"Rembrandt" (1936) is on TCM on 10/23/07 at 4pm ET

[moira finnie]

Just a quick reminder:

Alexander Korda's Rembrandt (1936) with Charles Laughton is being shown for the first time on TCM this afternoon (10/23/07) at 4pm ET. It's not a perfect film, but a good character study and the filmmakers show a meticulous attention to the painterly qualities of each scene. Laughton, who bore a phenomenal likeness to the artist, conveys what has been described as that "tortured soulfulness that [underlies] so much of Laughton's work -- that feeling that there's an angel caught inside a monster's form."

The rest of the outstanding cast includes a rare glimpse of theatrical legend Gertrude Lawrence, as well as Elsa Lanchester, John Bryning, Edward Chapman, Richard Gofe, Walter Hudd and Roger Livesey.

[MissGoddess]

Thank you, Moira---I've never seen it and I will make a point to record this.

[cinemalover]

I set the recorder before I left for work. Please, no gremlins in the set today!

[klondike]

One of my all-time FAVORITES!
And, I've found, a strangely difficult film to recommend to those unfamiliar with its unique personna . . so often, it seems, people tend to cobble-up a gestalt idea of what Rembrandt is like, often involving assumptions of Laughtonian stereotypes, and muddled partial memories of other artists bio roles, like Heston as Michelangelo, or Ferrer as Lautrec, or Douglas as Van Gogh, and perhaps even a third-hand distrust for Korda's work.
But there is so much that sets this bio apart from all those associations . . I envy all my fellow film-lovers who discover it this very afternoon!

[jdb1]

I find Rembrandt and Henry VIII much of a muchness - practically the same casts, the same but scaled-back and rearranged scenery, etc. I like both of these movies very much, but if you see them in quick succession, you would have trouble telling them apart. I suppose the main difference is that Laughton shouts a bit more as Henry. In any even, I always love to see Elsa Lanchester, and she always shone particularly bright in the presence of her husband.

[moira finnie]

This is my second viewing of Rembrandt (1936) and I liked it even more this time. I loved the beggar played by Roger Livesey, and thought that the speech that Laughton makes in the tavern (seen below) was very moving. I also like the scene when Rembrandt goes back to his painting the day of his wife's funeral to catch her memory on canvas before it fades from his mind's eye. (That is very like artists I've known--seemingly cold in one sense, but creating their work as a way of honoring their loves too.)

This is probably my second favorite Charles Laughton performance, (after '39 The Hunchback of Notre Dame). It also makes me wish that Ruggles of Red Gap (1935) would be unearthed by TCM or some other scholarly group.

Here's that monologue that Laughton delivers to his drinking buddies as his wife lies dying at home:

And of a sudden he knew that when one woman gives herself to you, you possess all women. Women of every age and race and kind, and more than that, the moon, the stars, all miracles and legends are yours. Brown-skinned girls who inflame your senses with their play, cool yellow-haired women who entice and escape you, gentle ones who serve you, slender ones who torment you, the mothers who bore and suckled you; all women whom God created out of the teeming fullness of the earth, are yours in the love of one woman."

Carl Zuckmayer, June Head & Lajos Biró share the writing honors on this one, though it's Charles Laughton's gift that brought this statement to life.

I much prefer this movie over the earlier Korda-Laughton collaboration, The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933).

[jdb1]

My wife and I watched this film, last night. It was our first time seeing it. What a wonderful film. Almost perfect, in every way. I particularly love Elsa Lanchester in it. I've always been curious to see it, because in the bio-pic, <b>Star!</b>, you see Julie Andrews as Gertrude Lawrence, in costume, making this film. Frankly, I've yet to see or hear anything from Miss Lawrence, that makes me understand why she was such a stage phenomenon on both sides of the pond; but, I suppose you had to see her on stage to understand it. She's fine in this film, but rather one-dimensional in her characterization. Regardless, it's a fine film that we thoroughly enjoyed!

John, have you seend Lawrence in the film version of "The Glass Menagerie" (circa 1950)? The first time I saw it, I missed the very beginning, and I didn't even realize I was watching Lawrence. I thought she was quite good, even if the movie wasn't so great; it had a silly, tacked-on happy "Hollywood" ending. It was a fairly strong performance, so I can well imagine her dominating a stage as well. (Not as strong as Katharine Hepburn's Amanda Wingfield in a TV production from the 70s, but pretty darn good.)

[moira finnie]

Rembrandt (1936) is being broadcast tonight on TCM at 8pm ET to kick off a month devoted to the actor Charles Laughton's work.

Here's what else is on deck tonight (11/03/08). I watched The Private Life of Henry VIII last week, and aside from enjoying Robert Donat's presence, and Elsa Lanchester's Anne of Cleves, thought it pretty bad--though Rembrandt really held up well last time I saw it. It seemed to be a much richer, more human performance. All in all, some of Laughton's best films seem to be his least seen. I'd like to see St. Martin's Lane, Ruggles of Red Gap, The Suspect, This Land Is Mine, and They Knew What They Wanted too, but, heigh-ho, at least we have the following:

8:00 PM
Rembrandt (1936)
The respected painter takes to drink and faces down scandal after his wife dies. Cast: Charles Laughton, Gertrude Lawrence, Elsa Lanchester. Dir: Alexander Korda. BW-81 mins, TV-G, CC

9:30 PM
The Barretts of Wimpole Street (1934)
An invalid poetess defies her father's wishes to marry a dashing young poet. Cast: Norma Shearer, Fredric March, Charles Laughton. Dir: Sidney Franklin. BW-109 mins, TV-G, CC, DVS

11:30 PM
The Private Life Of Henry VIII (1933)
The famed English monarch suffers through five of his six disastrous marriages. Cast: Charles Laughton, Robert Donat, Elsa Lanchester. Dir: Alexander Korda. BW-94 mins, TV-PG, CC

1:15 AM
Young Bess (1953)
The future Elizabeth I fights court intrigue in the turbulent years before her ascension to the throne. Cast: Jean Simmons, Stewart Granger, Charles Laughton. Dir: George Sidney. C-112 mins, TV-G, CC

3:15 AM
The Man From Down Under (1943)
A World War I veteran sneaks two orphans back to his native Australia. Cast: Charles Laughton, Binnie Barnes, Donna Reed. Dir: Robert Z. Leonard. BW-103 mins, TV-PG

11/10/08
8:00 PM
Stand By for Action (1942)
A Harvard graduate serving on a battleship is faced with the realities of war. Cast: Robert Taylor, Charles Laughton, Brian Donlevy. Dir: Robert Z. Leonard. BW-109 mins, TV-G, CC

10:00 PM
Mutiny on the Bounty (1935)
Classic adventure about the sadistic Captain Bligh, who drove his men to revolt during a South Seas expedition. Cast: Clark Gable, Charles Laughton, Franchot Tone. Dir: Frank Lloyd. BW-133 mins, TV-PG, CC, DVS

12:15 AM
Jamaica Inn (1939)
A young woman on the British coast stumbles onto a ring of bloodthirsty scavengers. Cast: Charles Laughton, Maureen O'Hara, Hay Petrie. Dir: Alfred Hitchcock. BW-99 mins, TV-PG, CC

2:00 AM
Captain Kidd (1945)
An infamous pirate tries to double cross the King of England. Cast: Charles Laughton, Randolph Scott, John Carradine. Dir: Rowland V. Lee. BW-81 mins, TV-G

3:30 AM
Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd (1952)
Two waiters stumble on a treasure map and land in hot water with pirates. Cast: Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Charles Laughton. Dir: Charles Lamont. BW-70 mins, TV-PG, CC

11/17

8:00 PM
Payment Deferred (1932)
A milquetoast kills for money and finds it a hard habit to break. Cast: Charles Laughton, Maureen O'Sullivan, Ray Milland. Dir: Lothar Mendes. BW-81 mins, TV-G

9:30 PM
The Hunchback Of Notre Dame(1939)
A deformed bell ringer rescues a gypsy girl falsely accused of witchcraft and murder. Cast: Charles Laughton, Maureen O'Hara, Cedric Hardwicke. Dir: William Dieterle. BW-117 mins, TV-PG, CC, DVS

11:30 PM
The Old Dark House (1932)
A storm strands travelers in a house full of dangerous eccentrics. Cast: Boris Karloff, Melvyn Douglas, Charles Laughton. Dir: James Whale. BW-72 mins, TV-G

12:45 AM
The Canterville Ghost (1944)
A ghost who died a coward tries to inspire U.S. GIs to become heroes. Cast: Charles Laughton, Margaret O'Brien, Robert Young. Dir: Jules Dassin. BW-96 mins, TV-G, CC

11/24

8:00 PM
The Paradine Case (1947)
A married lawyer falls for the woman he's defending on murder charges. Cast: Gregory Peck, Alida Valli, Charles Laughton. Dir: Alfred Hitchcock. BW-114 mins, TV-PG, CC

10:15 PM
Witness For The Prosecution (1957)
A British lawyer gets caught up in a couple's tangled marital affairs when he defends the husband for murder. Cast: Charles Laughton, Tyrone Power, Marlene Dietrich. Dir: Billy Wilder. BW-116 mins, TV-PG, CC, Letterbox Format

12:15 AM
The Bribe (1949)
A sultry singer tries to tempt a federal agent from the straight-and-narrow. Cast: Robert Taylor, Ava Gardner, Charles Laughton. Dir: Robert Z. Leonard. BW-98 mins, TV-PG, CC

2:00 AM
Salome (1953)
Herod's stepdaughter discovers Christianity through her love for a Roman centurion. Cast: Rita Hayworth, Stewart Granger, Charles Laughton. Dir: William Dieterle. C-103 mins, TV-PG

[MissGoddess]

I noticed Robert Osborne called it a "TCM Premier" tonight. :p

I missed it the last time and am enjoying it so far, more than I thought I would. But I should have known, you have terrific taste, Moira.

[MissGoddess]

I was very surprised by how much I liked this movie, it was very touching! And it gave me a completely different impression of the artist than I had sketchily formed. I know next to nothing about him, as his works never appealed to me (my bad taste, I'm sure) but now that I've seen this movie I am very curious about him and his art. This may very well be my all time favorite Charles Laughton performance and I simply adored Elsa Lanchester. I never saw her so becoming, so soft and sweet and the part where she takes on the creditors and hoists them on their own pitard was marvelous!

I'm so glad I watched it. Thanks, Moira, I owe you one.

[moira finnie]

Hi April,
I'm so glad that you liked Rembrandt, which I love.
I think that TCM calls things "premiers" if they haven't been broadcast in primetime before. I'm just glad that they chose to feature Rembrandt at all, since it seems to be forgotten by many who like Laughton.

Payment on Demand is one of the ones later this month that I've never seen in its entirety. Is it worthwhile? I know that it was based on a play that Laughton did. Do you know any reason why our beloved St. Martin's Lane or the intriguing sounding They Knew What They Wanted hasn't been included in any of the recent airings of Lombard, Leigh and Laughton movies. (Hey, do you think that the TCM programmer is working his/her way through the alphabet??).

[jdb1]

Moira, you mean Payment Deferred, don't you? I haven't seen it in years, but I do remember thinking Laughton was excellent. The last time I saw it on TV, the print was in terrible shape. I hope TCM has something better to offer.

The movie and play are based on a novella by C.S. Forrester (The African Queen, Horatio Hornblower series, et al.), which is a good read with a clever plot.

[moira finnie]

Moira, you mean Payment Deferred, don't you? I haven't seen it in years, but I do remember thinking Laughton was excellent. The last time I saw it on TV, the print was in terrible shape. I hope TCM has something better to offer.

Yes, I do. That's what I get for trying to post between tasks! And yes, when I tried to watch PAYMENT DEFERRED it was in dreadful condition, which may be one reason why I didn't stay with it. I've heard that one other early, seldom seen Laughton movie with Tallulah Bankhead & Gary Cooper, The Devil and the Deep (1932), a Paramount movie & therefore probably neglected, is also in serious disrepair, though perhaps there are better prints somewhere. Wish it were being broadcast as well.

[Professional Tourist]

Just as a general fyi, this film is in the public domain and is available free at the Internet Archive. It can be viewed online and/or downloaded in MPEG4 format to your hard drive.