The Private Life of Henry VIII is a 1933 British film directed and co-produced by Alexander Korda and starring Charles Laughton , Robert Donat , Merle Oberon and Elsa Lanchester . It was written by Lajos Bíró and Arthur Wimperis for London Film Productions , Korda's production company. The film, which focuses on the marriages of King Henry VIII of England, was a major international success, establishing Korda as a leading filmmaker and Laughton as a box-office star.