The Woman He Loved

A bad rehashing of the Edward VIII story with Jane Seymour glamming it up. CBS wanted another "lavish" mini-series so they just $$$$ all over the place.

First they scored Anthony Andrews, Seymour's leading man from 1982's "The Scarlett Pimpernel" - they sparked well there, despite CBS' best efforts. Here, he doesn't act; he simply imitates Edward VIII - and badly. It's embarrassing to watch.

Then, they scored two other actors: Robert Hardy yet again reprising Winston Churchill - somebody had seen him in 1981's "Winston Churchill: the Wilderness Years." He was the man himself in that production; here we see him only sitting and painting.

And then - for me this was the corker - CBS got David Waller to reprise his role as Stanley Baldwin from "Edward & Mrs. Simpson" - the 1980 British production that did this story right the first time. I saw that one, that was meaty work for everybody involved; here, Waller looked like somebody who just found out he was at the wrong party.

I think it is well told. It is mostly accurate and truthful. The subtlety that speaks to the windsor's story, to me, is well acted. I'm not really sure what else to type. It seems we are required to type a lot!! So maybe if you are interested in the Duke and Duchess of Windsor you will find it interesting.

Anthony Andrews is terrible as Edward V111. Wooden, emotionless and unconvincing. Jane Seymour was just okay. Seen a few versions of this story and this was definitely the worse.

One would think that with all the lavish care and expense that went into this made-for-TV movie, it would reflect something of the taste and manners of the upper class couple--Wallis Simpson and the Prince of Wales--instead of being a mawkish, unappetizing historical romance.

Nor is it helped by the fact that JANE SEYMOUR and ANTHONY ANDREWS give stiff, rather uncomfortable to watch performances in which the events move much too slowly to hold attention.

It's hard to understand why a star of OLIVIA DE HAVILLAND's caliber would wish to play the supporting role of Aunt Bessie since the role is so colorless she just about fades out of sight. At this stage in her career, Olivia was appearing in so many "nobility" roles requiring a regal presence but nothing more.

A trivial movie best left forgotten among all the made-for-TV movies of that era.

King Edward VIII (Anthony Andrews) abdicated the British throne in 1936 & married 'the woman he loved' Wallis Simpson (Jane Seymour) in France in 1937. Yep, how things have changed! Nevertheless Wallis Simpson's letters prove that the man she really loved was Ernest Simpson (Tom Wilkinson), not the Prince of Wales, whom, according to recent biographers, she never wanted to spouse. Andrews, inexpressive and hammy, isn't good as Edward VIII. Seymour, just okay. Comparing a number of versions of this story, this is probably the weakest. ¨Edward and Mrs. Simpson¨ is definitely the best.