The Cardinal (1936 film)

The Cardinal (film)

Company type	Film
Industry	Film industry
Founded	1936
Headquarters	United Kingdom
Products	Historical drama film

The Cardinal is a British historical drama from 1936, directed by Sinclair Hill and featuring performances by Matheson Lang, Eric Portman, and June Duprez. Set in sixteenth-century Rome, the story centers on a conflict for authority between the church official Giuliano de' Medici and his adversary, unfolding amidst the Italian Wars and the creation of St. Peter's Basilica, whose design is attributed to Michelangelo.

This film is an adaptation of the 1901 theatrical work The Cardinal written by Louis N. Parker. It was independently produced at Welwyn Studios and distributed through the major studio Associated British Pictures Corporation.

Reception

While Variety commended Matheson Lang's acting, it criticized the overall film quality. The review also highlighted issues with historical fidelity, pointing out that the plot merges figures and incidents from various timeframes.

Cast

• Matheson Lang as Cardinal de' Medici
• Eric Portman as Giuliano de' Medici
• Robert Atkins as General Belmont
• O. B. Clarence as Monterosa
• Douglas Jefferies as Baglioni
• F. B. J. Sharp as Pope Julius II
• Wilfred Fletcher as Michelangelo
• A. Bromley Davenport as Bramante
• Rayner Barton as Cardinal Orelli
• Edgar K. Bruce as Spini
• David Horne as English Abbot
• June Duprez as Francesca Monterosa
• Henrietta Watson as Donna Claricia
• Dora Barton as Duenna

Bibliography

• Klossner, Michael. The Europe of 1500-1815 on Film and Television: A Worldwide Filmography of Over 2550 Works, 1895 Through 2000. McFarland & Company, 2002.
• Low, Rachael. Filmmaking in 1930s Britain. George Allen & Unwin, 1985.
• Wood, Linda. British Films, 1927-1939. British Film Institute, 1986.