THE PRIVATE LIFE OF HENRY VIII

UK, 1933, 97 minutes, Black and white.
Charles Laughton, Binnie Barnes, Robert Donat, Elsa Lanchester, Merle Oberon.
Directed by Alexander Korda.

The Private Life of Henry VIII was one of Alexander Korda's earliest films. He produced and directed as well. It is a slight treatment of the life of Henry VIII, focussing on his bluff character and a benign interpretation of his marriages. Charles Laughton won the 1933 Oscar for his performance. It seems rather contrived now. Laughton was to resume this role in George Sidney's Young Bess in 1953.

Others who have interpreted Henry VIII include James Robertson Justice in The Sword and the Rose, Robert Shaw in A Man For All Seasons and Keith Michell repeated his television series' success role in Henry VIII and His Six Wives. These latter films are all much better interpretations of Henry VIII. This film features the young Merle Oberon as Anne Boleyn and Binnie Barnes as Catherine Howard. Laughton's wife Elsa Lanchester is Anne of Cleves. Robert Donat as an early and rather inconsequential role. The film was popular at the time and is interesting now as evidence of film making in the 30s.

1. The status of the film, a Korda classic, early sound films in Britain, the performance of Charles Laughton?

2. Audience presuppositions about Henry VIII, knowledge of his reign, his wives? Later more sophisticated interpretations in film and on television? The presentation of the conventional king, the bluff monarch? An emphasis on his joviality?

3. The focus of the title and Henry's private life? The film's nod in the direction of his politics, international policy, administration, the religious differences and difficulties, the Reformation?

4. The point of view towards Henry? How sympathetic? "Whitewashing"? The comments the film made about his character, his wanting a son, his relationship with women, the influence on his ruling of his kingdom?

5. Audience knowledge of Henry VIII's wives? The importance of the male heir? His love and his lack of love for his wives? The way that he related to them? The film bypassing the marriage with Katherine of Aragon and starting with Anne Boleyn?

6. The sketch of Anne Boleyn, the explanation of her marriage, her being prepared for her execution, her facing it with dignity?

7. The contrast with Jane Seymour and her waiting for Anne's execution? Her youth and frivolity., attitude towards Henry and being Queen? The bearing of the male heir but her death? Henry out hunting and the exhilaration of the news?

8. The diplomacy behind the marriage with Anne of Cleves? His reaction to her, the confrontation. her later return? The possibility of a friendly relationship between the two rather than marriage?

9. The film's focus on Catherine Howard and her presence in the court, flightiness, enjoyment of what was going on? The reasons for Henry marrying her? Her enjoying her role as Queen as illustrated in the wrestling sequence? Her relationship with Culpepper and the film's judgment on her becoming Queen?

10. Katherine Parr and her taking charge of Henry, the kingdom settling down in Henry's later years?

11. How well did Charles Laughton communicate Henry VIII, his character, characteristics? His relationship with his wives, his self-importance, the wrestling sequence, for example? How callous was he towards the deaths of his wives? Seeing him in old age and his reflection on his life?

12. The minor characters - historical characters, people at the court, Culpepper and his relationship with Henry VIII, with Catherine Howard?

13. An entertaining interpretation of the King? An illustration of early sound filmmaking?