The Private Life of Henry VIII. (1933)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Director:

Alexander Korda

Writers:

Lajos Biró (story) and
Lajos Biró (dialogue)

Release Date:

21 September 1933 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | History

Tagline:

HE GAVE HIS WIVES A PAIN IN THE NECK And did his necking with an axe. Henry, the Eighth Wonder of the World! And this picture...the wonder of all time!

Plot:

Tells how King Henry VIII came to marry five more times after his divorce from his first wife.

Plot Keywords:

King Henry VIII | Anne Boleyn | 1530s | Royalty | 1540s

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Charles Laughton	...	King Henry VIII
Robert Donat	...	Thomas Culpeper
Franklin Dyall	...	Thomas Cromwell
Miles Mander	...	Wriothesley
Laurence Hanray	...	Archbishop Thomas Cranmer (as Lawrence Hanray)
William Austin	...	Duke of Cleves
John Loder	...	Thomas Peynell
Claud Allister	...	Cornell (as Claude Allister)
Gibb McLaughlin	...	The French executioner
Sam Livesey	...	The English executioner
Merle Oberon	...	Anne Boleyn
Wendy Barrie	...	Jane Seymour
Elsa Lanchester	...	Anne of Cleves
Binnie Barnes	...	Katherine Howard
Everley Gregg	...	Katherine Parr

Runtime:

USA:97 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Certification:

Australia:PG | West Germany:16 | Sweden:15 | UK:A

Filming Locations:

British and Dominions Studios, Elstree, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

London Film Productions

Trivia:

While he was on a tour of Europe, huge American professional wrestler Man Mountain Dean was hired to be Charles Laughton's uncredited stunt double. This would be the first of Dean's appearances in motion pictures.

Quotes:

[Henry's fourth wedding night]
King Henry VIII: [shouting] Ah, what am I, what am I going to do with you!
Anne of Cleves: Chop my head?
King Henry VIII: Probably.
Anne of Cleves: You daren't.
King Henry VIII: Why not?
Anne of Cleves: Because in Europe I will make such a scandal as you never heard. Not the first time you have chopped the head. Henry the wife-butcher, that's what they will call you!
King Henry VIII: I don't care what they say, I'm not going to live with you!
Anne of Cleves: Well, why don't you divorce me, like a gentleman?
King Henry VIII: You would consent to a divorce?
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Seinfeld: The Gum (#7.10)" (1995)

Charles Laughton IS Henry VIII.

Charles Laughton is quite simply one of the best actors to ever grace the earth. EVER. He proves his range once again as he portrays Henry VIII. Now, I've never seen Henry VIII, but I swore I was looking at him. To me, Laughton is that convincing. Compare this confident, powerful character to his 'Ruggles', in "Ruggles of Red Gap". A total wimp. A complete 180. Then there's Capt. Bligh. From sissy to nasty. The freaks: Quasimodo, Dr. Moreau, Nero, et.al. To say this man can play any sort of role is putting it mildly. Name one other actor with more range. I personally can't.