Rembrandt (1936).

Rembrandt (1936). Historical Drama. Directed by Alexander Korda. With Charles Laughton, Gertrude Lawrence, Elsa Lanchester and Edward Chapman.

The story is about Painter Rembrandt van Rijn, who deals with the death of his wife, the love of his life, Saskia and during her funeral, finishes her portrait, before he forgets what she looks like..



Soon after, his work takes a dark turn that offends most of his patrons. He becomes bankrupt, but begins to spend his time with pretty young maid Hendrickje, who makes him happy, in spite of how every one feels about her..

One of my favorite scenes, is toward the end of the film during a party when Rembrandt, shares his philosophy about his life. At first,they don't know who he is and everyone is surprised when they learn of Rembrandt's true identity..

Charles Laughton.

Charles Laughton (July 1, 1899 – December 15, 1962), even though he did not have the looks for a romantic lead, he impressed audiences with his amazing talent.

He performed in three short silent comedies starring his wife Elsa Lanchester: Daydreams, Blue Bottles and The Tonic (all 1928) which had been written for her by H. G. Wells. He made a brief appearance in another silent film, Piccadilly(1929), with Anna May Wong. He performed with Elsa Lancheste,r again in a "film revue", Comets (1930), in which they duetted in, 'The Ballad of Frankie and Johnnie' and made two other early British talkies: Wolves, with Dorothy Gish (1930), Down River (1931), in which he played a murderous, drug-smuggler.

His New York stage debut in 1931 landed him film his first Hollywood film, The Old Dark House (1932) with Boris Karloff, in which he played a Yorkshire businessman, marooned during a storm with other travellers in a gloomy mansion in the mountains.

He then played a demented submarine commander in the film, The Devil and the Deep, with Tallulah Bankhead, Gary Cooper and Cary Grant. He followed this film as Nero in Cecil B. DeMille's, The Sign of the Cross. He also played a murderer in the film, Payment Deferred, playing H. G. Wells's mad Dr. Moreau in, Island of Lost Souls and the mild mannered clerk in the film, If I Had a Million.

His first film with director Alexander Korda, was in 1933 with the film, The Private Life of Henry VIII, for which Laughton won an Academy Award, the first British actor to win.

Laughton, also performed in the film, White Woman (1933), with Carole Lombard, as a river trader in the Malaysian jungle. Then came, The Barretts of Wimpole Street (1934) as Norma Shearer's father, Les Misérables (1935) as Javert, the police inspector, Mutiny on the Bounty (1935), as Captain William Bligh, one of his most famous screen roles, co-starring with Clark Gable and Ruggles of, Red Gap (1935) as the English butler.

He and German film producer Erich Pommer, started the production company Mayflower Pictures, in the UK, which produced three films starring Laughton: Vessel of Wrath (US Title The Beachcomber) (1938), based on a story by W. Somerset Maugham, in which Laughton's wife Elsa Lanchester, co-starred St. Martin's Lane (US Title Sidewalks of London), a story about London street entertainers that also featured Vivien Leigh and Rex Harrison and Jamaica Inn, with Maureen O'Hara and Robert Newton and the last film Alfred Hitchcock directed in Britain, before moving to Hollywood, in the late 1930s. Laughton, more or less took over the film, changing his own role from a minor role to a bigger part as the villain. The company was saved from bankruptcy when RKO Pictures offered Laughton, the title role of Quasimodo, in the film, The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939). The outbreak of World War II, ended the company.

Laughton's, performance in The Private Life of Henry VIII, made him as one of the leading interpreters of the costume and historical drama parts for which he is best remembered.

He played an Italian vineyard owner in the film, They Knew What They Wanted (1940), The Tuttles of Tahiti (1942), Stand by for Action (1942), Forever and a Day (1943), Man from Down Under (1943).

There are some very memorable 1940's Laughton's films: This Land is Mine (1943), The Suspect (1944), Tales of Manhattan (1942) and The Canterville Ghost (1944).

He also performed in two comedies with Deanna Durbin, It Started with Eve (1941) and Because of Him (1946). He played a pirate in, Captain Kidd (1945), The Paradine Case (1948), The Big Clock (1948). He had supporting roles as a Nazi in, Arch of Triumph (1948), The Girl from Manhattan (1948), The Bribe (1949), The Blue Veil .

Laughton, made his first color film as Inspector Maigret in, The Man on the Eiffel Tower (1949) and worked with Boris Karloff, as a mad French nobleman in, The Strange Door (1951). In one of his funniest roles, he played a tramp in O. Henry's Full House (1952), in which he had a one-minute scene with Marilyn Monroe. He became a pirate again, in Abbott and Costello, Meet Captain Kidd (1952). He played Herod Antipas in, Salome (1953), with Rita Hayworth and repeated his role as Henry VIII in, Young Bess (1953).

Laughton received Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for his role as Sir Wilfrid Robarts, in the screen version of Agatha Christie's play, Witness for the Prosecution (1957).

He played a British admiral in, Under Ten Flags (1960) and worked for the only time with Laurence Olivier in the film, Spartacus (1960). His final film was Advise and Consent (1962).

In 1955, Laughton directed (but did not act in) The Night of the Hunter, starring Robert Mitchum, Shelley Winters and Lillian Gish. At the time of its original release, it was a box-office failure and Laughton never had another chance to direct.

Lanchester appeared opposite Laughton in several films, including Rembrandt (1936), Tales of Manhattan (1942) and The Big Clock (1948). She wittily portrayed Anne of Cleves, Henry VIII's fourth wife, opposite Laughton in, The Private Life of Henry VIII. They both received Academy Award nominations for their performances in, Witness for the Prosecution (1957) Laughton for Best Actor, and Lanchester for Best Supporting Actress but neither won.



Personal Quote:

(on Gary Cooper) I knew in a flash Gary had something I should never have. It is something pure and he doesn't know it's there. In truth, that boy hasn't the least idea how well he acts.

Please click here to learn more about Charles Laughton's performances.

Witness For The Prosecution(1957).

Witness For The Prosecution(1957). Courtroom drama, based on a short story by Agatha Christie dealing with the trial of a man accused of murder. Cast: Tyrone Power, Marlene Dietrich, and Charles Laughton, and features Elsa Lanchester, Laughton's wife. Director: Billy Wilder.

Just after leaving the hospital Sir Wilfrid Robarts, returns to his office with his overbearing nurse, Miss Plimsoll, when Mayhew and his client, Leonard Vole, come to see him about an important case.

Mayhew believes that Leonard will be charged with the murder of wealthy widow Emily Jane French because it was well known that he was with her the day she was killed. Leonard says that he was in the army and stationed in Germany, where he met his wife German actress, Christine.

Leonard says that he is had been trying to find someone to help finance his new eggbeater invention and that is when he first met with Mrs. French. He had hoped that Mrs. French would finance his work.

Later, Sir Wilfrid questions Leonard on what happened on the night of the murder and his relationship with Mrs. French. Leonard does not change his story, making Sir Wilfrid believe he is innocent.

The case becomes complicated when Vole's only alibi is his wife, who agrees to be a witness for the prosecution.

Dietrich character is very calculating and she and Tyrone are the star attractions, but... Charles Laughton steals the show with his whit. The plot has many twists 'n' turns.. as it always does in a good Agatha Christie story.


Fun Facts:

This was the final film for Tyrone Power.

This was Una O'Connor's last big screen motion picture.

William Holden was the first choice for Leonard, but he was unavailable. Other actors considered for the role included Gene Kelly, Kirk Douglas, Glenn Ford, Jack Lemmon, and even Roger Moore. Eventually, Tyrone Power accepted the role when he was offered both Witness for the Prosecution (1957) and Solomon and Sheba (1959). Before he could complete Solomon however, Power had a fatal heart attack and was replaced by Yul Brynner.

Ava Gardner and Rita Hayworth were also considered for the role of Christine Helm.

Elsa Lanchester (28 October 1902 – 26 December 1986).Studied dance as a child and began performing in theatre and cabaret. She met the actor Charles Laughton in 1927, and they were married two years later. She began playing small roles with Laughton in, The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933).

Her role in, Bride of Frankenstein (1935), came to be one of the roles most closely associated with her throughout her life. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for, Come to the Stable (1949) and Witness for the Prosecution (1957), the last of twelve films in which she appeared with Laughton. Following Laughton's death in 1962, Lanchester made appearances in Disney films: Mary Poppins (1964), That Darn Cat! (1965) and Blackbeard's Ghost (1968). The horror film, Willard, (1971) and one of her last roles was in, Murder By Death (1976).

The Bribe(1949). Story about love and temptation.

The Bribe (1949). Crime/film noir. Director: Robert Z. Leonard and written by Marguerite Roberts, based on a story written by Frederick Nebel. Cast: Robert Taylor, Ava Gardner, Charles Laughton, and Vincent Price.

Rigby remembers, when his boss, Gibbs, first briefed him on how racketeers have been stealing war supplies and airplane motors headed Central America. Rigby, is told that the government suspects war veteran Tug.

After arriving in Carlota, Rigby, finds Tug's wife Elizabeth, singing at a nightclub and they become friends.



Soon, Rigby and Elizabeth fall in love, Tug is either too drunk or too busy to notice. One night, Rigby is approached by J. J. Bealer, a thief, who, offers him $10,000 to leave the island. Rigby rejects the bribe and begins to suspect Carwood, who is posing as a mine owner.

The next day, wanting to learn more about Carwood, Rigby joins him on a fishing trip. The fishing trip almost becomes fatal for Rigby when Carwood causes the fishing boat to lurch forward while Rigby is trying to bring in a huge Marlin. Rigby is falls into the water, the boatman, jumps into the water and saves him. Unfortunately, the boatman is killed by a shark while trying to swim back to the boat. While informing the boat mans father of his sons death. The father confirms Rigby's suspicions and volunteers to help Rigby with his investigation.

Rigby, finds himself torn between his love for Elizabeth and his investigation. He wants to save Elizabeth by accepting Bealer's bribe and leaving the island with her. Before Rigby can tell Elizabeth, Bealer informs Elizabeth, that her husband is a criminal and that Rigby is an investigator, who is going to put him in prison. Tug talks Elizabeth into drugging Rigby long enough to allow him to leave. Rigby loses consciousness after drinking a cocktail laced with a sedative. Will he come to in time to catch the smugglers?

This is the first time I have seen, THE BRIBE. I thought Laughton and Price gave the best performances.. My favorite part takes place at the end, which is exciting and visually awesome.