The Private Life of Henry VIII
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!
1933 | 97m | English
Popularity: 2 (history)
| Director: | Alexander Korda |
|---|---|
| Writer: | Lajos Biró, Arthur Wimperis |
| Staring: |
| Renowned for his excess, King Henry VIII goes through a series of wives during his rule. With Anne Boleyn, his second wife, executed on charges of treason, King Henry weds maid Jane Seymour, but that marriage also ends in tragedy. Not one to be single for long, the king picks German-born Anne of Cleves as his bride, but their union lasts only months before an annulment is granted, and King Henry continues his string of spouses. | |
| Release Date: | Aug 17, 1933 |
|---|---|
| Director: | Alexander Korda |
| Writer: | Lajos Biró, Arthur Wimperis |
| Genres: | Drama, History |
| Keywords | biography, tudor, based on true story, king, pre-code, henry viii, 16th century, british monarchy |
| Production Companies | United Artists, London Films Productions |
| Box Office |
Revenue: $0
Budget: $0 |
| Updates |
Updated: Feb 01, 2025 Entered: Apr 13, 2024 |
| Name | Character |
|---|---|
| Charles Laughton | Henry VIII |
| Robert Donat | Thomas Culpeper |
| Franklin Dyall | Thomas Cromwell |
| Miles Mander | Wriothesley |
| Laurence Hanray | Archbishop Cranmer |
| William Austin | Duke of Cleves |
| John Loder | Peynell |
| Claud Allister | Cornell |
| 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 |
| Lady Tree | The King's Nurse |
| Frederick Culley | Duke of Norfolk (uncredited) |
| Mark Daly | Man (uncredited) |
| Toni Edgar-Bruce | Spectator at Executions (uncredited) |
| Annie Esmond | The Cook's Wife (uncredited) |
| William Heughan | Kingston (uncredited) |
| Arthur Howard | Kitchen Helper (uncredited) |
| Judy Kelly | Lady Rochford (uncredited) |
| Wally Patch | Butcher in Kitchen (uncredited) |
| Hay Petrie | The King's Barber (uncredited) |
| Terry-Thomas | Man (uncredited) |
| John Turnbull | Hans Holbein (uncredited) |
| Name | Job |
|---|---|
| Kurt Schröder | Original Music Composer |
| Stephen Harrison | Editor |
| John Armstrong | Costume Design |
| David B. Cunynghame | Production Manager |
| Geoffrey Boothby | Assistant Director |
| Vincent Korda | Set Designer |
| A.W. Watkins | Sound |
| Osmond Borradaile | Camera Operator |
| Philip Lindsay | Technical Advisor |
| Harold Young | Editorial Manager |
| Alexander Korda | Director |
| Lajos Biró | Story |
| Arthur Wimperis | Scenario Writer, Story |
| Georges Périnal | Director of Photography |
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| Ludovico Toeplitz | Producer |
| Alexander Korda | Producer |
| Organization | Category | Person | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Academy Awards | Best Director | Sam Woodward | Nominated |
| Academy Awards | Best Actor | Charles Laughton | Won |
Popularity History
| Year | Month | Avg | Max | Min |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 4 | 9 | 10 | 6 |
| 2024 | 5 | 10 | 16 | 6 |
| 2024 | 6 | 10 | 16 | 5 |
| 2024 | 7 | 12 | 23 | 6 |
| 2024 | 8 | 11 | 24 | 5 |
| 2024 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 5 |
| 2024 | 10 | 10 | 20 | 5 |
| 2024 | 11 | 8 | 18 | 4 |
| 2024 | 12 | 9 | 18 | 5 |
| 2025 | 1 | 8 | 14 | 4 |
| 2025 | 2 | 6 | 13 | 2 |
| 2025 | 3 | 4 | 16 | 1 |
| 2025 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 1 |
| 2025 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| 2025 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
| 2025 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| 2025 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| 2025 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 2 |
| 2025 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
Trending Position
Charles Laughton well deserved his only Oscar for this wonderfully over the top, rumbustious portrayal of Henry VIII as he embarks on his infamous spree of wives. "Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived" goes the mnemonic - this version skips the first wife describing her as a "decen ... t woman" but he quickly works his way through Merle Oberon, Wendy Barrie, Binnie Barnes before Everley Gregg finally gets his measure as Katherine Parr. His real-life wife Elsa Lanchester is easily the best of the five as Anne of Cleves - her facial expressions and one-liners are great. Robert Donat is good as the frustrated Culpeper and the scenes with the two executioners bring a smile to your face too. The score has a vivacious jollity to it - and helps carry the whole thing along in a sprightly fashion. Great stuff.