This next film in my exploration of the Alexander Korda Eclipse box set, (after having seen Don Juan) provides another mild, but ultimately more enjoyable, discovery. 
The still image here of The Private Life of Henry VIII almost suggests King Henry as a vampire. Indeed, he did seem to chew through spouses at an alarming rate. Formidable actor (emphasis on the last syllable, like “oar”) Charles Laughton inhabits a stressed out and misunderstood version of the infamous monarch, with an acting style that, like Douglas Fairbanks’ portrayal of Don Juan, is more than mildly over the top for contemporary standards. This is something quite other than The Other Boleyn Girl, indeed.
But for what it lacks in emotional realism, I actually enjoyed the history lesson. While there is certainly some license taken, this Henry VIII reads like a fairly straightforward account of how and why a head of state could and would take so many nuptial vows. With a story like so seemingly fantasic, and a central performer as big (physically and metaphysically) as Laughton, Korda really didn’t need much in the way of further embellishment.
Here are this morning’s Oscar-nominated films, alphabetically. The nominees for foreign language film and documentary feature are compiled at the end of the list. (Short format nominees are listed in a 
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