valdelli The screenplay would give a different role to Lady Hamilton and to Nelson different than the real history. Lady Hamilton actually was a very frivolous courtesan, closely linked to the to the equally frivolous Neapolitan court, Nelson's lover and capable of managing a a triangular relationship, very similar to the extended families of the current time, but also to convince Nelson to condemn to death more than 100 people of the Neapolitan Revolution without understanding the meaning of her act. All this sense doesn't shine through the film, there is just an unfortunate woman almost heroic. The story is completely different and has some implications and completely different meanings.

Nog First of all, the film is too long by about 35 minutes. Given the star quality of Olivier and Leigh at the time, that's probably deliberate. Never mind that we see several scenes that cover the same self-conflicted feelings again and again. Some scenes are embarrassingly overwrought, and one can only blame the director. Leigh especially thinks more is more, and seems never to have heard of nuance. The battle scenes are typical of British film of the era, with models standing in for real ships. Granted, the film was made during wartime, but even before the war British production values were meager -- the reason Hitchcock packed up for America. There is a death scene that goes on way too long, which dips the film further down into its melodramatic depths. As the film returns from the protracted flashback, it abruptly ends, with no explanation of what had happened to That Hamilton Woman after the recollections.The patriotic message is repeated often enough to help establish the film as encouragement for the British to hang in there during these war years of the 1940's. I found myself wondering if the treatment of the Italians as uncultured fools was based on Italy's alliance with Germany, or merely a fairly typical English attitude of superiority that defined (at least) the 1930's (mirrored in my recent reading of Agatha Christie's novels, which rather blatantly sneer at Italians and other foreigners).I was rather surprised that this film was deserving of the Criterion Collection treatment. But then again, they seem to think Douglas Sirk is a genius, too.

Jem Odewahn This film is a must for fans of Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh. Made shortly after they married, and before the extra-marital affairs (on both sides) and Leigh's bouts with TB and manic depression, the film is a showcase for their almost-mythical star power. The film itself, directed by Alexander Korda, is a WW2 propaganda piece designed to draw the then-neutral America towards the British cause, and thus made quickly, cheaply and with more emphasis on patriotism and uplifting national spirit than creating a great motion picture. Still, it's an enjoyable film tracing the doomed romance of Lord Nelson (Olivier) and Lady Emma Hamilton (Leigh).Watching Leigh and Olivier in this film is fascinating; the film is one of three the couple made together, and one of the lasting records of this great theater team's work. Leigh is absolutely charming as Emma (this was the role said to be most like Leigh in real life), full of energy and radiance, witty and beautiful. Olivier is rather stiff as Nelson (though the wig, eye patch, missing arm and wounded leg would weigh anyone down a bit), yet he projects Nelson's essential predicament, that of being torn between his love Emma and his love and duty to England, well. The magic of merely watching these two together almost makes the downsides of Korda's film (stitlted camera movements, shooting at the back of his actor's heads when a close-up would have worked much better, a noticeably low budget)insignificant.

catuus I suppose that revealing an historical fact might be considered a spoiler by people basically ignorant of history. So I'm guilty. So shoot me.I don't say that old movies are always better than new ones – but old movies are usually better than new. This is especially when they're the same movie, and generically so when the old movie has no clone. The old "Four Feathers" is better than the new. The old "Count of Monte Cristo" is better than any of the new. The old Disney movies are better than the new, especially when they're the originals of "What's-Its-Name" II (or III or XXXI). "That Hamilton Woman" is an old film that makes no secret of its aristocratic blood and as yet nobody has had the cajones to remake it.THW is a Brit film made during the Last Good War (1941) when the Brits were still going it alone and not doing all that badly. It's a wartime reminder of how the British navy kept that nutter Napoleon at bay for almost a generation – even as they kept that loony Hitler at bay during his (gottzei dank!) briefer career. Although the film isn't centered on the man who put paid to Bonaparte's naval pretensions, Horatio Nelson; however, he is an important character.The main character is Emma Hart, ne Amy Lyon(s) and latterly Emma, Lady Hamilton. The film opens about the end of Emma's life, while she's in jail in Calais for brawling. She tells her story to a cell mate who is also English. This opens in 1783, just as she arrives at the home of Sir William Hamilton – to whose tender care he has committed her now that he intends to marry a lot of money. Hamilton is ambassador to the King of Naples. Emma and her mother, Mary Cadogan-Lyon (formerly Mary Kidd), move into the Hamilton home, where she learns she's been palmed off. Eventually she gets over it and marries Lord Hamilton (1791). During the 1780s she befriends Queen Maria Carolina and moves virtually to the pinnacle of Neapolitan society after her marriage.The film, I should add, runs fairly close to history. In 1793 Horatio Nelson calls at Naples as part of a campaign to unite Italy against French aggression. Emma is smitten with him, but he almost immediately dashed off to confront a military emergency. After Nelson won the Battle of the Nile at abu-Kir (1798), he returned to Naples, minus an arm, an eye, and a lot of teeth. Nelson spent well over a year in the Hamilton home. Thence he returned to England with the Hamiltons and Emma's mother, arriving in 1800. Once in London, Nelson lived with the other 3. Nelson's daughter Horatia was born in early 1801. Late that year Nelson purchased Merton Place, a fixer-upper to which the quartet moved. The Emma-Horatio affair increasingly became a public scandal and Nelson's wife made their separation final. In 1803 Hamilton died and Nelson finally took up the sea again. He died in 1805 during his great victory at Trafalgar.We see Emma's downward spiral begin, but we never see its end nor really learn its cause other than unspecified money problems. Emma had a gambling addiction. She died in Calais of liver failure (1815; not in the film).The film itself is wonderful theater. Winston Churchill said he had seen it over 100 times. The director was the great Alexander Korda and the idiomatic music was by the brilliant Miklós Rózsa. The 5 principal roles are taken by a quintet of Britain's best. Horatio Nelson is played with enormous sincerity and passion by Lawrence Olivier. Sir Larry, which I'm certain nobody ever calls him to his face, was one of those dramaturgic prodigies of which Britain has produced so many and America so few. This rôle, relatively early in his career, already shows his mastery of the art of acting.As if being treated to Olivier weren't enough, Emma is played by the gorgeous Vivien Leigh. Leigh was a lively, intelligent, radiant actress – no wonder Olivier fell in love with her whilst they were making "Fire Over England". She made few films after THW, mostly due to persistent bouts with tuberculosis. Although she doesn't exactly resemble Emma, she is not exactly unlike her either. Her performance here is, until tragedy begins to overwhelm Emma, chock-full of joie de vivre.William Hamilton is played by the venerable screen regular (171 films), Alan Mowbray. His aristocratic yet warm bearing allowed him to play a wide variety of roles; he is marvelously effective here. Mowbray spent his last years (1956-1969) appearing in American TV programs.Emma's mother is portrayed by the estimable and talented Sara Allgood. Her warm, motherly face brought her many parts as a mother, a landlady, a neighbor, what have you.The important, somewhat smaller, part of Lady Nelson was taken by the wonderful Gladys Cooper. Her bearing and diction led her to such rôles as Duchesses and other nobility or others of like personality. Her best-known rôle was Mrs. Higgins, Henry Higgins' mother, in Shaw's play Pygmalion and the musical made from it, My Fair Lady. As Nelson's wife, her grief shows subtly and clearly below her forbearance. Many who take similar parts could learn much from watching her here.This DVD is of Chinese manufacture. There is no British or American copy yet. The subtitles are Chinese but not English, alas -- but the actors speak clearly and precisely. When the playback started, the main titles were unclear and the sound was badly reproduced. I expected the worst until the main film started. This had been digitally improved so that the sound was much better. The images were also clear, although the dark tones were somewhat muted. I'm sure the film will eventually come out with a better print, but this isn't half-bad.