably one of the worst performances that I have seen him in. This Henry is the stereotyped one and not the one played with nuance. For that reason, this picture never grows to the extent that it could.
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Henry VIII is an interesting historical character.His Private life is the most fascinating part about him. For these reasons I'm shocked that The Private Life of Henry VIII was as boring as it was. And this was after watching Wedding Rehearsal. I understand this was back in the 1930s, but I would've wished for the film to be more risky. It was just a regular historical movie that one would watch ten minutes of in a history class. The scenery worked well, but nothing this film could do was enough to draw me in. Charles Laughton was a perfect Henry VIII to be fair, and despite only seeing a couple of his works, his becoming a favorite actor of the era.
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Henry VIII, a gigantic, gloating personality, marries multiple women and wrestles members of his court all while chewing on a turkey leg. Charles Laughton is exactly how I imagined Henry VIII when I look at Hans Holbein's famous portrait of the Tudor monarch and when I read about Henry in history books. His larger-than-life personality and gloating arrogance chew the scenery, just as I imagined the real Henry to be. He's garrulous and captivating, and Laughton plays him perfectly. I realize that the title is <i>The Private Life of Henry VIII</i> with an emphasis on the word private, but I can't say that the relationships Henry has with his six wives are given much attention. After all, the film begins with the execution of Anne Boleyn, so we miss Katherine of Aragon entirely and the infidelity that gave rise to Henry's break with Rome. The Reformation, the civil war with Scotland, and Henry's military victory in France all go by the wayside, and the film suffers for it. Overall, I love the character Laughton creates, but I only wish the film had included more of the events perpetrated by this fascinating historical figure.
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"private life of henry viii" is the academy award winner for best actor for non-american actor, charles laughton, in a non-american movie, helmed by british epic piece director alexander korda. it also has the young fresh-faced robert donat (alfred hitchcock's 39 steps star) who transcends a smoldering stroke of romanticism as the doomed lover of the queen. inevitably this flick centers upon henry viii, the lecherously obese man who constantly seeks a potential light of happiness even at cost of decapitating two women and recklessly raging notoriety, but the flick is keen to maintain a delightful tone to emphasize henry's naughty whims instead of his egoistic brutality, brightened by laughton's jolly likability. the story skips the first wife of henry viii, the stingy square katherine, and the scene catapults the beheading of anne boleyn (mother of queen elizabeth) on the king's wedding night...it shows the fickle nature of this man who eliminates any emulating spouse of his, and he even rejoices "if you want to be happy, marry a stupid beautiful woman like my new wife" like a little boy who exults at getting a new toy while he's disposing of his old obsolete one. it has two scenes during two executions which bare the cynical reaction of the mass as well as the dialogues in the kitchen. the king's indignantly motivated to get married for two of the 6 times just by the barber's careless criticism, and his infamous one-night marriage with the german princess(elsa lancaster) who purposedly infuriates him by cheating in the poker games. it depicts henry viii more in a mischieviously boyish perspect, and he truly sheds the tear of genuine sorrow for his fifth wife, katherine howard, who commits adultery with his confidante thomas culperer(robert donat). eventually henry settles with a homely wife who conducts himself to the smallest detail of food, but he remarks "the best's also the worst" to the last marriage of his life. "the private life of henry viii" sneers at the man with a forgiving generosity, mocking at his easily influenced temperament as well as his naivety to the prospect of love. charles laughton's charisma is crucial to the success of it since only laughton could dub this polygamic king a redeeming sense of clever wits.
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