The Private life of Henry VIII = The Private life of Henry Eighth

Charles Laughton won an Academy Award for his portrayal of Henry VIII in this film directed and co-produced by Alexander Korda. As the title suggests, the narrative plots the private life of Henry VIII - six marriages and numerous affairs for a hedonistic creature given to excess in all areas of life. Laughton plays Henry as an exuberant, gargantuan man with a lusty libido and appetite but little regard for the lives of others. The film is largely comedic in tone but does address some of Henry’s political struggles and ambitions for England. Period detail and lavish costumes set the 16th century scene, even if the dialogue has a more modern tone. Cast includes: Merle Oberon, Wendy Barrie, Elsa Lanchester, Binnie Barnes, Robert Donnat and Everly Gregg. Despite not winning the Academy Award for Best Picture, the success of “The Private life of Henry VIII” put British cinema on the map, which was from then on regarded as a real threat to Hollywood domination of the market.