Lady Hamilton
(1921)
The dramatic story of Lady Hamilton's rise and fall in European society during the 1700s and early 1800s, including the romantic love story with Lord Nelson.
Based on two novels by Heinrich Vollrath Schumacher. this German silent historical film was directed by Richard Oswald and stars Liane Haid, Conrad Veidt and Werner Krauss.
The film's sets were designed by the art directors Hans Dreier and Paul Leni. Location shooting took place in Hamburg, London, Naples, Rome and Venice. A copy of the film exists in a Russian film archive.
Lady Hamilton
(1941)
That Hamilton Woman
Sir William Hamilton, a widower of mature years, is British ambassador to the Court of Naples. Emma, who comes for a visit with her mother, wouldn't make the grade with London society, but she gets along well with the Queen of Naples. Emma likes being Lady Hamilton, and life goes smoothly until Lord Nelson pays a visit. Sir William decides at first to let his young wife have her fling and pretends not to know what is going on. But the lovers have an enduring and burning passion for each other, which proves to be Emma's undoing.
This black-and-white historical film drama was produced and directed by Alexander Korda for his British company during his exile in the United States. It stars Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier.
Originally to have been called The Enchantress.
In spite of her success as Scarlett O'Hara, Vivien Leigh still owed Alexander Korda one last film from her old contract. At one point, Korda complained that the actress was not conveying the vulgarity of the character. "My dear Alex," she retorted "you wouldn't have been given me a contract if I had been vulgar."
Korda's first film to be made entirely in Hollywood since the outbreak of World War II and made at Winston Churchill's suggestion to counteract the considerable anti-British sentiment which still existed in the United States in 1940. The story was meant to draw a clear parallel between the threats posed by Napoleon in the film and Hitler in reality. Made in just six weeks and partly financed by Merle Oberon, it's widely regarded as Korda's finest directorial achievement.
At the 14th Academy Awards, the film was nominated for four Oscars and won for Best Sound.
The third film to feature Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh - previously castmates in Fire Over England (1937) and 21 Days Together (1940) (also an Alexander Korda production). This would be the only film the couple made during their marriage. In fact, it was in production during their honeymoon. The newly-married Leigh and Olivier had recently lost a great deal of their own money touring the US in a disastrous production of Romeo and Juliet.
Korda was summoned before the Senate Select Committee investigating the activities of foreign agents. The film also ran into trouble on moral grounds so Korda was forced to insert a speech in which Nelson admits the wrongness of his adultery with Lady Hamilton. In her research on the subject, film historian Professor Stacey Olster reveals that at the time the film was made, Alexander Korda's New York offices were "supplying cover to MI-5 agents gathering intelligence on both German activities in the United States and isolationist sentiments among makers of American foreign policy."
The 'bookends' showing Emma destitute were a late addition to appease censor Joseph Breen and the requirement to show adultery punished. Otherwise, the film was shot in sequence.
During the filming a wad of flame fell from a torch directly on Olivier's head, setting his wig afire. Wilcoxon, standing right beside him, tried and failed to extinguish the blaze. Finally he wrested the wig from Olivier's head, but both his hands were badly burned, while Olivier's eyebrows were scorched.
The budget was reputedly so restricted that make-up was applied only to the side of the face visible on camera.
Reportedly Sir Winston Churchill's favorite movie. He claimed to have seen it 83 times. It was also Joseph Stalin's favorite film.
In his review of That Hamilton Woman for The New York Times, Bosley Crowther said the film is "just a running account of a famous love affair, told with deep sympathy for the participants against a broad historic outline of the times... Perhaps if it had all been condensed and contrived with less manifest awe, the effect would have been more exciting and the love story would have had more poignancy. As it is, the little drama in the picture is dissipated over many expansive scenes; compassion is lost in marble halls." Of the two stars, Crowther wrote, "Vivien Leigh's entire performance as Lady Hamilton is delightful to behold. All of the charm and grace and spirit which Miss Leigh contains is beautifully put to use to capture the subtle spell which Emma most assuredly must have weaved. Laurence Olivier's Nelson is more studied and obviously contrived, and his appearance is very impressive, with the famous dead eye and empty sleeve."
You can watch this film in its entirety for free on YouTube.
Lady Godiva Rides Again
(1951)
AKA: Bikini Baby
Marjorie Clark (Pauline Stroud) wins a competition in her Midland town and finds herself in a Festival of Britain procession as Lady Godiva, though not in the buff. This leads by way of a suspect beauty competition to the show-business world of London. But it could be a slippery slope for simple home-town Marge.
This British comedy was directed by Frank Lauder and stars Pauline Stroud, George Cole and Bernadette O'Farrell, with British stars in supporting roles or making cameo appearances.
The film was released in the United States under its original title in 1953 by Carroll Pictures, then was re-released in the United States as Bikini Baby, to capitalize on the profile of supporting player Diana Dors, who was given star billing with the new title. Dors appears in a swimsuit in one scene. She shot two versions – one in a bikini for release in Europe, another in a more conservative swimsuit for release in America. American censors objected to the content of the film, including the revealing nature of outfits worn by Diana Dors.
Audrey Hepburn tested for the title role but was judged too thin. They actual tested over 500 women looking for their lead actress.
One of the Beauty Queen contestants is a dark-haired Ruth Ellis who was four months pregnant at the time. She would later become infamous as the last woman hanged in Britain for murder and the subject of the movie Dance with a Stranger (1985).
Another of the Beauty Queens in this movie is the voluptuous Simone Silva, who became famous and infamous because of her topless act beside Robert Mitchum at the Cannes Film Festival in April of 1954.
It also features Joan Collins in her film debut as an uncredited beauty contestant, along with Dana Wynter, Jean Marsh and Anne Heywood.
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