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The Private Life of Henry VIII is a simplified view of history, primarily focusing on the marriages of the English king. And yet this film made an impact on how we view this particular monarch. From what I've read, Charles Laughton's interpretation of King Henry VIII has overshadowed actual historical evidence regarding his behavior and character. This movie also rewrites history a few times in order to speed things up and advance the plot. So while The Private Life of Henry VIII may not be a completely factual historical drama, it is an amusing caricature of the early years of the Tudor period.

I find it fascinating that The Shaggy Dog was the second-highest grossing film of 1959. Yes, this live-action Disney comedy is fun to watch, but putting it just under the big-budget, epic drama Ben-Hur just seems odd. It also outperformed such cinematic classics as Some Like It Hot, Rio Bravo, and North by Northwest at the box office. I also found it interesting how many of the visual effects still hold up. Not all of them, of course, some of the movie looks pretty hokey now, but Disney did a great job for 1959. I enjoyed watching The Shaggy Dog as a kid and my kids seemed to enjoy it, as well.

The Count of Monte Cristo (2024) is a feast for the eyes. This French film is filled with lush sets, lavish costumes, and lovely cinematography. Built on the solid plot foundation of the classic novel by Alexandre Dumas, this adaptation comes to life through the strong performances of Pierre Niney, Anaïs Demoustier, Anamaria Vartolomei, and the rest of the cast. Even with a runtime of 178 minutes, the story sails along smoothly with very little drag. I'm a fan of the 2002 movie, but this version of The Count of Monte Cristo feels more faithful to the book and, as a bonus, it doesn't star Luis Guzmán.