Of all the films made about great painters Alexander Korda's "Rembrandt" is still one of the most visually astonishing. Almost every frame, (designer is Vincent Korda and the DP, the great Georges Perinal), is a work of art in itself and Charles Laughton, in the title role, is like a self-portrait come to life. Unfortunately, it ends there. Korda was a dreadfully pedestrian director and this fairly limps along, not helped by the terrible dialogue and some very wooden acting from the supporting cast, including a very shrill Gertrude Lawrence. Only the great Elsa Lanchester comes close to delivering a real character and her scenes with Laughton give the film a much needed lift. Had this been a silent picture, it might really have been something.
The films reviewed here represent those I have liked or loved over the years. It is not a list of my favourite films but all the films reviewed here are worth seeing and worth seeking out. I know many of you won't agree with me on a lot of these but hopefully you will grant me, and the films that appear here, our place in the sun. Thanks for reading.
Tuesday 24 March 2020
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