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The Private Life of Henry VIII

Play trailer Poster for The Private Life of Henry VIII 1933 1h 32m History Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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94% Tomatometer 18 Reviews 74% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
Renowned for his excess, King Henry VIII (Charles Laughton) goes through a series of wives during his rule. With Anne Boleyn (Merle Oberon), his second wife, executed on charges of treason, King Henry weds maid Jane Seymour (Wendy Barrie), but that marriage also ends in tragedy. Not one to be single for long, the king picks German-born Anne of Cleves (Elsa Lanchester) as his bride, but their union lasts only months before an annulment is granted, and King Henry continues his string of spouses.
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The Private Life of Henry VIII

Critics Reviews

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Christopher Lloyd The Film Yap Apr 28, 2025
4/5
The (a)historical biography made Charles Laughton a star and cemented the popular image of the British monarch as a fat, brutish oaf. Go to Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews May 12, 2021
A
It's still a superb film even if it has become outdated. Go to Full Review Forsyth Hardy Cinema Quarterly Feb 3, 2021
The Private Life of Henry VIII gives Korda an assured place among the important directors in contemporary cinema. Go to Full Review Yasser Medina Cinefilia Dec 3, 2020
6/10
Alexander Korda's 'The Private Life of Henry VIII' is a period biographical drama that, for my taste, has an authentic performance of Charles Laughton as the lustful monarch, but frankly it lacks the vigor to be pleasurable. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review Clyde Gilmour Maclean's Magazine Dec 3, 2019
It compares advantageously with most of the current crop of historical comedy-dramas. Go to Full Review Pare Lorentz Vanity Fair Jun 6, 2019
An English production directed by Frank Capra, with Charles Laughton, his wife, Miss Lanchester, some attractive girls, and the most civilized scenario of the season. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Leaburn O @RT35452347 Sep 4, 2026 Pretty good for its age. Henry and the wives are all played well for comedic effect. Whimsical. Watched on Amazon Prime. See more BM M @BMann Jul 30, 2026 I do not give 5 stars often. CL is worth every second. What a great performance. And educational. And like watching an excellent play at the theater. See more Joel H @786Joel Aug 16, 2025 The Private Life of Henry VIII is a simplified view of history, primarily focusing on the marriages of the English king. And yet this film made an impact on how we view this particular monarch. From what I’ve read, Charles Laughton’s interpretation of King Henry VIII has overshadowed actual historical evidence regarding his behavior and character. This movie also rewrites history a few times in order to speed things up and advance the plot. So while The Private Life of Henry VIII may not be a completely factual historical drama, it is an amusing caricature of the early years of the Tudor period. See more ChrisCSH H @RT12343453 Feb 23, 2025 The private life of Henry VIII is superbly acted along with a fascinating tail Even though other contenders for the Academy award for 1933 may have been more entertaining they were not acted as well as this film. See more Russ G @RT78760655 Feb 13, 2025 I'm a fan of Sir Charles, with all his faults, but I bailed on this as I simply couldn't see the humor in it. See more Gregory L @RT12159487 Sep 30, 2023 Charles Laughton at his best! See more Read all reviews
The Private Life of Henry VIII

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Cast & Crew

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Alexander Korda

Director

Charles Laughton

Henry VIII

Elsa Lanchester

Anne of Cleves

Binnie Barnes

Katherine Howard

Robert Donat

Thomas Culpeper

Merle Oberon

Anne Boleyn

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The Private Life of Henry VIII

The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933) The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Renowned for his excess, King Henry VIII (Charles Laughton) goes through a series of wives during his rule. With Anne Boleyn (Merle Oberon), his second wife, executed on charges of treason, King Henry weds maid Jane Seymour (Wendy Barrie), but that marriage also ends in tragedy. Not one to be single for long, the king picks German-born Anne of Cleves (Elsa Lanchester) as his bride, but their union lasts only months before an annulment is granted, and King Henry continues his string of spouses.
Director
Alexander Korda
Distributor
United Artists
Production Co
London Film Production
Genre
History, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Sep 21, 1933, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 11, 2016
Runtime
1h 32m
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