Henry VIII and His Six Wives *** (1972, Keith Michell, Charlotte Rampling, Jane Asher, Donald Pleasence, Lynne Frederick) – Classic Movie Review 11,048

Director Waris Hussein’s 1972 British historical film Henry VIII and His Six Wives stars Keith Michell, who repeats his impressive performance as King Henry VIII in this plush, entertaining and attractive film version of the 1970 BBC hit six-part miniseries The Six Wives of Henry VIII. His six wives are portrayed by different actresses, namely Frances Cuka as Catherine of Aragon, Charlotte Rampling as Anne Boleyn, Jane Asher as Jane Seymour, Jenny Bos as Anne of Cleves, Lynne Frederick as Catherine Howard and Barbara Leigh-Hunt as Catherine Parr.

Donald Pleasence plays Thomas Cromwell and Bernard Hepton portrays Archbishop Thomas Cranmer, which he also played in the miniseries and briefly in its follow-up Elizabeth R.

The old boy Henry VIII is dying and on his last legs, well his deathbed anyway, surrounded by his remaining family members and his courtiers, and recalling his marital problems – with Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Catherine Howard etc. However, in real life, no women were present at Henry’s deathbed.

Michell dominates the film, acting gracefully and impressively, while Rampling makes most impression among the not-so-merry wives and Pleasence does a nice turn as Thomas Cromwell.

Henry VIII and His Six Wives is a handsome, attractive production with finely crafted art direction and beautiful costume designs, and eye-catching locations. It is shot at Elstree Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, as well as on location at Hever Castle (Kent), Hatfield House Old Palace, Park and River Lea, Woburn Abbey (Bedfordshire), Allington Castle (Maidstone), and Eton College (used as Hampton Court and as Tower Green).

The TV series focused on the wives, but it was decided to make a feature film from Henry VIII’s point of view, and British film executive Nat Cohen asked Mark Shivas to produce the film. In the early 1970s Cohen was head of EMI Films and called the most powerful man in the British film industry. He started as a cinema owner, buying the Savoy in Teddington in 1932 and in three years building up a circuit of three cinemas in London (including the Mile End Empire) and four in the regions. He recalled: ‘Films are a pure gamble and I always try to bet with the odds in my favour. It’s not so much the film one gambles on as the people making it.’

Also in the cast are Brian Blessed as the Duke of Suffolk, Bernard Hepton as Thomas Cranmer, Michael Gough as the Duke of Norfolk, Michael Goodliffe as Sir Thomas More, John Bryans as Cardinal Wolsey, Michael Byrne, Garfield Morgan, Robin Sachs, Alan Rowe, John Bennett and Clive Merrison.

Henry VIII and His Six Wives is directed by Waris Hussein, runs 125 minutes, is made by Anglo-EMI and British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), is released by Anglo-EMI Film Distributors (1972) (UK) and Levitt-Pickman (1973) (US), is written by Ian Thorne (original screenplay), is shot in Technicolor by Peter Suschitsky, is produced by Mark Shivas (executive producer) and Roy Baird, is scored by David Munrow, is designed by Roy Stannard, with Costume Design by John Bloomfield.

Mr Michell’s make-up is designed by Pam Meager.

[Spoiler alert] Fourth wife Anne of Cleves lived to see the coronation of Queen Mary I in 1553, outliving the rest of Henry’s wives. Their marriage was declared unconsummated and annulled, so Henry gave her a generous settlement, and she was thereafter known as the King’s Beloved Sister. It is the only film of Jenny Bos who plays her.

Michell portrayed King Henry VIII again in the 1996 TV Mini-Series The Prince and the Pauper.

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 11,048

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