That Lady

There are some great names in this film, Olivia de Havilland for one in the title role, John Gilbert back on the screen as a great lover, Paul Scofield as King Philip II of Spain, Francoise Rosay as Olivia de Havilland's trusted friend and nurse, Dennis Price as a double-dealing minister and even Christopher Lee in a small part as a captain; Richard Addison has contributed a great score, and the director is no one less than Terence Young, later on famous mostly for his James Bond films. All this should add to a great film of splendour, pageantry and glory? Well, does it? The story and script would have made a great basis for an opera, but as it is, it is no more than a rather heavy-weight melodrama. It's the heavy Spanish court of Philip II in his monastery castle outside Madrid, a monumental mausoleum for the living dead, and all you miss in this film is Don Carlos and that dreary additional intrigue. Paul Scofield runs the film, it's his character that you will remember afterwards, a gloomy giant of loneliness and miserable inhumanity, while Olivia de Havilland makes a very credible martyred princess. The settings are heavy, but they should be so, and their gloom only add to the realism of this study in the incompatibility of love with power - Philip sacrifices everything for his power and especially his soul and humanity, leaving nothing left - than further disasters of his realm, like the great armada against England. The film is interesting for its story and truthful rendering of the suffocating inhibition of the Spanish court, so there is nothing wrong with it. All you lack is the sparkle of life that was banned from thence.

As a very big fan of Mrs De Havilland ,I was very anxious to watch it! What a big disappointment!This costume melodrama is certainly one of her worst parts if not simply the worst!she's so subtle an actress one wonders why she did not turn it down and let it to lesser talents ;there are plenty of starlets who could have been content with it!perhaps because an one-eyed character is not very attractive!

As for the story itself ,it's a Spanish princess in love with the king's minister -and loved by the king too-;the minister is involved in a murder but that lady cannot even serve as an alibi .The king has his own problems with his brother who covets his throne .The script is inept,the cinematography is poor ,and the actors ,left to their own devices ,do what they can but it's not enough to save the movie;French viewers will notice the presence of Françoise Rosay as Bernadine aka Bernie ,one of our greatest actresses;like De Havilland and Scofield,why did she get involved in that business with that lady?

'That lady' being starred by a big name cast as Olivia De Havilland , Paul Scofield , Gilbert Roland , Christopher Lee , Dennis Price , among others . Based on historic deeds about intrigue and power-fight in Philip II court ; dealing with Ana, (Olivia De Havilland) Countess of Melito and Duchess of Pastrana , married Rui Gomes Silva , 1st Prince of Éboli when she was 13 years old (1553) , by recommendation of the regent of Spain , the future King Philip II . Her husband was a chief councillor and favourite with Philip , and from 1559 Prince of Éboli. Although she may have been blind in one eye, the Princess of Éboli was considered very attractive and her gorgeous beauty is difficult to resist . She was an energetic person , and prominent in court life . This costumer movie is partially based on real events . It's developed in the court of Felipe II (Paul Scofield) , the Prudent King , this well-known monarch governed in domains where the sun never set . We should have the same intelligence as this monarch and take advantage of the power of this story and of its marvellous renaissance background . The Duke of Alba and other 'favorites' as Mateo Vazquez (Dennis Price) have for some time been relegated to a lesser role in the Court , due to the growing power of the Kings most influential secretary , Prime Minister Antonio Pérez (Gilbert Roland) . Meantime , the situation of Low Countries ruled under charismatic illegitimate Juan of Austria , his illegitimate half-brother is extremely dangerous and delicate . It was an inhospitable place which is in constant conflict and where those who possess privileged information can acquire immense fortunes . The protestant rebellion and the harassing by William of Orange make Flandes an uncomfortable place . Escobedo (José Nieto) , John of Austria's personal secretary is sent to ask for help to stifle revolts . Furthermore , John of Austria attempts to begin new royal line by marrying to Mary, Queen of Scots . While , Ana of Mendoza , married one of Philip's minister , bore 10 sons , and soon became a widow Duchess of Pastrana and princess of Eboli and one of her friends was the queen, Isabel de Valois . After her husband's death in 1573, she spent three years in a convent, but returned to public life in 1576 accompanied by her maid (Françoise Rosay) . Ana wears a patch over her right eye and is an ambitious woman with selfish aims , forming an alliance at Court with the King's undersecretary of state, Antonio Pérez . Presumptuous and arrogant Antonio Perez is the first secretary to the Crown . Ana of Mendoza and Antonio soon become lovers . Juan De Escobedo regaining the king's brother favour attempts to force measures over the rebels . Escobedo comes from Flandes to Madrid , but he aware passionate romance between Antonio Perez and Ana Mendoza . He witnesses the murky and passionate romance and it could create a scandal in court , always the scenario of perpetual intrigue . From that moment on , Juan De Escobedo becomes the target of a series of failed attempts on his life . Then , a deadly conflict takes place . Later on , Antonio supported by his helper Diego (Fernando Sancho) getaways , but he is imprisoned and tortured ; he escapes again and makes his way to Ana , who persuades him to flee the country .

This costumer/melodrama recreates faithfully the historical fact , as 430 years separate us from the events are to narrate , it is really important to highlight the huge significance that the Kingdom of Spain had back then , as the shadows still hide from the public this great historic moment , and the significance of such deeds . The picture contributes to historical , artistic and cultural memory of an era , with a look back to the past , offering us an interesting adaptation based on important facts . This is a enough budget but slowly-paced costumer that has Olivia De Havilland as the one-eyed Ana of Mendoza , she appears beautiful , sensitive and sweet , in spite of wearing a black eye-patch . Gilbert Roland gives a convincing character as astute and mean Antonio of Mendoza . Dennis Price plays with enormous distinction as Mateo Vazquez , the incorruptible as well as cunning adviser . Personality and charisma of Paul Scofield's portrayal as one of the most remarkable European kings that ever reigned . The rest of the supporting cast is nice , such as : Fernando Sancho , Françoise Rosay , Anthony Dawson , Christopher Lee and José Nieto as Escobedo . Extraordinary costume design accompanied by colorful cinematography filmed on location . Luxurious sets make excellent use of real locations in Spain and it has a look of a great production , including colorful photography by the great cameraman Robert Krasker . The motion picture , based upon Kate O'Brien's novel ¨That Lady¨ , was professionally directed by Terence Young , though it results to be slow-moving and tiring , at times .

Other films dealing with this actual happenings are the followings : "The Escorial Conspiracy" (2008) by Antonio del Real with Julia Ormond , Jason Isaacs , Jordi Molla , Joaquin De Almeida , Juanjo Puigcorbe , Fabio Testi and TV miniseries "La Princesa De Éboli" (2010) by Belén Macias with Belén Rueda as Princesa De Éboli , Hugo Silva as Antonio Pérez , Eduard Fernández as Felipe II , Pedro Casablanc as Mateo Vázquez , Roberto Enríquez as Juan De Escobedo and Michelle Jenner as Ana De Austria . In addition , there was a character called Princess Eboli based on Ana in Schiller's play Don Carlos, Infant Von Spanien, and Verdi's opera Don Carlos .

The English language literature and cinema has not been kind to Philip II of Spain. The two best known cinematic portrayals of him are Raymond Massey in Fire Over England and Montagu Love in The Sea Hawk. Each portrays him as the driven workaholic that he was. If you had an empire that allied with his uncle the Holy Roman Empire covered half of what was called Christendom back in the day, you might be a 24/7 guy like he was to keep it together.

That Lady shows Philip as a central character, but not the center of the story. For That Lady is played by Olivia DeHavilland as Ana deMendoza who with one eye was still one of the regal beauties of those medieval times.

Back in the day Philip would have gotten together, but for reasons of state he married 4 other women at one time or other in his life. He married her off to one of his aging courtiers with the hope probably that she might be free one day.

And one day she's a widow and free, but Philip is not, but he sends for her anyway to kind of tutor his commoner new minister Antonio Perez played by Gilbert Roland in court ways and politics.

Being a commoner, Roland gets more than the usual jealousy and Philip's other minister Dennis Price looks to bring him down playing a wonderful Iago type. Philip isn't quite the raging jealous type that Othello was, but he's got his weaknesses.

Playing Philip and making his big screen debut is Paul Scofield, one of the great players of the English speaking world of the last century. Scofield takes the character made familiar by Massey and Love and adds quite a bit to it. This is a most lonely man as rulers are and having put aside his own passion for DeHavilland is subject to some nasty impulses. That he controls them as well as he did is something of a tribute to his character. But Philip if he was nothing else was about control, most of all self control.

That Lady originated as a play on Broadway that starred Katharine Cornell that ran 79 performances in the 1949-50 season. It was not one of her bigger successes, but we are the poorer for it because like the Lunts, Kit Cornell stuck with the stage. Playing Perez was Torin Thatcher and playing Philip was Henry Daniell. That's a production I can easily see the casting of.

That Lady when its not on Scofield does not move at a good pace. Still the players do what they can with a slow moving story and Scofield is always a pleasure to watch.

It is sad, sad that there is, so far as I know, no way of seeing this great, great actor of enormous distinction and individuality making his debut in films about half a century ago in THAT LADY.

Regardless of its original reception at the box office I am convinced that we would be overwhelmed by the charisma and monumental personality of Mr. Schofield's portrayal of one of the most remarkable European kings that ever reigned.

His characterization of King Lear in Peter Brooke's film of Shakespeare's tragedy is fundamentally magnificent and hardly likely ever to be surpassed. How lovely it would be compare and contrast the two royal portraits and what a treat for generations of great acting fans yet to come.