Die ungekrönte Königin

The Divine Lady,the Oscar winner for Best Director,Frank Lloyd, has recently been restored and has shown up on TCM. I saw it on the big screen at a Vitaphone film festival. Since it was a very late silent,it had a vitaphone soundtrack and even a theme song.The film tells the story of the romance of Lord Nelson and Lady Hamilton The movie has some lovely visual moments. The most memorable being,the two lovers on a swing and a battle at sea. But the film is a little slow going and the male lead is stiff and lacks charisma. Frank Lloyd is best remembered for the 1935 version of Mutiny on the Bounty, which shares with this film,historical characters and sea experiences.However, Mutiny on the Bounty is a much better film. For the best version of the story of Hamilton and Nelson, see the wonderful,Vivian Leigh- Laurence Olivier-movie-That Hamilton Woman.

Corrine Griffith is the ambitious young Emma Hart, daughter of a cook, who has a bit of a reputation that doesn't make her universally welcome. She does attract the attention of her employer, Charles Grenville (Ian Keith) but he soon tires of her and ships her off, under false presences, to live with his uncle Sir William Hamilton (H. B. Warner) who just happens to be the British Ambassador to the kingdom of Naples. Now this man is quite an aesthete, and when poor jilted Emma realises that her love has no intentions of joining her she accepts a proposal of marriage from her host. It's a loveless arrangement, but she has wealth, privilege and the ear of the queen. That relationship becomes especially useful when she is introduced to the visiting Admiral Nelson (Victor Varconi) whom, after his victories for Great Britain, is an acclaimed seaman. He is also fighting an outbreak of scurvy amongst his ill-nourished men, and so Emma has to use her wiles to get the queen to agree to allows the ports of the Two Sicilies to help them out - despite strong objections from the bullying French. Of course, there now follows an affair that the two are entirely engrossed in, regardless of the fact that both are married and that British society is not prepared to countenance it. Viscount and Battle of the Nile or not! Largely shunned and now back home, the couple live peacefully and quietly in a rustic setting until it comes time for the admiral to take to the seas again against the fleet of Napoleon near Cape Trafalgar. The rest of that is history, and so is the denouement of this rather good looking but lacklustre historical biopic. I didn't really notice any chemistry between Griffith and a Varconi whose glass eye might actually have been his most animated feature. It all looks suitably grand and some of the seafaring scenes deliver quite well - but it's sometimes quite brutally edited, dimly lit and somehow it all just lacks either the pace to reflect her joie-de-vivre life in Naples or even, really, the burgeoning romance upon which it all rests. It is fine to watch, but sadly disappoints.

Briefly, as explained in an introductory title card, "This is the historic tale of two people whose lives are an immortal romance; the story of the love and destiny of England's greatest beauty, and England's greatest sailor." The film focuses on the greatest beauty of Corinne Griffith (as Emma Hart). Her main lover is the greatest sailor, Victor Varconi (as Horatio Nelson). Ms. Griffith dominates the drama, which begins in late 18th century England. Introduced as a servant girl, Griffith becomes enamored with noble boss Ian Keith (as Charles Greville). After gaining a reputation as a "vulgar hussy", Griffith is sent to Italy; there, she becomes more ladylike, and marries Mr. Keith's uncle, H.B. Warner (as William Hamilton). Then, as "Lady Hamilton", she meets, and has an historically influential affair with Mr. Varconi, her "true love".

"The Divine Lady" is a showy, costly production. It was noticed during the second "Academy Awards" ceremony for the direction of Frank Lloyd. Mr. Lloyd's direction is, indeed, a strength; in one scene, he makes you feel you are on a Ferris Wheel. Lloyd was also noted for directing Richard Barthelmess in "Weary River" and "Drag", films which sandwiched "Divine Lady". John Seitz' photography is another strength; he is responsible for many beautiful scenes; and, of course, shows superstar Griffith in her best light. Comic relief Marie Dressler (as Mrs. Hart) appears too briefly.

In 1994, Corinne Griffith received a belated "Academy Award" nomination as "Best Actress" for "The Divine Lady"; the revelation appeared in Robert Osborne's "65 Years of the Oscar: The Official History of the Academy Awards".

There were no actual "nominations" announced that year (actually, the 1928-29 season); after the awards gained stature, there were attempts to bring the earlier ceremonies in line with what was becoming the industry standard. The inclusion of Griffith's name among the nominees may have been due to a suggestion Jeanne Eagels' performance in "The Letter" be dropped, since she died in October 1929.

A look at the other nominations would support Griffith's inclusion; however, the second ceremony was not one of the Academy's best efforts. Griffith's starry, self-conscious performance was better than "Best Actress" winner Mary Pickford's, in "Coquette"; but, so were most. Lillian Gish and Greta Garbo essayed far superior characterizations during the eligibility period, but were not nominated. However, dog star Rin Tin Tin was considered for a "Best Actor" nomination.

****** The Divine Lady (4/14/29) Frank Lloyd ~ Corinne Griffith, Victor Varconi, H.B. Warner, Ian Keith

I give it 8 rather than 9 because of Griffith's acting when falling in love; her romantic feelings, as opposed to her ambassadress motives which were allied with her patriotism, seemed to spring from nothing. Varconi did all the wooing, and before you know it, whammo, a full blown affair. Griffith was more effective in portraying a girl's enthrallment with her first lover, Keith; I could believe that she trusted too deeply in his motives. Speaking of Keith, he gave an excellent performance of a man attracted to his servant's charms but hypocritical about so much more of her personality; he disgusted me, but in a good way.

But getting back to the action, the naval battles astounded and I was on the edge of my seat, dodging those cannonballs. The role of the Queen and her interaction with Griffith was unique, I thought, because of the power dynamics balancing the Queen's power with the King's and Griffith's part in the whole shebang. Someone whose real life is completely ready for filming is William Hamilton, here in this film an aged cuckold but actually a vulcanologist and man of science. I would enjoy a film depicting his life very much, showing his happy first marriage and dealings with the political structures of the era. Also good to see would be his menage-a-trois with his wife and Nelson in their small home, prior to Trafalgar. So all in all, this was a good Sunday's silent movie for TCM and I'm pleased to have seen it, with the lovely costumes and other production values, too. Then there's that rose over Griffith's lips when Nelson makes his move ...

I finally was able to see this early Oscar silent winner: Frank Lloyd was the 1928-29 Best Director Oscar winner. The occasion for showing film was that TCM is honoring Marie Dressler in a series of her movies, and she had a small humorous role in this film.

This movie is based on the semi-true story by E. Barrington. It centers on the affair between Emma, Lady Hamilton and the British naval hero, Admiral Horatio Nelson, during the Napoleonic Wars. Both were married to other spouses at the time of their affair.

The same general story was later made into the 1941 Kora-directed movie, That Hamilton Woman (1941) with Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier as the two main characters.