The Cardinal is a 1936 British historical drama film directed by Sinclair Hill and starring Matheson Lang, Eric Portman and June Duprez.[1] The film depicts a power battle in sixteenth-century Rome between the leading church-statesman Giuliano de' Medici and one of his rivals. Other themes in the film are the Italian Wars against France and the construction of the new St. Peter's Basilica to a design by Michelangelo.
| The Cardinal | |
|---|---|
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| Directed by | Sinclair Hill |
| Written by | D. B. Wyndham-Lewis |
| Based on | The Cardinal by Louis N. Parker |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Cyril Bristow |
| Edited by | Max Brenner |
| Music by | Leighton Lucas |
Production company | Grosvenor Films |
| Distributed by | Pathé Pictures |
Release date | 26 March 1936 |
Running time | 70 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
The film was based on the 1901 play The Cardinal by Louis N. Parker. It was made at Welwyn Studios as an independent production, but released by a leading distributor Associated British.[2]
Reception edit
Variety considered the film to be weak apart from the performance of Matheson Lang in the title role.[3] Questions have been raised about the historical accuracy of the film, which appears to borrow people and events from different time periods.[4]
Cast edit
- Matheson Lang as Cardinal de' Medici
- Eric Portman as Giuliano de' Medici
- Robert Atkins as General Belmont
- O. B. Clarence as Monterosa
- Douglas Jefferies as Baglioni
- F. B. J. Sharp as Pope Julius II
- Wilfred Fletcher as Michelangelo
- A. Bromley Davenport as Bramante
- Rayner Barton as Cardinal Orelli
- Edgar K. Bruce as Spini
- David Horne as English Abbot
- June Duprez as Francesca Monterosa
- Henrietta Watson as Donna Claricia
- Dora Barton as Duenna
References edit
- ^ BFI Database entry
- ^ Wood p.85
- ^ Klossner p.61
- ^ Klossner p.61
Bibliography edit
- Klossner, Michael. The Europe of 1500-1815 on Film and Television: A Worldwide Filmography of Over 2550 Works, 1895 Through 2000. McFarland & Company, 2002.
- Low, Rachael. Filmmaking in 1930s Britain. George Allen & Unwin, 1985.
- Wood, Linda. British Films, 1927-1939. British Film Institute, 1986.
External links edit
- The Cardinal at IMDb
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