TrueHello
Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.
PiraBit
if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.
Rosie Searle
It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.
kevin olzak
1939's "Tower of London" was a Universal 'A' budget picture, director Rowland V. Lee's followup to "Son of Frankenstein," as conceived by his brother Robert N. Lee, who also scripted Rowland's final feature in 1945, "Captain Kidd." Together, they chose a real-life horror story set in 14th century Britain, the throne usurped by three brothers, immortalized by Shakespeare's "Richard III." Wearing the crown is King Edward IV (Ian Hunter), his closest adviser brother Richard, Duke of Gloucester (Basil Rathbone), while half brother George, Duke of Clarence (Vincent Price), is regarded as a self serving weakling. Few are aware of Richard's own aspirations toward the throne, though Edward's wife, Queen Elyzabeth (Barbara O'Neil), correctly suspects that Gloucester is not the loving uncle her sons believe him to be. Boris Karloff's Mord is the chief executioner, ruling over the Tower of London, where all of Richard's enemies eventually end up. The first victim opening the film is played by John Rodion, Basil Rathbone's son from his first marriage, whose only other credit was also with his father (1938's "The Dawn Patrol"). The wine jousting death of Clarence is memorable (borrowed by Price himself in 1973's "Theater of Blood"), but by far the most shocking are the cold blooded murders of Edward's two sons, the boy King having taken his father's place upon the throne, only for Richard to order their deaths in striking back at the defiant Queen Mother. Karloff preferred the term 'terror' over the word 'horror' in describing his films, but surely would have had no problem describing this movie as a genuine 'horror film.' Basil Rathbone enjoys one of his greatest screen roles, handsome and resplendent, his humpback barely noticeable. Having debuted in Universal's 'Service De Luxe,' Vincent Price (in only his third feature) would finish his brief sojourn at the studio following "Green Hell," "The Invisible Man Returns," and "The House of the Seven Gables," moving on to 20th Century-Fox for "Hudson's Bay." Splendidly hamming it up in this first brush with the genre he became indelibly linked, Price actually graduated to starring as Richard himself in Roger Corman's impoverished 1962 remake, also titled "Tower of London." Price would also be reunited with John Sutton in "The Invisible Man Returns," "Bagdad," "The Bat," and "Return of the Fly."
bkoganbing
If you want to see the story of Richard III without the Elizabethan speech of Shakespeare than this is the film for you. Tower Of London was made economically and is a great example of what you could do on a limited budget.In fact the film is essentially the story that Laurence Olivier used in filming his acclaimed version of Richard even to the extent of using the ending of Henry VI Part Three in the story as well.The Gothic sets that Universal Pictures had for horror films served well in Tower Of London. I always have to admire the use of darkness and mist during the battle sequences for Tewksbury and Bosworth Field with the addition of rain for Tewksbury. Gave the illusion of the cast of thousands without the DeMille like thousands. Maybe three or four dozen extras. Gave it a noir like quality.Basil Rathbone plays Richard III, one of history's frightening figures, courtesy of Williams Shakespeare's play. The dialog isn't Shakespearean, but Rathbone gets Shakespeare's point across. The evil genius who methodically disposes of all who are between him and the throne of England, the last of course being the child king Edward V and his younger brother. Rathbone's one and only true friend and chief aide in his designs is the club footed Boris Karloff playing the executioner at the Tower Of London. Karloff is a monster, but a most human one indeed.Ian Hunter and Vincent Price play Rathbone's older brothers, Edward IV and the Duke of Clarence respectively. Hunter pretty much fills out how history has made Edward IV come down to us, the hale and hearty king who liked to indulge in the vices a little too much, but who comparatively speaking was one of the better medieval kings England had. The Duke of Clarence was as Price plays him as well, a treacherous coward and weakling who may have not died in a vat of Malmsey wine, but who certainly wasn't missed by too many people when he did leave this mortal coil.John Sutton and Nan Grey play a pair of young lovers whose story is grafted into the Shakespearean plot. Their all right in that they don't get in the way of the real story. Three small roles that I liked very much were Barbara O'Neil as Queen Elizabeth Woodville, wife and later widow of Hunter, Ernest Cossart as the loyal chimney sweep who aids the anti-Richard cause, and Miles Mander most of all as the luckless and feckless Henry VI. For those who don't like to wade through Shakespeare and might have a term paper on Richard III due, Tower Of London almost functions like a Cliff's Notes brought to the big screen. Just don't use the Sutton and Grey characters in your paper and you might just get a passing grade.
Witchfinder General 666
Rowland V. Lee's "Tower of London" of 1939 is a tense, well-made and highly atmospheric Historical Drama starring three of Horror's all time-greats, Basil Rathbone (in the lead as the vicious King Richard III), Boris Karloff (as his loyal executioner), and the young Vincent Price (in the role of the Duke of Clarence). Even though the film is sometimes labeled a Horror film, it isn't really. Personally, I saw Roger Corman's 1962 remake, in which Vincent Price plays the leading role, several years before first watching this one. I'd probably say I still prefer Corman's version, due to the creepy atmosphere, the stronger focus on the 'Horror' elements and Richard's growing madness, and, mainly, due to Vincent Price's indescribable on-screen persona. It cannot really be said which is the 'better' film however. Though telling the story of the same King, the two versions do differ immensely in most aspects. They begin at a different stage in Richard's aspiration for power, and while Richard is depicted as an absolute madman by Vincent Price in Corman's 1962 film, the Richard played by Basil Rathbone in this film is merely a calculating, unscrupulous and extremely cold-blooded aspirator for kingship.Lee's "The Tower of London" begins within the reign of King Edward IV (Ian Hunter), the older brother of Richard, Duke of Gloucester (Basil Rathbone). The unscrupulous, hunchbacked Richard longs to be King, and is willing to commit any murderous deed necessary to achieve his goal. He is assisted in his plans by his most loyal servant, the club-footed executioner and torturer Mord (Boris Karloff)... "Tower of London" is definitely a dark, gloomy film, and furthermore very explicitly violent for its time. Unlike Roger Corman's 1962 version it is not a Horror film, however, but a Historical Drama. The great Basil Rathbone is ingeniously sinister in his role, and Horror-deity Boris Karloff is incredible as the ghoulish executioner. Vincent Price's role of the Duke of Clarence is regrettably small, but he is brilliant in it, as always. A 28-year-old Price, who was not yet the Horror-icon he would become, gives a great foretaste of the brilliance to come. Most (though not all) of the supporting performances are good. The 'good guys', such as the hero played by John Sutton, are not too memorable, but, at least in my humble opinion, great villains are of far greater value for this kind of story anyway. Though it treats the eponymous King, "Tower of London" is not based on Willaim Shakespeare's play "Richard III". The film is greatly shot, the choreography is very good and the historical settings are incredible. Overall, "Tower of London" is an excellent film that shouldn't be missed by fans of classic cinema. Highly recommended!
lugonian
"Tower of London" (Universal, 1939), directed by Rowland V. Lee, according to the original screenplay by Robert N. Lee, is an historical account based on the brutal rise to power of King Richard III. Mixing fact and fiction, "Tower of London" could easily be categorized as a Gothic horror tale due to the casting of Basil Rathbone, Boris Karloff and Vincent Price (in third film role), actors long associated in the horror genre. Aside from reuniting director Lee along with Rathbone and Karloff from "Son of Frankenstein" (1939), it also lifts the underscoring used from that same film. While there are no mad scientists, monsters or tales of the supernatural this time around, the horror is best described from its opening introduction: "No age is without its ruthless men ... who in their search for power, leave dark stains upon the pages of history ... during the middle ages ... to seize the throne of England. In 1471, this has been done by Edward IV ... who has violently deposed the feeble Henry VI and holds him prisoner. Within the deep shadows of the tower walls lives the population of a small city ... some in prison cells and torture chambers ... some in palaces and spacious lodgings ... but none in peace. A web of intrigue veils the lives of all who know only too well that today's friends might be tomorrow's enemies." Following its introductory of Queen Elyzabeth (Barbara O'Neil), wife of King Edward IV (Ian Hunter), as she bathes her three children, comes the main factor with characters of interest: Mord (Boris Karloff, in a standout performance), a sadistic executioner sharpening the blade of the headman's axe for his next victim on the chopping block. Working under direct orders of Edward's younger brother, Richard III (Basil Rathbone), Duke of Gloucester, Mord idolizes him with these words, "You are more than a Duke, more than a King ... you are a God to me." Equally villainous, Richard, who slowly schemes to take control of the throne, is seen to have miniature replicas of royal competitors he intends on destroying hidden in his secret cabinet, removing them one by one, throwing them into his fireplace once that mission is accomplished. The romantic interest falls upon Lady Alice Barton (Nan Grey) and John Wyatt (John Sutton), the latter whom Richard exiles to France. After the death of the Prince of Wales (G.P. Huntley Jr.), Richard tricks his widow, Anne Neville (Rose Hobart) into marrying him. Moving forward to 1483 as Richard takes control of the throne, he orders the execution of his two two young nephews, Prince Edward V (Ronald Sinclair) and Prince Richard (John Herbert Bond). Elizabeth sends for her exiled cousin, Wyatt, to help form a powerful army against Richard, which proves an impossible task after Wyatt's capture, imprisonment and extreme measures of punishment and flogging by the grinning Mord in the Tower of London.Containing many gory scenes, either suggested or acted out, the film's most famous sequence is the wine drinking contest between the cowardly Duke of Clarence (Vincent Price) and Richard, concluding with the unconscious Clarence being tossed into the large tank of Malmsey wine by Richard and Mord where, after shutting the lid, each listening patiently to the sound of the victim's last bubbling breath. According to Bob Dorian, former host of American Movie Classics where the film aired from 1994-1999, the scene came close to becoming reality where Price nearly drowned in the process when the lid was stuck shut. The same was said by Bob Osborne, host of Turner Classic Movies, when "Tower of London" made its TCM premiere October 23, 2006. In spite of his near death experience, it was Price who enacted the role of Richard III the 1962 remake. The actual battle sequences of Barnet, Tewkesbury and later Bosworth's Field are depicted here, but are briefly staged. With its straightforward dramatic theme, only Tom Clink (Ernest Cossart) and his chimney sweep boy assistant (Walter Tetley) offer some lighter comedic moments. The only thing missing is William Shakespeare's "Richard III" recital made famous by John Barrymore.A lavish scale production with sets that could have been replicas for the sound remake of "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," a production originally produced by Universal in 1923, but remade by RKO in 1939, "Tower of London", at 92 minutes, regardless of historical inaccuracies, is in a class by itself, thanks to the believable/ unsympathetic performances by Rathbone and Karloff, the noteworthy support of the aforementioned actors along with Leo G. Carroll (Lord Hastings), Lionel Bellmore (Beacon Chiruegeon), Ralph Forbes (Henry Tutor) and little Donnie Donegan (Prince Richard as a child) among others.Formerly distributed to home video in the 1990s, "Tower of London" can be found on DVD with Karloff's science fiction melodrama, "Night Key"(1937) on its flip side. (*** kingdoms for a horse)
