October 21 - That Hamilton Woman

Today’s movie is a period drama with a scene that happens on October 21.

THAT HAMILTON WOMAN              

        

An older Emma Hamilton is arrested in Calais for theft and causing a riot. In jail she tells the fellow prisoners her story. Emma Hart, the mistress of Charles Greville,  goes to Naples,  where she learns he has sold her to his Uncle Sir William Hamilton in exchange for paying off his debts.  Hamilton soon marries her. She then meets Capt. Horatio Nelson. She uses her friendship with the Queen of Naples to get the Neapolitan troops needed for a campaign  against France. Five years later Nelson is promoted to Admiral and knighted.  She again persuades the Queen to order that the British fleet be supplied. When he returns after the Battle of The Nile, Nelson is ill. Emma nurses him back to health. He leaves with the fleet. After a revolution, Nelson rescues the Neapolitan royal family, Emma and her husband. Emma becomes Nelson’s mistress. In England Fanny, Lady Nelson and Nelson’s own father tell Lord Nelson off.  Emma bears Nelson’s child and Nelson defeats the Danes at Copenhagen. Sir William dies. Emma and Nelson start living together. Then Lord Nelson and the fleet go to sea to fight the French. On October 21, 1805 [1:43:40 to 1:54:44] Lord Nelson dies in the Battle of Trafalgar. Captain Hardy tells Emma what happened to Nelson.

                 

This is a disturbing movie. It is the story of nothing but an expensive prostitute and a libertine who can’t keep his wedding vows. The first in a line of movies that try to promote the idea that adultery is allright. The admirable characters in this film are Lady Nelson and Nelson’s father who refuse to concede that adultery is ever an acceptable practice.     

The Line Upon a Wind: The Great War at Sea 1793-1815 by Noel Mostert (W.W. Norton & Co., New York, 2007) at page 483 and the film at 1:43:47 give the battle’s date.

Awards – The film won the Best Sound Oscar. It was also nominated for the Best Art

Direction, Best Cinematography and Best Special Effects at the 14^th Academy Awards.

Screenplay - Walter Reisch and R. C. Sherriff

Producer - Alexander Korda

Director - Alexander Korda

Runtime – 2 hours 8 minutes

Released – April 30, 1941

Starring –

Vivien Leigh as Emma, Lady Hamilton

Laurence Olivier as Admiral Horatio Nelson

Alan Mowbray as Sir William Hamilton

Gladys Cooper as Lady Frances Nelson

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2014