The Divine Lady *** (1928, Corinne Griffith, Victor Varconi, H B Warner, Ian Keith) – Classic Movie Review 13,941

Frank Lloyd won a best director Oscar, and forgotten star Corinne Griffith was nominated for Best Actress as Lady Hamilton, for the 1928 American historical film The Divine Lady.

Producer/ director Frank Lloyd won a best director Oscar and cinematographer John F Seitz was nominated for best cinematography for the 1928 American historical film The Divine Lady, an early sound version of the story of the humble-origins Englishwoman Emma Hart, who married the British ambassador in Naples and became Lady Hamilton, but found her real place in history when she fell for naval hero Lord Horatio Nelson.

The now forgotten star Corinne Griffith was nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role as the divine lady, Victor Varconi plays Horatio Nelson, H B Warner is the unfortunate, cuckolded Lord William Hamilton, and Ian Keith is the Honourable Charles Greville.

It’s certainly worth a look for the fine First National Pictures/ Warner Bros production if you can get into the spirit of a movie left over from the silent era, but enhanced by music, singing and sound effects and a theme tune entitled ‘Lady Divine’ by Richard Kountz (words) and Nathaniel Shilkret (music). The song is sung off screen by Frank Munn both solo and as a duet with Helen Clark, and also featured on the soundtrack is the song ‘Pearl of Mine’ by Percy Fletcher.

It was filmed as a silent but with all sound recorded separately and added in post-production — the music, singing and sound effects, but there is no spoken dialogue.

It’s certainly worth a look for Corinne Griffith too. Regarded as one of the most beautiful actresses of the silent film era (‘The Orchid Lady of the Screen’), she gained critical acclaim for her performance here, ironically just when her film career was slowing.

The film survives intact along with its Vitaphone soundtrack. It was restored by the UCLA Film and Television Archive and the Museum of Modern Art Department of Film, in co-operation with the Czechoslovak Film Archive.

Other Lady Hamiltons: Vivien Leigh in Lady Hamilton [That Hamilton Woman] (1941), Michele Mercier in Making of a Lady (1968), Glenda Jackson in Bequest to the Nation [The Nelson Affair] (1973).

The screenplay by Forrest Halsey, Agnes Christine Johnston (continuity) and Harry Carr (intertitles) comes from E Barrington’s 1924 novel The Divine Lady: a Romance of Nelson and Emma Hamilton.

It is the only film to be awarded Best Director without a Best Picture nomination.

Cast: Corinne Griffith as the divine lady Emma Hart, Victor Varconi as Horatio Nelson, H B Warner as Sir William Hamilton, Ian Keith as the Honourable 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 Duchess of Devonshire, Helen Jerome Eddy as Lady Nelson.

The Divine Lady is directed by Frank Lloyd, runs 99 minutes, is made by First National Pictures, is released by Warner Bros Pictures, is written by Forrest Halsey, Agnes Christine Johnston (continuity) and Harry Carr (intertitles), based on E Barrington’s 1924 novel The Divine Lady: a Romance of Nelson and Emma Hamilton, is shot in black and white by John F Seitz, is produced by Frank Lloyd, Walter Morosco and Richard A Rowland, and is scored by Cecil Copping.

Back Pay (1930) was promoted as Corinne Griffith’s final screen appearance before her retirement, though she starred in Lily Christine two years later. She then retired from acting and became a successful writer of fiction and non-fiction books, and real estate businesswoman. She had a final minor role in Paradise Alley (1962), her first screen appearance in 30 years. She died of a heart attack on July 13, aged 84, leaving an estate valued at $150 million.

© Derek Winnert 2026 – Classic Movie Review 13,941

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