The Private Life of Henry VIII1933
The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933)
The Private Life of Henry VIII Photos
Movie Info
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Cast
as Henry VIII
as Anne Boleyn
as Katherine Howard
as Anne of Cleves
as Thomas Culpepper
as Wriothesly
as Cornell
as Peynell
as Cornell
as Cranmer
as Jane Seymour
as Henry's Old Nurse
as Catherine Parr
as Duke of Cleves
as Hans Holbein
as Duke of Norfolk
as French executioner
as English Executioner
as Thomas Cromwell
as Lady Rochford
as Kingston
Critic Reviews for The Private Life of Henry VIII
All Critics (14) | Fresh (14) | Rotten (0)
As the film's point of view stands confessed in the title, only Henry's admirers, if any, will cavil at this well directed and acted production, which is well worth seeing.
Director Alexander Korda is the chief beneficiary of Laughton's larger-than-life performance, as his conservative helmsmanship fails to provide the film with a distinctly personal stamp
Charles Laughton, who wa sonly 33 but looked older, won the Best Actor Oscar for playing the titular role with such bravado.
The film's most famous bit involves Laughton eating a chicken with a primal gusto that clearly defines King Henry's character as a gluttonous man devouring whatever is put before him.
Korda and his humorists make sure the usual biopic solemnity is not part of this royal court
... an illusion of grand production values and produced and released... with a mix of high culture and popular showmanship.
Audience Reviews for The Private Life of Henry VIII
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.
Super Reviewer
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 The Private Life of Henry VIII 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.
Super Reviewer
"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.
Super Reviewer
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