A Few Words About A few words about…™ The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex – in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Will Krupp]

RE: "Bah Humbug to Frank Nugent:

Will, In 1936, I think every American household owned a copy of "Trail of the Lonesome Pine" and everyone had read it. So that's not really a "spoiler" as every single person seeing the movie knew what was going to happen.

Don't you make excuses for him!!!!

Wasn't it Gene Siskel who SO hated FRIDAY THE 13th that he gave the ending away in his review and urged people to write to Betsy Palmer to tell her how disgusting it was that she took a part in it? Am I remembering it correctly?

 

[Robert Crawford]

Wasn't it Gene Siskel who SO hated FRIDAY THE 13th that he gave the ending away in his review and urged people to write to Betsy Palmer to tell her how disgusting it was that she took a part in it? Am I remembering it correctly?

One of the funniest moments I ever experienced in a movie theater as I busted out in laugher. I'm sure some people probably thought I was weird, but it was just too funny.

 

[lark144]

Don't you make excuses for him!!!!

Wasn't it Gene Siskel who SO hated FRIDAY THE 13th that he gave the ending away in his review and urged people to write to Betsy Palmer to tell her how disgusting it was that she took a part in it? Am I remembering it correctly?

Not making excuses. Bosley Crowther loved spoling the endings of films he didn't like, thinking it would ruin their box office potential. In the case of "Suddenly Last Summer" it backfired on him. He underestimated the prurient nature of his readers. Sam Spiegel should have sent him flowers.

 

[lark144]

One of the funniest moments I ever experienced in a movie theater as I busted out in laugher. I'm sure some people probably thought I was weird, but it was just too funny.

I expected Betsy Palmer to burst into song, and was disappointed when she didn't.

 

[TravisR]

I expected Betsy Palmer to burst into song, and was disappointed when she didn't.

I basically only knew Betsy Palmer as Mrs. Voorhees so when I see a younger version of her on a game show or in a movie, it's still wild to me.

 

[Stephen_J_H]

Those 1998 prints actually used the full height of the scope frame. The picture was squeezed and when projected yielded a 1.37 image pillar boxed within a scope frame. Results weren’t good as the prints themselves were lousy.

I've heard of this version as well, though in the context of the 1991 101 Dalmatians re-release.

 

[benbess]

Watching the spectacular images from this blu-ray now.

 

[benbess]

I saw this movie once before, but this blu-ray is like seeing it for the first time. It's amazing what they've done with the three-strip Technicolor, and makes the regret over the three-strip movies that have been lost all the more intense, I'm afraid. The clarity and colors for this one are incredible. Who needs 3D—it's almost like you're there on set!

Although parts of the story are obviously fictionalized, in terms of the main points it follows the outlines of history.

Spoiler

from wikipedia's entry on Elizabeth I: "She became fond and indulgent of the charming but petulant young Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex, who was Leicester's stepson and took liberties with her for which she forgave him. She repeatedly appointed him to military posts despite his growing record of irresponsibility. After Essex's desertion of his command in Ireland in 1599, Elizabeth had him placed under house arrest and the following year deprived him of his monopolies. In February 1601, the earl tried to raise a rebellion in London. He intended to seize the queen but few rallied to his support, and he was beheaded on 25 February. Elizabeth knew that her own misjudgements were partly to blame for this turn of events. An observer wrote in 1602: "Her delight is to sit in the dark, and sometimes with shedding tears to bewail Essex."

I do wonder what Laurence Olivier would have done with the role of Essex. He certainly would have brought greater depth, realism and drama to it, but would he have been right for the part? I just don't know. This movie becomes a stage for a powerhouse performance for Bette Davis, and if Olivier had been in it would it have worked as well in terms of that?

Below are paintings of the actual people. The costume designers for this film were somehow able to keep up.

 

[AnthonyClarke]

I think such a ham actor as Olivier (great on stage when I saw him; it was his home, and also fine in Hitchcock's 'Rebecca', but over-acting in most other fim roles) would have fatally offset Bette Davis's wonderful performance. Flynn was perfect for the role and even Davis, who initially hated him, admitted this later.

 

[RolandL]

It's on TCMHD right now and looks fantastic!

 

[Garysb]

Based on what was said about 1938 prints of "The Adventures of Robin Hood" would it be true the prints of the 1939 "The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex" would not have looked as the current blu ray does which of course is very pleasing to the eye?

 

[Robert Harris]

Filter | Timeline of Historical Film Colors

filmcolors.org

 

[OLDTIMER]

Thanks for the "timelines" Mr Harris. Re comments about the yellow/ urine / sepia look of these old prints, we've had this discussion before. Didn't we decide that the best way to see how they really looked is in a darkened cinema with carbon arc projection. (And of course color appreciation has no doubt changed over eight decades.)

 

[Trancas]

If 3 strip Technicolor was alway golden because that's where public preference was; shouldn't early Kodachrome slide film have shown the same preference? Wouldn't Kodak have imitated what the public saw in the movies?
Kodachrome from the Early 40's

Lower Manhattan 1942
There may be a little fading here - but could the examples ever have the Cadmium Yellow Medium shade of Scarlett's skin in the film clips above?

1942


And then there's Technicolor's Monopack low contrast version of Kodachrome.

 

[benbess]

Love this title card. This movie had a production cost of slightly more than a million, but it all certainly looks to be up there on screen. Cinematographer Sol Politico was nominated for an Oscar for his work. The film's score by Eric Wolfgang Korngold was also nominated:



There's a "spoiler" item in the imdb trivia, which seems to be true, and shows that the real history was even more shocking than what happened at the end of the movie:

Spoiler

In the film, prior to Essex's execution, the headsman is seen sharpening his axe. This is historically inaccurate, as Elizabeth I was so angry with Essex before his execution, that she wished him to feel pain as he was beheaded. Due to this wish, Essex was beheaded with a dull axe, and it took 3 strokes before his head was successfully cleaved from his body. He was alive during the first two strokes, and felt everything until the end. This has been reputed as one of the most cruel executions under Elizabeth I's reign.
In the real history of Elizabeth I and Essex, he did not defy the Queen, as seen at the end of the movie, and Elizabeth would never have gone to him begging his forgiveness. In fact, Essex went to his death crying and screaming, begging the queen for her forgiveness and to be pardoned.

 

[Robert Crawford]

This is not the GWTW thread! If you want to discuss that movie then I've moved posts to this thread in order to do so. Please stop sidetracking "The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex".

 

[Robert Harris]

This is not the GWTW thread! If you want to discuss that movie then I've moved posts to this thread in order to do so. Please stop sidetracking "The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex".

I believe the relevance is the difference between original c. 1937-39 color timing vs re-prints.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I believe the relevance is the difference between original c. 1937-39 color timing vs re-prints.

Perhaps that subject matter should have its own thread. Furthermore, the problem is that some people then expanded that discussion and started talking about the beauty of Scarlet versus Bette Davis versus Vivien Leigh. Next it would be Gable versus Flynn versus Gary Cooper versus Rhett Butler.

 

[Robert Harris]

Perhaps that subject matter should have its own thread. Furthermore, the problem is that some people then expanded that discussion and started talking about the beauty of Scarlet versus Better Davis versus Vivien Leigh. Next it would be Gable versus Flynn versus Gary Cooper versus Rhett Butler.

Definitely Rondo Hatton.

 

[Stephen_J_H]

Perhaps that subject matter should have its own thread. Furthermore, the problem is that some people then expanded that discussion and started talking about the beauty of Scarlet versus Better Davis versus Vivien Leigh. Next it would be Gable versus Flynn versus Gary Cooper versus Rhett Butler.

Well, we know who your choice is, Crawdaddy.