Mrs. Fitzherbert (film)

Last updated

Mrs. Fitzherbert
"Mrs. Fitzherbert" (1947).jpg
Original Australian daybill
Directed by Montgomery Tully
Written byMontgomery Tully
Based onthe novel Princess Fitz by Winifred Carter
Produced by Louis H. Jackson
Starring Peter Graves
Joyce Howard
Leslie Banks
Margaretta Scott
Cinematography James Wilson
Edited by Charles Hasse
Music by Stanley Black
Production
company
Distributed by Pathé Pictures International (UK)
Release date
3 December 1947 (London) (UK)
Running time
99 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Mrs. Fitzherbert, also known as Princess Fitz and A Court Secret, is a 1947 black and white British historical drama film directed by Montgomery Tully and starring Peter Graves, Joyce Howard and Leslie Banks. [1] It depicts the relationship between George IV and Maria Fitzherbert. [2] It is an adaptation of the 1945 novel Princess Fitz by Winifred Carter

Contents

Whilst promotional material summarises the plot as the love affair between a prince and a "commoner", Mrs Fitzherbert falls far short of the definition of a "commoner" and would best be described as "lower aristocracy".

Plot

The Duke of Wellington goes to meet an elderly Maria Fitzherbert to inform her of George IV's death and she recalls how she had rebuffed George at their first meeting, in which he saved her from a Protestant rioter on the night on the Gordon Riots. She continues to rebuff him but George pursues marriage with her, even knowing that - as she is a Roman Catholic - this will breach both the Act of Succession and the Royal Marriages Act. She flees to Brighton and George soon follows, where they meet again and agree simply to remain friends. However, scandal soon grows as they attend more and more social occasions together.

Maria initially refuses a renewed offer of marriage from George but soon afterwards relents and agrees to a secret marriage after he makes a suicide attempt. George is summoned from the couple's country retreat by his mother Queen Charlotte to scotch rumours of the marriage - he instead confirms them but fails to win Charlotte round to the marriage. George and Maria move back to Brighton, where he begins work on Brighton Pavilion and moves a House of Commons debate on his finances, though this degenerates into a discussion of the rumoured marriage. Fox quells the debate by presenting a letter from George denying rumours of the marriage, though he omits to add that the letter is not new but was in fact written before the marriage. George goes to meet his father but finds himself forestalled, as the letter has convinced the king that George really has repudiated the marriage. Overjoyed, he arranges to pay off George's debts and George leaves without even mentioning Maria.

George retreats into decadence and depression, acquiescing to a false rumour of an affair between Maria and the Duke of Bedford spread by Lady Jersey, finally repudiating Maria and accepting a political marriage with Caroline of Brunswick, though his first meeting with her goes badly. Maria retires to the country, where George's brother William keeps her informed of developments, whilst George's friends only just manage to stop him running back to Maria even on the morning of his wedding to Caroline. The scene shifts back to the elderly Maria and Wellington discussing George's death, where he informs her that among his last words was "Marguerita", his pet name for her, proving he had not forgotten her. [3]

Cast

Critical reception

In The New York Times , Bosley Crowther wrote, "it is so rigidly played that the whole thing has the appearance of an animated wax-works on the move." [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George IV</span> King of the United Kingdom and Hanover from 1820 to 1830

George IV was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from 29 January 1820 until his death in 1830. At the time of his accession to the throne, he was acting as prince regent for his father, George III, having done so since 5 February 1811 during his father's final mental illness.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caroline of Brunswick</span> Queen of the United Kingdom from 1820 to 1821

Caroline of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Queen of Hanover from 29 January 1820 until her death in 1821 as the estranged wife of King George IV. She was Princess of Wales from 1795 to 1820.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha</span> Princess of Wales; mother of George III

Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg was Princess of Wales by marriage to Frederick, Prince of Wales, eldest son and heir apparent of King George II. She never became queen consort, as Frederick predeceased his father in 1751. Augusta's eldest son succeeded her father-in-law as George III in 1760. After her spouse died, Augusta was the presumptive regent of Great Britain in the event of a regency, until her son reached majority in 1756.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maria Fitzherbert</span> Royal mistress (1756–1837)

Maria Anne Fitzherbert was a longtime companion of George, Prince of Wales. In 1785, they secretly contracted a marriage that was invalid under English civil law because his father, King George III, had not consented to it. Fitzherbert was a Catholic and the law at the time forbade Catholics or spouses of Catholics from becoming monarch, so had the marriage been approved and valid, the Prince of Wales would have lost his place in the line of succession. Before marrying George, Fitzherbert had been twice widowed. Her nephew from her first marriage, Cardinal Weld, persuaded Pope Pius VII to declare the marriage sacramentally valid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Princess Charlotte of Wales (1796–1817)</span> British princess (1796–1817)

Princess Charlotte Augusta of Wales was the only child of George, Prince of Wales, and his wife, Caroline of Brunswick. She was expected to ascend the British throne after the deaths of her grandfather, George III, and her father, but died in childbirth at the age of 21, predeceasing them both.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire</span> British nobleman

William Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire,, was a British nobleman, aristocrat, and politician. He was the eldest son of William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire, by his wife, the heiress Lady Charlotte Boyle, suo jure Baroness Clifford, who brought in considerable money and estates to the Cavendish family. He was invited to join the Cabinet on three occasions, but declined each offer. He was Lord High Treasurer of Ireland and Governor of Cork, and Lord Lieutenant of Derbyshire. In 1782, he was made a Knight of the Order of the Garter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prince Henry, Duke of Cumberland and Strathearn</span> British prince; fourth son of Frederick, Prince of Wales

Prince Henry, Duke of Cumberland and Strathearn was the sixth child and fourth son of Frederick, Prince of Wales, and Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha, and a younger brother of George III. His 1771 marriage to a commoner against the King's wishes prompted the Royal Marriages Act 1772.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British princess</span> Princess of the United Kingdom

The use of the title of Princess of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is entirely at the will of the sovereign as expressed in letters patent. Individuals holding the title of princess are styled "Her Royal Highness" (HRH). On 18 April 1917, Frederica of Hanover, the newest granddaughter of Wilhelm II, German Emperor was styled a British princess from birth, even though Germany and Britain were fighting in World War I. Before the First World War, British princesses also held additional German titles, such as princesses of Hanover by virtue of being male-line descendants of George III; or princesses of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, duchess of Saxony, by virtue of being male-line descendants of Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. George V issued letters patent on 30 November 1917, to restrict the automatic assignment of the title "princess" and the use of the style "Royal Highness" to the following persons:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Princess Elizabeth of the United Kingdom</span> Landgravine consort of Hesse-Homburg

Princess Elizabeth, called Eliza, was the seventh child and third daughter of King George III and Queen Charlotte. After marrying the Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg, Frederick VI, she took permanent residence in Germany as landgravine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Princess Augusta of Great Britain</span> British princess; eldest daughter of Frederick, Prince of Wales

Augusta of Great Britain was a British princess, granddaughter of George II and the only elder sibling of George III. She was Duchess of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Princess of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel by marriage to Charles William Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick. Her daughter Caroline was the spouse of George IV.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frances Villiers, Countess of Jersey</span> British Lady of the Bedchamber

Frances Villiers, Countess of Jersey was a British courtier and Lady of the Bedchamber, one of the more notorious of the many mistresses of King George IV when he was Prince of Wales, "a scintillating society woman, a heady mix of charm, beauty, and sarcasm".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maria Walpole</span> Duchess of Gloucester and Edinburgh

Maria, Duchess of Gloucester and Edinburgh was a member of the British royal family. She was titled Countess Waldegrave from 1759 to 1766, as a result of her first marriage to James Waldegrave, 2nd Earl Waldegrave. Her second husband was Prince William Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh, whom she married in 1766.

<i>A Royal Scandal</i> (1996 film)

A Royal Scandal is a 1996 British television docudrama produced and directed by Sheree Folkson. The teleplay by Stanley Price focuses on the ill-fated marriage of George IV and Duchess Caroline of Brunswick. Dialogue from actual historical records reveals how each party tries to humiliate the other, causing the monarchy to suffer great embarrassment. Narrated by Ian Richardson, the drama was broadcast by the BBC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chili Bouchier</span> British actress

Chili Bouchier was an English film actress who achieved success during the silent film era, and went on to many screen appearances with the advent of sound films, before progressing to theatre later in her career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Stourton, 18th Baron Stourton</span>

William Stourton, 18th Baron Stourton (1776–1846) was a Roman Catholic English peer. He is chiefly remembered for the private memoirs of his relative Maria Fitzherbert, the secret wife of King George IV, which she dictated to him, and which formed the basis for her first biography, published by his brother Charles Langdale in 1856.

<i>The First Gentleman</i> 1948 British film

The First Gentleman is a 1948 British historical drama film directed by Alberto Cavalcanti, and starring Jean-Pierre Aumont, Joan Hopkins, and Cecil Parker. It portrays the relationships and marriage of George, Prince Regent and his tense dealings with other members of his family such as his only child Princess Charlotte and his younger brother Frederick, Duke of York. It was also released as Affairs of a Rogue.The film is based on a play, The First Gentleman by Norman Ginsbury, which was staged in London in 1945, starring Robert Morley as the Prince Regent and Wendy Hiller as Princess Charlotte.

<i>Prince Regent</i> (TV series) British TV series or programme

Prince Regent is a British period television series made and transmitted by the BBC in 1979. It depicts the life of George IV from his youth time as prince regent and his reign as King. It consists of eight episodes of 50 minutes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elizabeth Waldegrave, Countess Waldegrave</span> British noblewoman, courtier and society beauty

Elizabeth Laura Waldegrave, Countess Waldegrave, was a British noblewoman, courtier and society beauty. She served at court as a Lady of the Bedchamber to Charlotte, Princess Royal, eldest daughter of King George III. She married her cousin, George Waldegrave, 4th Earl Waldegrave, in 1782.

Princess Fitz is a 1945 historical novel by the British writer Winifred Carter. It is based on the life of Maria Fitzherbert, first wife of the future George IV, whose marriage was invalidated by law because she was Catholic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edward Weld</span> English recusant landowner

Edward Weld (1740–1775) was a British recusant landowner.

References

  1. "Obituary: Chili Bouchier". The Independent.
  2. "Mrs. Fitzherbert". BFI. Archived from the original on 14 January 2009.
  3. "Mrs. Fitzherbert (1947) - Trailers, Reviews, Synopsis, Showtimes and Cast - AllMovie". AllMovie.
  4. "Movie Review - Mrs Fitzherbert - THE SCREEN IN REVIEW; 'Mrs. Fitzherbert,' British Film at Normandie--Peter Graves and Joyce Howard in Cast - NYTimes.com". nytimes.com.