Alexander Korda's masterpiece "The Private Life of Henry VIII" was arguably the most important British film of the pre-war period and a phenomenal, critical and box-office success. Greg Walker's accessible and thoroughly researched book examines the film itself, its makers and its place in the cinematic and cultural history of the period. He examines Korda's subtle treatment of national and "international" identity, his representation of British history, use of modern stereotypes, and discusses the representation of gender and sexuality in the film, including that of Henry's wives and Laughton's award-winning central performance.

Greg Walker is Professor of Early-Modern Literature and Culture at the University of Leicester. His publications include 'Plays of Persuasion: Drama and Politics in the Reign of Henry VIII'.

Illustrations /vi Acknowledgements /vii Foreword/ix Film Credits 1 1 Origins 3 2 The Making of The Private Life of Henry VIII 11 3 Korda, Englishness and the 'International Film' 27 4 Korda and the Politics of Representation 42 5 Marriage, Sex and Gender: Relationships in Henry VIII 66 6 Fade-out? 86 Appendix: The Six (Historical) Wives of Henry VIII 89 Notes 96 Bibilography 111