Oscar Got It Wrong!: Best Actor 1932-1933

The Contenders:

Leslie Howard: Berkeley Square
Paul Muni: I am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang
Charles Laughton: The Private Life of Henry VIII (winner)

Oscar Got It Wrong!: Best Picture 1932/1933

The Contenders:

42nd Street
Cavalcade (winner)
A Farewell to Arms
I am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang
Lady for a Day
Little Women
The Private Life of Henry VIII
She Done Him Wrong
Smilin’ Through
State Fair

Divorced, Beheaded, Died, Divorced, Beheaded, Survived

Film: The Private Life of Henry VIII
Format: Streaming video from Hulu+ on rockin’ flatscreen.

One of the problems with watching movies off a list (or multiple lists, as is the case here) is locating the films. There are all sorts of places, of course, and with a Roku and enough time running through the various free channels, one can find quite a bit. In terms of pay services, we’ve had a Hulu account for ages, and we almost never use it. My wife has agreed that we should dump it at the end of July, which means that anything on that site that I need to watch needs to get watched. Thus it is that I watched The Private Life of Henry VIII today during a break from grading papers.

Evidently the original plan of the film was to focus on the relationship between Henry VIII and Anne of Cleves, but it eventually expanded to include five of Henry’s wives. We pick up the story well after Henry (Charles Laughton) has divorced Catherine of Aragon and is on the verge having Anne Boleyn (Merle Oberon) sent to the headsman. The plan is that the minute Anne’s head hits the basket, Henry will marry Jane Seymour (Wendy Barrie).