Diane (1956) [VHS]
by David Miller

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VHS Movie Reviews of Diane (1956) [VHS]

Movie Review: some of the msot beautiful music ever composed........
Summary: 3 Stars

Movie Review: Great Drama Movie in Epic Style of the 1950's
Summary: 4 Stars

I'm not a James Bond fan, but I quite liked Roger Moore's performance and character here. Lana Turner was likeable and glamorous. I was caught up in the story from the first moment, and watched it rivited, until the end. This was a period and place in history that I previously knew nothing about. It was an emotional movie with a very satisfying ending.

Movie Review: Actually, Better Than I Thought It Would Be!
Summary: 4 Stars

Not bad! Not a classic, but not bad.

For one thing, the costumes are just wonderful, the creations of Walter Plunkett of "Gone with the Wind" fame. No, they're not authentic, but this was a Lana Turner movie, you know, not a BBC documentary. So, if you like gorgeous women in velvet and pearls, this is an appropriate flick for you. Lana is appealing and I didn't really mind Roger Moore, although another reviewer found him wooden. The real Henri II was a weakling--that why he was controlled by his mistress--so that a stronger performance would not really have made sense.

It is in the supporting performances that we have our best people. Sir Cedric Hardwicke is a Nostradamus-kind of astrologer who tells Henri's wife Catherine de Medici to dry her tears over her husband's lack of sexual interest and concentrate on her destiny as future Queen of France. Henry Daniell does a great job as Catherine's advisor who keeps those intrigues coming--always a joy to watch him. The actor playing King Francis I had a lot of bravado and some set of choppers. I liked him a lot. And the woman playing Catherine was excellent, and actually there is where the film comes off the hinge for me.

Because ultimately, her Catherine wins the sympathy of the viewer away from Lana Turner's Diane. After all, she is the new King's lawful wife, and seems young and inexperienced. Might also be that there was so much publicity years gone by about the Prince Charles-Princess Diana-Camilla Parker-Bowes triangle that viewers of our generation would identify Catherine with the maritally neglected Princess Di. I was glad to see Catherine pounce on her newfound power once the King got mortally wounded, and assert herself finally.

Upshot of the whole experience: "Diane" is NOT a silly movie, by no means. You'll get a taste of French monarchal history (albeit a rather small one) that often Americans know nothing about, and see some really outstanding dresses for glamour queen Turner.

Roger Moore Video

• Genres > Action & Adventure > Action Stars
• Drama > Classics