The performances from Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh are both great depictions of two characters grown by years of life experience. Nelson says to continue until 20 are lost. Set against the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars of the late eighteenth century, THAT HAMILTON WOMAN is a gripping account of the scandalous adulterous affair between the British Royal Navy officer Lord Horatio Nelson and the renowned beauty Emma, Lady Hamilton, the wife of a British ambassador. ", Olster, Stacey. Synopsis. The AFC called on the American public to boycott theaters showing these movies. Emma, Lady Hamilton (26 April 1765; baptised 12 May 1765 – 15 January 1815) was an English maid, model, dancer and actress. She informs Nelson and they have a passionate farewell. Laurence Olivier's Nelson is more studied and obviously contrived, and his appearance is very impressive, with the famous dead eye and empty sleeve. That Hamilton Woman She later became mistress to Admiral Horatio Nelson. "[14], The supporting cast of That Hamilton Woman includes Sara Allgood as Emma's mother, Henry Wilcoxon as Captain Hardy, Gladys Cooper as Lady Nelson, and Alan Mowbray as William Hamilton, Emma's husband, the British ambassador to Naples, and a collector of objets d'art. [19][Note 1] 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 Moguls and the Dictators: Hollywood and the Coming of World War II By David Welky, Associate Professor David Welky, PH.D. pg. Denham Studios, Denham, Buckinghamshire, England, UK. René was born in Switzerland, in 1895. The Committee had accused him of operating an espionage and propaganda center for Britain in the United States—a charge Korda only escaped by virtue of the fact that his scheduled appearance before the committee on December 12, 1941 was preempted by the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor five days earlier". Short's study of the film, the major problem for the Production Code office was not the scenes showing romantic encounters: It was the script's treating an "adulterous relationship as a romance instead of a sin. View production, box office, & company info. Sir William considers Emma a rare piece of art he must possess. However, both end up in England. That Hamilton Woman, also known as Lady Hamilton, is a 1941 black-and-white historical film drama, produced and directed by Alexander Korda for his British company during his exile in the United States. he muses. Because of the strict Motion Picture Production Code, the two lovers never appear in bed together, nor ever even partially undressed together. Sarah Hamiltonis an Actor, Director, Teacher and Fund Raiser. Laurence Olivier movies: 15 greatest films ranked worst to best, Netflix’s Hollywood and The Real History of Vivien Leigh, Laurence Olivier movies: 15 greatest films, ranked worst to best, include ‘Hamlet,’ ‘Rebecca,’ ‘Marathon Man’, Favorite Movie Based on a Jules Verne Novel. Emma, who comes for a visit with her mother, wouldn't cut the grade with London society, but she gets along well with the Queen of Naples. But the real-life lovers, whose first screen romance was in Fire Over England (1937) have an even more burning passion for each other in this movie. During the reign of Elizabeth I, a young man's fervent devotion to the crown and to his sweetheart, a lady-in-waiting, lead him to battle for England's victory over the Spanish Armada in 1588. In 15th-century France, a gypsy girl is framed for murder by the infatuated Chief Justice, and only the deformed bellringer of Notre Dame Cathedral can save her. 18 of 23 people found this review helpful. Title: You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. "Remakes, Outtakes, and Updates in Susan Sontag’s 'The Volcano Lover'. At the height of the Roman Civil War, a young Cleopatra (Vivien Leigh) meets a middle-aged Julius Caesar (Claude Rains), who teaches her how to rule Egypt. That Hamilton Woman Synopsis: Sir William Hamilton, a widower of mature years, is British ambassador to the Court of Naples. That Hamilton Woman, released in 1941 (and known as The Lady Hamilton in the US), was another of Korda's lavish historical dramas, in the vein of The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933), and The Rise of Catherine the Great (1934). (1941). King Henry VIII marries five more times after his divorce from his first wife Catherine of Aragon. ", "That Hamilton Woman (1941) - Overview - TCM.com", "Original print information: 'That Hamilton Woman' (1941). Check out our editors' picks for the movies and shows we're excited about this month, like Mortal Kombat, "Them," and Stowaway. He is emeritus professor at Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario. As it is, the little drama in the picture is dissipated over many expansive scenes; compassion is lost in marble halls." In a husky, despairing, whiskey-soaked voice, the former Lady Hamilton narrates the story of her life to her skeptical fellow inmates. "Poor Emma, what will become of her?" He chooses his wife. Running time: 120 min. Sir William decides at first to let his young wife have her fling, and pretends not to know what is going on. She became mistress to Sir Harry Featherstonehaugh and had a child befor… She had started out as a sort of spokesmodel for the Temple of Health, a dodgy London clinic which sold infertile couples sessions on an electrified Celestial Bed. Drama, Certificate: Passed She also grows to respect Sir William, who marries her and explains the reasons for Britain's war against Napoleon. A woman unhappy in her passionless marriage leaves her husband for a younger and more ardent lover. Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? As a preface, I really enjoyed the prologue drawn from Arthur Marder's 'That Hamilton Woman: Emma and Clio Reconciled' and that is the main support for my giving of three stars. When small-town courtesan Emma Hart (Vivien Leigh) suddenly finds herself married to British Ambassador Sir William Hamilton (Alan Mowbray), her little world is turned upside down. At the time the film was released France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland and Denmark had all surrendered to the Nazis and the Soviet Union was still officially allied to them, correspondingly the British were fighting against the Nazis alone and felt the need to produce films that would both boost their own morale, and also portray them sympathetically to the foreign world, and in particular, to the United States.[7][8]. That Hamilton Woman. On a tight budget, Korda completed filming in only five weeks, working from an original screenplay by Walter Reisch and R.C. Written by Vivien Leigh is simply superb as Emma Hamilton and dominates the entire film with her beauty and impressive acting skills. The Battle of Trafalgar begins: a huge and ferocious battle between the opposing fleets. Not Rated | 2h 5min | Drama, History, Romance | 30 April 1941 (USA) The story of courtesan and dance-hall girl Emma Hamilton, including her relationships with Sir William Hamilton and Admiral Horatio Nelson and her rise and fall, set during the Napoleonic Wars. is a 1941 movie about the real-life romance of Emma Hamilton and Horatio Nelson, starring Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier. [17], Bosley Crowther in his review of That Hamilton Woman for The New York Times, 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. In England, Hardy goes to Emma to tell her the news. [15], While That Hamilton Woman was marketed as historical romance, its subtext falls into the "war propaganda" category. There is no doubt that she is one of the greatest beauties of the twenty-first century. 2 hrs 5 mins. Vivien Leigh’s performance of Lady Emma Hamilton is fantastic in That Hamilton Woman (1941). Sir William decides at first to let his young wife have her fling, and pretends not to know what is going on. Emma Hart is a beautiful dance hall girl who is sent by her latest lover to stay with his uncle Sir William Hamilton, the British ambassador to Naples. But Emma faints, and Lady Nelson ushers the carriage away leaving Nelson. It was 1940, Britain was in peril. That Hamilton Woman . That Hamilton Woman! "[20] According to Anthony Holden, Olivier's biographer, That Hamilton Woman "became Exhibit A in a case brought against Korda by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The Admiralty contacts Lord Hamilton and he very graciously explains to Emma that they (not he) orders her to go to Cairo and Nelson is to return to Britain. He is shot through the spine. ", "That Hamilton Woman: A Tale of Two Halves (For Better or Worse). [11] The film was intended to parallel the current situation in Europe and was intended as propaganda at a time before the attack on Pearl Harbor when the United States was still formally neutral. When Horatio Nelson arrives in Naples, Emma is soon deeply attracted to him and is impressed by his passionate insistence on resisting Napoleon's dictatorial rule. Emma who comes for a visit with her mother wouldn't cut the grade with London society but she gets along well with the Queen of Naples. Unfortunately the main chapters offered no new information over what I already knew and, although it was interesting, I found it to be romanticised and almost idealistic. He explains the battle but starts weeping before he explains Nelson's death. ", "British Cinema History: That Hamilton Woman. That Hamilton Woman (Lady Hamilton and The Enchantress) (1941) is a black-and-white historical film drama, produced & directed by Alexander Korda. That Hamilton Woman (DVD) : Set against the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars of the late eighteenth century. Not much is known about her early life except that she was in London when she was 12, working as an under-nursemaid in the house of a composer called Thomas Linley. Nelson leaves to confront Napoleon's navy off the coast of Spain. [12] Korda's brother Vincent designed the sets, creating Sir William Hamilton's palatial home that looked out over the sea of Naples, as well as the interiors of Merton Place: the home Emma and Nelson shared when they returned to England. That Hamilton Woman is a lot of things: a historical romance, a propaganda picture, and a tragic drama chiefly among them. In one scene Laurence Olivier, as Nelson, says he has received orders from Admiral Hood. After his death, Emma succumbs to alcoholism and spirals down into poverty and oblivion. She began her career in London's demi-monde, becoming the mistress of a series of wealthy men, culminating in the naval hero Lord Nelson, and was the favourite model of the portrait artist George Romney.. Emma likes being Lady Hamilton, and life goes smoothly until Lord Nelson pays a visit. Before the affair begins Emma sits on her bed, wherein Nelson is recovering from exhaustion, to feed him some soup. The ruthless, moneyed Hubbard clan lives in, and poisons, their part of the deep South at the turn of the twentieth century. Set during the Napoleonic Wars, the film tells the story of the rise and fall of Emma Hamilton, dance-hall girl and courtesan, who married Sir William Hamilton, British ambassador to the Kingdom of Naples. Sir William Hamilton, a widower of mature years, is British ambassador to the Court of Naples. Sir William Hamilton, a widower of mature years, is British ambassador to the Court of Naples. Her real name was Amy Lyon, but she preferred to be known as Emma Hart. "[18], Critical sources usually point out that That Hamilton Woman was Winston Churchill's favorite film. [13] That Hamilton Woman is the last of three films they made together and their only film as a married couple. We can appreciate Rudolph Maté's cinematography and Vincent Korda's designs, such as the windows that give Emma a perfect view of a rumbling Vesuvius. That Hamilton Woman, čiji je originalni naslov bio Lady Hamilton, je britanski biografski film snimljen 1941. godine u režiji Alexandera Korde. A servant in the house of Wuthering Heights tells a traveler the unfortunate tale of lovers Cathy and Heathcliff. ", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=That_Hamilton_Woman&oldid=989247563, Films that won the Best Sound Mixing Academy Award, Cultural depictions of Emma, Lady Hamilton, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, over $1 million (US/Canada, 1941 release), This page was last edited on 17 November 2020, at 22:00. René Hubert, the man tapped to be the costume designer for the film, was no stranger to Vivien. Biography. ", Chambers II, John Whiteclay. Criterion's DVD of That Hamilton Woman has a few scenes with density fluctuation but in all respects is a quantum improvement over old Television prints with poor contrast and muffled audio -- the movie won a 1942 Oscar for sound recording. When Nelson finds out, he is annoyed. During World War I, believing her fiancé to be dead, a young ballerina loses her job and is forced to turn to prostitution. [21], According to Kinematograph Weekly, the film was the fifth most popular movie at the British box office in 1941, after 49th Parallel, The Great Dictator, Pimpernel Smith and All This and Heaven Too. Emma Hart's early life as the mistress of the charming but unreliable Charles Francis Greville leads to her meeting with his wealthy uncle Sir William Hamilton, the British ambassador to Naples. Radnja je smještena u doba francuskih revolucionarnih i napoleonskih ratova, a naslovna protagonistica, čiji lik tumači Vivien Leigh, je Emma Hamilton, supruga uglednog diplomata koja izaziva skandal započevši vanbračnu vezu sa proslavljenim admiralom Horatiom Nelsonom čiji lik tumači Laurence Olivier. 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. "The Movies and the Antiwar Debate in America, 1930-1941. The story begins with an aging, alcoholic woman being clapped into debtor's prison in the slums of Calais. Emma, who comes for a visit with her mother, wouldn't cut the grade with London society, but she gets along well with the Queen of Naples. The respected painter takes to drink and faces down scandal after his wife dies. The film's tagline was: The Year's Most Exciting Team of Screen Lovers! The paring of Leigh and Olivier by producer/director Alexander Korda was brilliant. The film stars Vivien Leigh as Emma, Lady Hamilton & Laurence Olivier as Admiral Horatio Nelson. [22][23], At the 14th Academy Awards, That Hamilton Woman was nominated for four Oscars and won for Best Sound. Dale O'Connor . He had previously worked with her on three movies: Fire Over England, Dark Journey and A Yank at Oxford. In one of the early scenes that launches the flashback, Emma, well past her prime, looks into a mirror and remembers "the face I knew before," the face of the young, lovely girl who captured the imagination of artists—most notably George Romney and Joshua Reynolds. Originally intended to be entitled The Enchantress, the film was first released in Britain as Lady Hamilton.[11]. [6] The film was a critical and financial success, and while on the surface the plot is both a war story and a romance set in Napoleonic times, it was also intended to function as a deliberately pro-British film that would portray Britain positively within the context of World War II which was being fought at that time. Viven Leigh, Laurence Olivier, Alan Mowbray'). Nelson is hit by a French sniper and taken below deck. (1941): Propaganda, Feminism and the Production Code. But the real-life lovers, whose first screen romance was in Fire Over England (1937) have an even more burning passion for each other in this movie. The fleet sing "Heart of Oak" as Nelson raises the signal "England Expects Every Man to do His Duty". What happened to the infant, fathered by Lord Nelson, that Lady Hamilton gave birth to? [5] She later became mistress to Admiral Horatio Nelson. That Hamilton Woman (Lady Hamilton and The Enchantress) (1941) is a black-and-white historical film drama, produced & directed by Alexander Korda. The two stars had finally married and were in the throes of a celebrity obsession on the part of the public (mirrored in later … Hardy warns Nelson that wearing his insignia makes him a target for snipers, and he laughs this off. After Larry Darrent accidentally kills his lover's blackmailing husband, someone else is arrested for the crime. Sir William Hamilton, a widower of mature years, is British ambassador to the Court of Naples. Emma likes being Lady Hamilton, and life goes smoothly until Lord Nelson pays a visit. She performed as a featured speaker at the Phyllis Newman Women’s Health Initiative’s Nothing Like A Damebenefit in … The film stars Vivien Leigh as Emma, Lady Hamilton & Laurence Olivier as Admiral Horatio Nelson. Set... Read more . ", "The 14th Academy Awards (1942) Nominees and Winners. Of the two stars, Crowther said, "Vivien Leigh's entire performance as Lady Hamilton is delightful to behold.