Rembrandt (1936)

Rembrandt (1936)
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Lightning steadfastly refused to strike twice for the director/actor team of Alexander Korda and Charles Laughton. Though the pair had scored an international success with the 1933 quasi-biopic The Private Life of Henry VIII, they couldn't make the magic happen again with 1936's Rembrandt. Laughton's performance is solid throughout, and Korda's recreation of Rembrandt's Holland is meticulous, but the film suffers from a lack of overall dramatic tension. Except for his artistic achievements and the deaths of his two wives, nothing really "happens" to Rembrandt--at least nothing as colorful as the escapades of Henry VIII. The best element of the film is the successful effort by cinematographer Georges Perinal to recreate the famous "Rembrandt lighting" effect in each scene. Laughton is given fine support by Elsa Lanchester (his real-life wife), and by legendary stage star Gertrude Lawrence in a rare film role. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Starring:
Charles LaughtonGertrude Lawrence, (more)
Director(s):
Alexander Korda
Format(s):
DVD
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Synopsis of Rembrandt

Lightning steadfastly refused to strike twice for the director/actor team of Alexander Korda and Charles Laughton. Though the pair had scored an international success with the 1933 quasi-biopic The Private Life of Henry VIII, they couldn't make the magic happen again with 1936's Rembrandt. Laughton's performance is solid throughout, and Korda's recreation of Rembrandt's Holland is meticulous, but the film suffers from a lack of overall dramatic tension. Except for his artistic achievements and the deaths of his two wives, nothing really "happens" to Rembrandt--at least nothing as colorful as the escapades of Henry VIII. The best element of the film is the successful effort by cinematographer Georges Perinal to recreate the famous "Rembrandt lighting" effect in each scene. Laughton is given fine support by Elsa Lanchester (his real-life wife), and by legendary stage star Gertrude Lawrence in a rare film role. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Theatrical Feature Running Time:
85 mins

Complete Cast of Rembrandt


Director(s):
Alexander Korda
Writer(s):
Carl ZuckmayerJune HeadLajos BirĂ³
Producer(s):
Alexander Korda
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    PJ A.

    I always enjoy Alexander Korda movies. My only complaint is so many Korda movies, so little time. There should be a movie about his personal life, he was a colorful personality and lived in interesting times and places. This story could have been more "dramatic" but is well worth seeing for the excellent acting, lighting, writing. If you enjoy perfectly crafted black and white movies, you will like this one. Rembrandt could be called a feminist, they chose to show this in several scenes, commendable.

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    Ann C.

    I thought that Charles Laughton did a remarkable job of portraying Rembrandt. Especially in his appearance, as he managed to look a lot like the Dutch artist at various stages in his life. Other subjects from Rembrandt's paintings appear here and there: Titus, his son, Dr. Tulp, Hendrickje, Dr. Monasseh, etc. Plus, a troop of officers from "The Night Watch." The film's plot is somewhat lightweight, but it's still an enjoyable viewing experience.

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    Adele S.

    I was hoping I would be able to view more of Rembrandt's masterpieces while his story was told in this 1936 feature fim, but only 3 paintings were shown. Very disappointing..

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