Alex Korda was many things – a spendthrift, conman, rogue – but he adored great art, as displayed in this labour of love production. It gives Charles Laughton one of his best roles, as the legendary painter whose life was unfortunately not that interesting. It follows The Private Life of Henry VIII pattern by concentrating on the wives – as in that earlier film we don’t see the first wife (she’s dead when the movie begins) but we meet number two and three. Two is played by Gertrude Lawrence - a famous stage star and legendary charmer, but here shrewish and not very good looking. It doesn't help her that she plays a bitch. A lot nicer is wife three, played by Elsa Lancaster, in another great role for her. She and Rembrandt have a child out of wedlock which is a bit racy - but not racy enough to make this great fun. It's far too sensibly and sensitively treated.
There are plenty of good moments and scenes: Elsa dying as she's being painted (I didn't quite buy this reality-wise but it was effective), young painters teasing Rembrandt without knowing who he is, Rembrandt bonding with a beggar (Roger Livesey), the subjects of Night Watch whingeing that they're not all in the painting. It also looks like a dream - stunningly shot and designed - with some marvellous acting. But it remains more a collection of moments and good performers rather than a cohesive whole.
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