When The Private Life of Henry VIII was released it was both a box office and critical success. Maybe its success could be attributed to the idea that it was not the historical type of film people we're expecting to see, especially when it was released in 1933. You could say it was "different"-I felt like I was almost watching a companion piece to the Marx Brother's Duck Soup which came out around the same time. Indeed one might go as far as classifying it as "black comedy."
So in that respect it's refreshing. But one still must inquire "is it historically accurate?" And after doing a bit of research on the subject, I would have to respond in the negative.
Charles Laughton (who won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance as Henry VIII) plays the King as a self-centered, gluttonous narcissist. But some historians challenge that view by arguing that he was actually a man of fastidious manners and was quite learned for his day-demonstrating talents as a poet, musician and linguist.
Laughton's over the top performance is certainly entertaining and there are moments where we actually feel some sympathy for the spoiled man-child depicted here (Laughton for example has Henry emoting well upon receiving the news that wife #3 has died during childbirth).
Depicting Henry as uncouth might have been far from historically accurate but he had to be somewhat narcissistic and Laughton ably conveys the right tone in his portrayal of an over the top monarch.
But there's something about director Alexander Korda's characterization of Henry that is blatantly disingenuous. And that revolves around what I would argue is the diminishment of the depiction of the man's blatant cruelty, especially in regards to the treatment of his wives, which constitutes the main storyline.
Henry's first wife Catherine of Aragon, who was married to the King for over twenty years, is skipped over in the narrative-titles inform us that her story was not covered because she was a "respectable woman." In fact, Henry's divorce from Catherine was the major reason for the schism with the Catholic church and England embracing Anglicanism.
Extremely popular with the people, Catherine however was discarded by Henry due to her inability to produce a male heir. Covering her story might have jeopardized Korda's intent to depict Henry as a wronged man, vis-à-vis his wives.
Henry's second wife, Ann Boleyn (an excellent Merle Oberon) also receives short shrift-in this case we only see her on the eve of her execution. As with Catherine, there is little discussion as to why she fell out of favor with the King. Henry's obvious cruelty is completely ignored with no mention of the fact that Ann was executed on baseless, trumped up charges that she had an incestuous relationship with her brother. Again, she too was unable to produce a male heir to the throne.
Henry's third wife, Jane Seymour (Wendy Barrie) managed to produce a male heir but died in childbirth. Again Henry is depicted as a victim with Seymour shown as child-like and unsophisticated. History tells us otherwise-that she indeed was intelligent.
The depiction of Henry's fourth wife Anne of Cleves (excellently played by Laughton's real life wife, Elsa Lancaster) is perhaps the most entertaining depiction of any of the relationships Henry had with all his wives. But again the reason for their quick divorce is historically inaccurate and designed to show Henry as a victim of conniving women.
Anne is shown to be in love with another man which never happened and the reason why she wants out of the marriage right away. In reality they were simply incompatible-that incompatibility is nicely shown in the card game where Henry loses and accedes to Anne's requests to remain in England, bequeathed an estate by a King eager to move on to his next union.
The fifth wife, Catherine Howard (Binnie Barnes) is perhaps the most egregious depiction here. She was executed shortly after marrying Henry after it was discovered she was having an affair with the King's courtier, Thomas Culpeper (Robert Donat). The problem is she was only 19 years old when this occurred. The film implies Catherine was an adult and had full knowledge of the ramifications of her adulterous affair (which she did not as she was a naïve, immature teenager).
Henry's final wife, Catherine Parr (Everley Gregg) is characterized as an overbearing tyrant who made Henry's life miserable. The final line in the film has Henry quipping about Parr: "Six wives, and the best of them's the worst." History informs that Parr was both gentle and intellectual.
It also should be noted that the little political discussion that crops up during the film is purely anachronistic. Germany is wrongly mentioned as a unified country with Henry bemoaning the conflict between that country and France. The main conflict between nations in the earlier part of the 16th century was between France and Spain. The anachronistic lines emanating from Laughton reflect Britain's view during the early 30s that the conflict between France and Germany was equally the fault of both countries.
Maybe the Henry of history was not the boorish lout depicted here but certainly Laughton does a good job of capturing his narcissism-- along with the rest of the cast who depict the obsequiousness of the Royal Court. Nonetheless the film falls flat for the most part with its sexist treatment of Henry's wives, who were the victims of the King's cruel whims, not the cause of his unhappiness in life.
So in that respect it's refreshing. But one still must inquire "is it historically accurate?" And after doing a bit of research on the subject, I would have to respond in the negative.
Charles Laughton (who won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance as Henry VIII) plays the King as a self-centered, gluttonous narcissist. But some historians challenge that view by arguing that he was actually a man of fastidious manners and was quite learned for his day-demonstrating talents as a poet, musician and linguist.
Laughton's over the top performance is certainly entertaining and there are moments where we actually feel some sympathy for the spoiled man-child depicted here (Laughton for example has Henry emoting well upon receiving the news that wife #3 has died during childbirth).
Depicting Henry as uncouth might have been far from historically accurate but he had to be somewhat narcissistic and Laughton ably conveys the right tone in his portrayal of an over the top monarch.
But there's something about director Alexander Korda's characterization of Henry that is blatantly disingenuous. And that revolves around what I would argue is the diminishment of the depiction of the man's blatant cruelty, especially in regards to the treatment of his wives, which constitutes the main storyline.
Henry's first wife Catherine of Aragon, who was married to the King for over twenty years, is skipped over in the narrative-titles inform us that her story was not covered because she was a "respectable woman." In fact, Henry's divorce from Catherine was the major reason for the schism with the Catholic church and England embracing Anglicanism.
Extremely popular with the people, Catherine however was discarded by Henry due to her inability to produce a male heir. Covering her story might have jeopardized Korda's intent to depict Henry as a wronged man, vis-à-vis his wives.
Henry's second wife, Ann Boleyn (an excellent Merle Oberon) also receives short shrift-in this case we only see her on the eve of her execution. As with Catherine, there is little discussion as to why she fell out of favor with the King. Henry's obvious cruelty is completely ignored with no mention of the fact that Ann was executed on baseless, trumped up charges that she had an incestuous relationship with her brother. Again, she too was unable to produce a male heir to the throne.
Henry's third wife, Jane Seymour (Wendy Barrie) managed to produce a male heir but died in childbirth. Again Henry is depicted as a victim with Seymour shown as child-like and unsophisticated. History tells us otherwise-that she indeed was intelligent.
The depiction of Henry's fourth wife Anne of Cleves (excellently played by Laughton's real life wife, Elsa Lancaster) is perhaps the most entertaining depiction of any of the relationships Henry had with all his wives. But again the reason for their quick divorce is historically inaccurate and designed to show Henry as a victim of conniving women.
Anne is shown to be in love with another man which never happened and the reason why she wants out of the marriage right away. In reality they were simply incompatible-that incompatibility is nicely shown in the card game where Henry loses and accedes to Anne's requests to remain in England, bequeathed an estate by a King eager to move on to his next union.
The fifth wife, Catherine Howard (Binnie Barnes) is perhaps the most egregious depiction here. She was executed shortly after marrying Henry after it was discovered she was having an affair with the King's courtier, Thomas Culpeper (Robert Donat). The problem is she was only 19 years old when this occurred. The film implies Catherine was an adult and had full knowledge of the ramifications of her adulterous affair (which she did not as she was a naïve, immature teenager).
Henry's final wife, Catherine Parr (Everley Gregg) is characterized as an overbearing tyrant who made Henry's life miserable. The final line in the film has Henry quipping about Parr: "Six wives, and the best of them's the worst." History informs that Parr was both gentle and intellectual.
It also should be noted that the little political discussion that crops up during the film is purely anachronistic. Germany is wrongly mentioned as a unified country with Henry bemoaning the conflict between that country and France. The main conflict between nations in the earlier part of the 16th century was between France and Spain. The anachronistic lines emanating from Laughton reflect Britain's view during the early 30s that the conflict between France and Germany was equally the fault of both countries.
Maybe the Henry of history was not the boorish lout depicted here but certainly Laughton does a good job of capturing his narcissism-- along with the rest of the cast who depict the obsequiousness of the Royal Court. Nonetheless the film falls flat for the most part with its sexist treatment of Henry's wives, who were the victims of the King's cruel whims, not the cause of his unhappiness in life.