Rembrandt

Truly wonderful and worth all the plaudits piled on this film after sixty-odd years. Laughton was arguably never better than in this role and has able support from Elsa Lanchester, Gertrude Lawrence (fascinating to see her and she made few films and they are rarely seen nowadays), the Livesey clan etc etc. A film of atmosphere, of clarity, and of soul, like a Rembrandt painting in fact. Marvellous.

This was a superbly acted movie. I happened across it on TCM and was instantly sucked in. The dialogue was written very well and beautifully portrayed by all of the actors. This is not a typical movie from 1936 with over the top deliveries from the talent. I just can't say enough about it.

Additionally, it was shot very nicely. Keep in mind that this is a very old movie, but the black and white photography is put together in an almost Rembrandt way.

If you haven't seen Rembrandt then go and get it. You won't be disappointed. Well done!

REMBRANDT Harmenszoon van Rijn (1606-1669), overcomes personal tragedy & great sorrow to be revered as the world's greatest painter.

Sir Alexander Korda's production of the life of the celebrated artist is beautifully presented on screen. Chief among its assets - and the main reason for its success - is the magnificent performance by Charles Laughton. Eccentric & temperamental, Laughton could be difficult to work with. But once fascinated by a role he gave it the full vibrato of his own extensive genius - here he makes Rembrandt an equal member of his continuing roster of fascinating portraits from the decade: Henry VIII, Bligh, Quasimodo.

Laughton had the remarkable ability - like the English actor George Arliss, working in the American cinema - of using his physical ugliness to great advantage, his eyes in particular offering glimpses of his characters' souls. At various points throughout the film - a monologue of Woman's Mysteries; reading from The Scriptures - Laughton's beautiful, soothing voice reaches beyond the screen and down the years to caress the listener.

Making a rare screen appearance, stage legend Gertrude Lawrence plays Rembrandt's shrewish housekeeper & companion, Geertje Dirx. Laughton's wife, the luminous Elsa Lanchester, is unforgettable as Hendrickje Stoffels, the housemaid who wins her employer's love and becomes his greatest defender and champion.

The wonderful actor Roger Livesey, almost unrecognizable behind a bushy beard (but there's no disguising that unique voice) is memorable as the ragged beggar Rembrandt hires to model the Old Testament despot Saul; Livesey's scenes with Laughton are among the best in the entire film. John Bryning turns in a sensitive portrait as Rembrandt's son Titus. Sir John Clements has the small role as Govert Flinck (1615-1660), Rembrandt's disaffected apprentice and eventual rival. Movie mavens will recognize an uncredited Wilfred Hyde-White in a tiny cameo as an officer of the Amsterdam Civic Guard.

The film is given first rate production values, with marvelous interior sets & costumes. The exterior Amsterdam sets are visually striking, with the camera angles and the stark angularity of the buildings making them look almost expressionistic. These contrast nicely with the simplicity with which the brief outdoor rural scenes are depicted.

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Some important dates in the life of Rembrandt:

15 July 1606 - born in Leiden, The Netherlands, to the local miller.

1620-21 - attends University of Leiden.

1631 - moves to Amsterdam.

1634 - marries wealthy Saskia van Uylenburgh.

1639 - purchases large Amsterdam house.

1641 - son Titus is born.

1642 - Saskia dies; Rembrandt paints 'The Shooting Company of Captain Franc Banning Cocq ('The Night Watch').'

1649 - hires Hendrickje Stoffels as housekeeper; she becomes his common-law wife.

1654 - Hendrickje, pregnant with daughter, is censured by church council for living in sin.

1656 - Rembrandt declared insolvent; house & goods auctioned to pay debts.

1663 - death of Hendrickje.

1668 - death of son Titus, aged 26.

4 October 1669 - dies in Amsterdam.

Rembrandt produced approximately 300 etchings, 600 paintings and 1,400 drawings.

Charles Laughton's heartfelt performance as the famed Dutch painter, Rembrandt, highlights this stylish biography, produced by Alexander Korda. Laughton's real-life wife, Elsa Lancaster, and Charles work together beautifully, and the film boasts a performance by the legendary stage actress, Gertrude Lawrence. One can see that Laughton really loved this role, and gave it his all. Certainly this is one of the more successful artist bios on film.

Why *can't* they make films like this anymore? Today, a film has to be the best part of three hours long and packed with special effects. In this film we see the story of a man's life told in half that time, made at a studio outside London. (Having said that, it was a box-office failure, presumably the audiences who shunned this flocked to see Clark Gable in 'San Francisco'.)

Charles Laughton's performance is truly great, portraying Rembrandt's vision and artistic integrity (which appears as perverse stubbornness to his fellow citizens), and his deep humanity. His speeches at the inn which mirror each other at the beginning and end of the film, on the glory of perfect love and the vanity of human life, are so beautifully delivered I almost held my breath so as not to miss a word.

More than that, the film succeeds in recreating Rembrandt's world. We see the business-like merchants, self-important local politicians and hard-living peasants who made up Dutch society in the 1600's. One of the most moving passages of the film shows Rembrandt trying to return to his home. He is physically unsuited to his father's work and derided by the villagers. He returns to Amsterdam realising he can't fit in with the merchant-class or the peasant-class where he was raised - he is a man alone.

The supporting cast is noteworthy, including Elsa Lanchester (Mrs Laughton, of course) as Rembrandt's last love, Gertrude Lawrence (although I'm still not sure why audiences seemed to fall in love with her, maybe her histrionics were more suited to theatre) and a large crop of Liveseys (Roger, Jack, Sam - I'm sure there were others).