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IMDbPro

The Private Life of Henry VIII

  • 19331933
  • PassedPassed
  • 1h 37m
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
4.5K
YOUR RATING
Charles Laughton in The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933)
In honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, we're celebrating a trio of actors who fearlessly blazed trails in Old Hollywood. On this IMDbrief, we present just a few of the Unsung Asian American Pacific Islander Heroes of Film History.
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71 Photos
Drama
King Henry VIII marries five more times after his divorce from his first wife Catherine of Aragon.King Henry VIII marries five more times after his divorce from his first wife Catherine of Aragon.King Henry VIII marries five more times after his divorce from his first wife Catherine of Aragon.
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
4.5K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Alexander Korda
  • Writers
    • Lajos Biró(story and dialogue)
    • Arthur Wimperis(story and dialogue)
  • Stars
    • Charles Laughton
    • Robert Donat
    • Franklin Dyall
  • Director
    • Alexander Korda
  • Writers
    • Lajos Biró(story and dialogue)
    • Arthur Wimperis(story and dialogue)
  • Stars
    • Charles Laughton
    • Robert Donat
    • Franklin Dyall
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 56User reviews
    • 36Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 Oscar
      • 2 wins & 1 nomination total

    Videos1

    Unsung Asian American Pacific Islander Heroes of Film History
    Clip 5:25
    Watch Unsung Asian American Pacific Islander Heroes of Film History

    Photos71

    Charles Laughton and Merle Oberon in The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933)
    Charles Laughton in The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933)
    Gibb McLaughlin in The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933)
    Charles Laughton and Elsa Lanchester in The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933)
    Charles Laughton and Miles Mander in The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933)
    Robert Donat in The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933)
    Charles Laughton and Robert Donat in The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933)
    Charles Laughton and Robert Donat in The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933)
    Charles Laughton in The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933)
    Charles Laughton and Robert Donat in The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933)
    Charles Laughton in The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933)
    Charles Laughton in The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Charles Laughton
    Charles Laughton
    • Henry VIII
    Robert Donat
    Robert Donat
    • Thomas Culpeper
    Franklin Dyall
    Franklin Dyall
    • Thomas Cromwell
    Miles Mander
    Miles Mander
    • Wriothesley
    Lawrence Hanray
    • Archbishop Cranmer
    William Austin
    William Austin
    • Duke of Cleves
    John Loder
    John Loder
    • Peynell
    Claud Allister
    Claud Allister
    • Cornell
    • (as Claude Allister)
    Gibb McLaughlin
    Gibb McLaughlin
    • The French Executioner
    • (as Gibb Mc.Laughlin)
    Sam Livesey
    Sam Livesey
    • The English Executioner
    Merle Oberon
    Merle Oberon
    • Anne Boleyn - The Second Wife
    Wendy Barrie
    Wendy Barrie
    • Jane Seymour - The Third Wife
    Elsa Lanchester
    Elsa Lanchester
    • Anne of Cleves - The Fourth Wife
    Binnie Barnes
    Binnie Barnes
    • Katherine Howard - The Fifth Wife
    Everley Gregg
    Everley Gregg
    • Katherine Parr - The Sixth Wife
    Lady Tree
    Lady Tree
    • The King's Nurse
    Frederick Culley
    • Duke of Norfolk
    • (uncredited)
    Mark Daly
    Mark Daly
    • Bit Part
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Alexander Korda
    • Writers
      • Lajos Biró(story and dialogue)
      • Arthur Wimperis(story and dialogue) (scenario)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      According to Binnie Barnes, Charles Laughton was a method actor, and when Wendy Barrie giggled during a scene to the actor's aggravation, he bit her on the arm, breaking her skin, exactly as the real Henry often did when angry with his wives.
    • Goofs
      Anne of Cleves compares Henry to the legend of Bluebeard, a literary work not known to exist before 1697.
    • Quotes

      [Henry's fourth wedding night]

      King Henry VIII: My wife? Huh... not yet.

      Anne of Cleves: Poor mother told me... first he says the marriage is no good, and then he cuts off the head with an ax chopper!

      King Henry VIII: That is an exaggeration, madam.

      Anne of Cleves: Then why do you say I am not yet your wife?

      King Henry VIII: Well, madam, uh, a marriage ceremony doesn't make us one.

      Anne of Cleves: Mmm?

      [shows her ring]

      King Henry VIII: Oh, yes, yes, yes, 's all right, but you, uh, have to, umm, I have to...

      Anne of Cleves: What?

      King Henry VIII: Did your mother not talk to you about...

      Anne of Cleves: What?

      King Henry VIII: Oh Lord. Ohhhh, well, uh, madam, all that stuff about children being found under gooseberry bushes... that's not true...

    • Crazy credits
      Opening credits prologue: Henry VIII had six wives. Catherine of Aragon was the first; but her story is of no particular interest - she was a respectable woman-so Henry divorced her. He then married Anne Boleyn. This marriage also was a failure-but not for the same reason.
    • Connections
      Featured in The 40th Annual Academy Awards (1968)

    User reviews56

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    7/10
    good film
    Charles Laughton won an oscar for playing Henry VIII and the movie stars out with the beheading of his second wife. His third wife dies during childbirth and his fourth wife, played by Elsa Lancaster, saves her own skin by agreeing to divorce him. His fifth wife is also beheaded for cheating on him with Robert Donat, and it doesn't show what happens to his sixth wife. They don't even mention his first wife expect at the start where they say they were divorced. Charles Laughton also played Henry VIII 20 years later in Young Bess but he wasn't the main star there, Jean Simmons was. Charles Laughton is great as the king and so is Elsa Lancaster, his fourth wife. I don't know how accurate this film is but i don't care.
    helpful•12
    6
    • kyle_furr
    • Mar 3, 2004

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 21, 1933 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Languages
      • German
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Privatni zivot Henrika VIII.
    • Filming locations
      • Hampton Court Palace, East Molesey, Surrey, England, UK(Exterior shots)
    • Production company
      • London Film Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • £60,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 37 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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