Rembrandt (1936)

Director:

Alexander Korda

Writers:

Carl Zuckmayer (story)
June Head (scenario)
(more)

Release Date:

25 December 1936 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Tagline:

The Private Life and Loves of...

Plot:

This character study joins the painter at the height of his fame in 1642, when his adored wife suddenly dies and his work takes a dark...

Plot Keywords:

Painter | Maid | Loneliness | Struggle | Morality

Cast

Charles Laughton	...	Rembrandt van Rijn
Gertrude Lawrence	...	Geertje Dirx
Elsa Lanchester	...	Hendrickje Stoffels
Edward Chapman	...	Fabrizius
Walter Hudd	...	Banning Cocq
Roger Livesey	...	Beggar Saul
John Bryning	...	Titus van Rijn
Sam Livesey	...	Auctioneer
Herbert Lomas	...	Rembrandt's Father
Allan Jeayes	...	Dr. Tulp
John Clements	...	Govaert Flinck
Raymond Huntley	...	Ludwick
Abraham Sofaer	...	Dr. Menasseh
Laurence Hanray	...	Heertsbeeke (as Lawrence Hanray)
Austin Trevor	...	Marquis de Grand-Coeur
Henry Hewitt	...	Jan Six
Gertrude Musgrove	...	Girl at Inn
Richard Gofe	...	Titus - Child
Basil Gill	...	Rembrandt's Brother
Barry Livesey	...	Peasant Lad
James Carney	...	Peasant Lad
John Turnbull	...	Minister
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Hector Abbas	...	Burgher at Auction (uncredited)
Evelyn Ankers	...	Girl (uncredited)
Baroness Barany	...	Waitress (uncredited)
Lewis Broughton	...	Saskia's Brother (uncredited)
Frederick Burtwell	...	Saskia's Brother (uncredited)
Rex Evans	...	Civil Guardsman (uncredited)
William Fagan	...	Burgomaster (uncredited)
Marius Goring	...	Baron Leivens (uncredited)
Wilfrid Hyde-White	...	Civil Guardsman (uncredited)
Alexander Knox	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Jack Livesey	...	Journeyman (uncredited)
Meinhart Maur	...	Ornia (uncredited)
Quentin McPhearson	...	Official (uncredited)
George Merritt	...	Church Warden (uncredited)
Charles Paton	...	Burgher at Auction (uncredited)
Bellenden Powell	...	Court Member (uncredited)
George Pughe	...	Museum Director (uncredited)
Jerrold Robertshaw	...	Museum Director (uncredited)
Leonard Sharp	...	Burgher at Auction (uncredited)
Byron Webber	...	Court Member (uncredited)
Roger Wellesley	...	Secretary (uncredited)
Edmund Willard	...	Van Zeeland (uncredited)

Directed by
Alexander Korda

Writing credits
Carl Zuckmayer		(story)
June Head		(scenario)
Lajos Biró		uncredited

Produced by
Alexander Korda	....	producer

Original Music by
Geoffrey Toye

Cinematography by
Georges Périnal		(photographed by) (as Georges Perinal)

Film Editing by
Francis D. Lyon		(as Francis Lyon)

Costume Design by
John Armstrong

Makeup Department
Stuart Freeborn	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Geoffrey Boothby	....	unit manager
David B. Cunynghame	....	production manager

Art Department
Vincent Korda	....	settings designer
Hal Waller	....	assistant art director (as H.M. Waller)

Sound Department
Amy Fisher	....	sound recordist (as A. Fisher)
A.W. Watkins	....	recording director
Sash Fisher	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
John W. Mitchell	....	boom operator (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Ned Mann	....	special effects director

Visual Effects by
W. Percy Day	....	matte painter (uncredited)
Peter Ellenshaw	....	assistant matte artist (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Robert Krasker	....	camera operator

Editorial Department
William Hornbeck	....	supervising editor

Music Department
Muir Mathieson	....	musical director

Other crew
Johan De Meester	....	technical advisor

Production Companies

• London Film Productions

Distributors

• United Artists Corporation (1936) (UK) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1936) (USA) (theatrical)
• British Lion Film Corporation (1947) (UK) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Film Classics (1947) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical) (16mm print)
• Eclipse from the Criterion Collection (2009) (USA) (DVD)
• Home Box Office Home Video (HBO) (1994) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (VHS)
• Media Cooperation One (MC-One) (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
• Studio Canal (2006) (UK) (DVD)

Runtime:

85 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Canada:G (Ontario) | Finland:S

Filming Locations:

Denham Studios, Denham, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

London Film Productions

Quotes:

Rembrandt van Rijn: And of a sudden he knew that when one woman gives herself to you, you possess all women. Women of every age and race and kind, and more than that, the moon, the stars, all miracles and legends are yours. Brown-skinned girls who inflame your senses with their play...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Star! (1968)

A Fine Laughton Performance

Charles Laughton's heartfelt performance as the famed Dutch painter, Rembrandt, highlights this stylish biography, produced by Alexander Korda. Laughton's real-life wife, Elsa Lancaster, and Charles work together beautifully, and the film boasts a performance by the legendary stage actress, Gertrude Lawrence. One can see that Laughton really loved this role, and gave it his all. Certainly this is one of the more successful artist bios on film.