THE DIVINE LADY (1928) Corinne Griffith, Victor Varconi & H.B. Warner | Drama | B&W | Timeless Film

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The Divine Lady is a 1928 American pre-Code Synchronized sound film. While the film has no audible dialog, it was released with a synchronized musical score with sound effects using the sound-on-disc Vitaphone process. It stars Corinne Griffith and tells the story of the love affair between Horatio Nelson and Emma Hamilton. It featured the theme song "Lady Divine", with lyrics by Richard Kountz and music by Nathaniel Shilkret, which became a popular hit in 1929 and was recorded by numerous artists, such as Shilkret, Frank Munn, Ben Selvin (as the Cavaliers), Smith Ballew, Adrian Schubert, Sam Lanin, and Bob Haring.

The film was adapted by Harry Carr, Forrest Halsey, Agnes Christine Johnston, and Edwin Justus Mayer from the novel The Divine Lady: A Romance of Nelson and Emma Hamilton by E. Barrington. It was directed by Frank Lloyd.

The film won the Academy Award for Best Director and was nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Corinne Griffith) and Best Cinematography. It is the only film to be awarded Best Director without a Best Picture nomination (one year earlier, Two Arabian Knights was awarded for Best Director of a Comedy Picture without being nominated for Best Picture)

Synopsis

In the late 18th century, Lady Hamilton has had a somewhat turbulent relationship with the British people, especially the aristocracy. Born Emma Hart from a very humble background (she being the daughter of a cook), she was seen as being vulgar by the rich, but equally captivating for her beauty. In a move to protect his inheritance, Honorable Charles Greville, Emma's then lover and her mother's employer, sent Emma to Naples under false pretenses to live with his uncle, Sir William Hamilton, where she would study to become a lady.

Surprisingly to Greville whose deception Emma would eventually discover, Emma ended up becoming Hamilton's wife in a marriage of convenience. But it is Emma's eventual relationship with Horatio Nelson of the British navy that would cause the largest issue. A move by Lady Hamilton helped Nelson's armada defeat Napoleon's fleet in naval battles, which Nelson would have ultimately lost without Lady Hamilton's help. Beyond the dangers of war, Lady Hamilton and Nelson's relationship is ultimately threatened by the court of public opinion as both are married to other people.

Cast & Crew

Corinne Griffith as Emma Hart
Victor Varconi as Horatio Nelson
H. B. Warner as Sir William Hamilton
Ian Keith as Honorable Charles Greville
Marie Dressler as Mrs. Hart
Montagu Love as Captain Hardy
William Conklin as Romney
Dorothy Cumming as Queen Maria Carolina
Michael Vavitch as King Ferdinand
Evelyn Hall as Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire
Helen Jerome Eddy as Lady Nelson

Directed by: Frank Lloyd
Written by: Forrest Halsey, Agnes Christine Johnston (continuity), Harry Carr (intertitles)
Based on: The Divine Lady (1924 novel) by E. Barrington
Produced by: Frank Lloyd, Walter Morosco, Richard A. Rowlan
Cinematography: John F. Seitz
Edited by: Hugh Bennett
Music by: Cecil Copping
Production company: First National Pictures
Distributed by: Warner Bros.
Release Dates: December 26, 1928 (Sweden), March 31, 1929 (United States)
Running Time: 99 minutes
Country: United States
Languages: Sound (Synchronized), English Intertitles