The fame of the Somerset brothers has suffered from their great days coming after Henry VIII but they were still a highly entertaining pair of rogues, grasping at power in the wake of Henry's death, trying to control Edward VI and the young Queen Elizabeth.
This takes an inevitable romantic look - Stewart Granger is a dashing Thomas Seymour, admired by Henry and loved by young Queen Bess (Jean Simmons). Simmons is meant to be a 14 year old but clearly looks over 20, and what's more was married to Granger in real life.
In the first bit Granger only has eyes for Deborah Kerr as Catherine Parr. But then - and I feel this was a mistake - he falls for Simmons as well. It's a bit yuck because she's so young (not completely young but very young) but also dramatically unsatisfying because Granger is torn between two nice women. Those sort of plot lines rarely work - it's better when one is Bad but Kerr is good. They would've been better off having Granger entirely devoted to Kerr then falling for Simmons after Kerr died.
Still this is an entertaining film, with that MGM gloss and colour and a decent story. It helps that it's kind of true and is so domestic - you believe Simmons having a crush on Granger, and Granger squabbling with brother Guy Rolfe, and Simmons bickering with her brother Edward.
Charles Laughton pops up as Henry VIII. Everyone is well cast. Kathleen Byron has some good moments as Rolfe's wife. The character of Thomas Seymour has been romanticised - even Henry VIII prefers him, everyone says he's brave and good looking - but that does fit in with the story they want to tell.
They should consider remaking this film, or at least re telling this story, showing Seymour as more of a predator, which he was. I think it would work well these days.
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