Reel History: That Hamilton Woman

[anteros_lmc]

I am not a great film buff, cinema going is consigned to life bc (before children) and I am very lazy about watching dvds. However I do enjoy reading film reviews, and the more sarcastic the better. So I am a huge fan of the Guardian's Reel History column which grades films for historical accuracy and entertainment value. (The review of 300 is particularly scathing and funny. Any column that coins the phrase "blinged out battle rhino" gets my vote ;) Anyway, this week it's That Hamilton Woman with Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh playing Horatio Nelson and Emma Hamilton. I haven't seen this film but I got it for esmerelda_t for Christmas and am eagerly awaiting her review.

Reel History award the film C+ for entertainment and C for historical accuracy. Nelson's eyepatch comes in for particular disdain:

So I'm sorry about this, but: Nelson didn't wear an eyepatch. He may have worn a less glamorous eye shade on his hat when it was sunny on deck. In fact, this film is largely responsible for spreading the myth that he wore a pirate-style patch.

On the plus side the reconstruction of trafalgar is "spirited and technically impressive". However the main criticism is the way that the film glosses over Ms Hamilton's character:

In real life, Nelson and the Hamiltons all lived together in a menage a trois. In the film, Nelson has to wait for Sir William to die before he can shack up with the lady. Worst of all, Emma's performance career is almost entirely ripped out and replaced with dreary domesticity. Not only is watching Vivien Leigh play goody-goody wifelet a lot less fun than watching her play crazy freewheeling nympho, it's also wrong. The real Emma's devotion to Nelson was notoriously flamboyant.

Notoriously flamboyant?! That's one way to describe it! And the final verdict?

A good watch for the first half at least, but its 1940s agenda really cramps Lady Hamilton's style.

We'll see what esmerelda_t has to say...

Comments

[esteven]

But the Kiss me Hardy is done very well. I loved it when I saw that excerpt in Portsmouth Historical Dockyards.

Btw, how can one search history reel for MandC? I'd love to know if something was said about my favourite movie. :D

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

I'm afraid I'm going to have to disappoint you, Reel History hasn't reviewed MandC :( and they also haven't done Captain Horatio Hornblower which I suspect they'd have a field day with! The selection of films they cover seems to be completely random.

[esteven]

Shame...but it cannot be helped. :(

You mean the movie with Gregory Peck? I guess so.

At least I had a good time reading about Gladiator and Robin Hood.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

You mean the movie with Gregory Peck? I guess so.
Aye, that's the one!

At least I had a good time reading about Gladiator and Robin Hood.
They're very entertaining aren't they? And also an excellent way to wast time ;)

[esteven]

And also an excellent way to wast time ;)
Nearly as good as Cleolinda's Movies in Five Minutes, or insidian's summary of the O'Brian books. *G*

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Ooh thanks for these! 's summaries look brilliant :D

[esteven]

Cleolinda's movies in fifteen minutes are inspired and a bundle of them have been published. My all time favourites are LotR, Gladiator and Troy.

Sid's O'Brian spam is truly inspired. They are not really serious, but I have spent wonderful afternoons sporfling about her summaries.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

LMAO! I read the Troy summary this afternoon while waiting for a software upgrade to install. It's hilarious! It was almost worth watching such a crappy film juts to read that review! I'll look forward to reading the others :)

[esteven]

Hector!
(Un)Fortunately I had read her summary before friend and I went to see the movie. They nearly threw us out, when we remarked about Sparta-upon-Sea.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Cousins. Definitely cousins.

*dies*

[esteven]

OUR LADY OF SOUNDTRACK SORROW: WAHHHHHOOOOOHHHHH!
*is ded*
That lady has repeated performances in Gladiator where Maximus is studly, Marcus Aurelius really, really old ad the soldiers trow flowers, confett, underwear and other tokens of their appreciation at Maximus.

Also, never mind MA having a conversation with Max about Commodus
MA : My son is not a moral man
Max: I have yet to hear what it is he's done that's so terrible.
MA: But you are! A very moral man!
Max: It was sheep, wasn't it?
MA: You have to be the one to give Rome back to the people!
Max: Goats?
MA: No one who actually blah, blah, so that's why it has to be you!
Max: Camels?
MA: You are the son I should have had!
Max: It was totally camels?

And why that reminded me of AoS, I would not know.
*innocents*

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

*snigger* Must read the Gladiator one. Actually rather like that film!

[esteven]

By all means, I did like it muchly. It has my favourite merman in it. ;D I don't think Gladiator is in her memories though. I first saw it in the book. :(

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Well as long as you have Vivien Leigh looking pretty who needs well rounded supporting character?! ;)

[stevie-carroll.livejournal.com]

I only picked up bits of the Hamilton and Nelson story last time I visited the Victory, but that was enough for me to make my Dowager Duchess' maiden name Hamilton.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

I'm not an much of an authority on Nelson and Hamilton myself but she certainly was an extraordinary woman. The National Maritime Museum has an excellent entry on Emma Hamilton which ends with the following:

It is Emma Hamilton's misfortune that most of her biographers have been men. Even her entry in the old Dictionary of National Biography was written by the naval historian John Knox Laughton – presumably on the curious grounds that he was a Nelson biographer. As a result of their Nelson-centric viewpoint, she has generally been judged harshly, with A.T. Mahan even going so far as to claim, 'That she ever loved him is doubtful', which is about as cruelly unfair as it is possible to be. She was also judged harshly by the polite society that she dared to aspire to enter, and many of the bitchy and unkind contemporary descriptions of her accent and vulgarity are clearly influenced by snobbery. Even so, they have often been quoted by Nelson's biographers with relish, and little discernment as to their likely authenticity. More recently however, Emma has been more generously treated and her latest biographer Flora Fraser, ends her book with the delightful tale of Sir Moses Montefiore who met the couple when a youngster and many years later, was asked for his impressions of Nelson: 'Ah, my boy,' he replied, 'I only had eyes for Lady Hamilton'.

[stevie-carroll.livejournal.com]

I need to read that entry. Sounds like she'd be a great ancestor for my Kate, though.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

It's well worth reading and I seeesmerelda_t is highly recommending Kate Williams biography of Hamilton below.

Sounds like she'd be a great ancestor for my Kate, though.
Given Ms Hs "notoriously flamboyant" lifestyle I would think she could well be a great ancestor for your character!

[stevie-carroll.livejournal.com]

I shall track down the biographies once my pile of library books has gone down a little.

[gayalondiel.livejournal.com]

Ooh, gotta get hold of a copy of that. I do love dodgy films - and I have been lamenting that there hasn't been a modern Trafalgar film yet. Plus I couldwatch Vivian Leigh in anything...

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

I do love dodgy films
Lol! Me too :)

Plus I couldwatch Vivian Leigh in anything...
She's very easy on the eye isn't she?

[gayalondiel.livejournal.com]

Well, they have it on lovefilm, and I doubt there's high demand, so I may be reviewing it soon too. Although not with my brother - I showed him Captain Hornblower and every time Barbara opened her mouth he screamed that she was chewing the scenery. Admittedly she was, but that's not the point.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Ooh do write a review if you watch it!

I showed him Captain Hornblower and every time Barbara opened her mouth he screamed that she was chewing the scenery.
But chewing the scenery is highly entertaining! Period films are no fun at all without a good bit of scenery chewing ;)

[esmerelda-t.livejournal.com]

watching her play crazy freewheeling nympho

Wouldn't require much acting on her part.

England's Mistress: The Infamous Life of Emma Hamilton by Kate Williams is a very good biography of her and where I suspect the NMM have gotten that quote from.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Wouldn't require much acting on her part.
*gasp* Bitchy! But true...

I've hear Kate William's biography is excellent. I must add it to the book pile.

[nodbear.livejournal.com]

Nice little collection of pictures of Emma that the NMM has ( which the catlogue shows you when you search for Henry Hart as you may have discovered !)
the ones as various classical goddesses are fun - she was not alone there.After making vast prize money Philemon Pownall wsa able to pay for his Jane to deified in paint too !

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Nice little collection of pictures of Emma that the NMM has ( which the catlogue shows you when you search for Henry Hart as you may have discovered !)
No I hadn't discovered that! How very odd. I wonder why that should be?

the ones as various classical goddesses are fun
I love those. She was quite a character wasn't she?!