Skip to content
MovieCove
That Hamilton Woman

That Hamilton Woman

The year's most exciting team of screen lovers!

1941125 minNot RatedMidcredits score: 86th percentile of all films
Director
Alexander Korda
Starring
Vivien Leigh, Laurence Olivier, Alan Mowbray, Sara Allgood

The story of courtesan and dance-hall girl Emma Hamilton, including her relationships with Sir William Hamilton and Admiral Horatio Nelson and her rise and fall, set during the Napoleonic Wars.

Where to watch

Where can I watch That Hamilton Woman?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists That Hamilton Woman streaming on HBO Max and The Criterion Channel.

Subscription

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about That Hamilton Woman?

That Hamilton Woman earns 3 badges, led by Oscar Winner and Crowd Pleaser.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is That Hamilton Woman worth watching?

That Hamilton Woman's Midcredits score is the 86th percentile of all films, from 10K ratings across 4 sources. 77% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

86th percentile

Better received than 86% of films

88th percentile among Drama86th percentile among 1940s
Acclaim (how much people like it)81st
Approval (how many liked it)87th

71 /100

81st percentile of all films

84th percentile among Drama84th percentile among 1940s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.3 — solid but not unanimous.

77% liked it

87th percentile of all films

89th percentile among Drama87th percentile among 1940s
77% rated it 7–1023% rated it 1–6

Critics 100% · Audience 83%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

1 Oscars won · 3 Oscar noms · 4 wins / 3 noms overall

  • WonAcademy Awards· Best Sound, Recording
  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Art Direction-Interior Decoration, Black-and-White

Reach

How many have seen it

75th percentile

10K ratings across platforms

78th percentile among Drama88th percentile among 1940s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 22% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

A historically-inspired romantic drama about a scandalous love affair set against the Napoleonic Wars, made as wartime propaganda.

Fans praised

  • Vivien Leigh's luminous beauty and commanding performance
  • Natural on-screen chemistry between Leigh and Olivier, reflecting their real-life romance
  • Handsome production values, opulent sets and costumes

Detractors panned

  • Overlong runtime with plodding second half and repetitive scenes
  • The film's patriotic propaganda feels heavy-handed and dated
  • Olivier's performance as Nelson is stiff and fails to convey charisma

What stands out

ActingDivisive82

Leigh's luminous, commanding performance dominates; Olivier divisive as stiff or appropriately heroic

Cinematography75

Striking black-and-white photography, handsome framing and lighting, beautiful close-ups of Leigh

Effects and spectacleDivisive70

Battle of Trafalgar sequence praised as impressive for 1941, but obvious models noted

Atmosphere70

Lavish period recreation of Neapolitan court and Regency England, immersive though stage-bound

CharactersDivisive65

Emma written as sympathetic, refined romantic heroine; Nelson idealized; historical complexity softened

Dialogue60

Some witty exchanges, but Churchillian patriotic speeches feel clunky and anachronistic

Plot and story55

Standard star-crossed romance template; love story loses momentum in middle; heavy propaganda layer

Pacing40

Overlong at 126 minutes; plodding second half with repetitive emotional beats

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 9 points apart
  • Critics vs users 4 points apart
  • US vs non-US 2 points apart

Watch experience

What is That Hamilton Woman like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Moving and bittersweet: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want a story that moves you and leaves an ache.

It takes its time and leaves you devastated. Skip it when you want an easy night or you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings and patience.

What it feels like

Moving and bittersweet.

The answer rests on this: Moods
RomanticMelancholicBittersweetDread
Heaviest: late
Register
Romantic · 8% of filmsWarm
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its tragic romance with full sincerity, emphasizing the emotional weight of the lovers' sacrifice against the backdrop of war.
The rideThe film moves from romantic euphoria to growing melancholy and a tragic final act, with the heaviest emotional weight in Nelson's death and Emma's downfall.
StructureThe story is told in a linear chronological order, following the main events from 1790 to 1805.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Devastated.

The answer rests on this: Devastating · 3% of filmsBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves you with the bittersweet memory of their love and the devastation of its loss.
How it ends · evidence
Tragic ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Tragedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9% (this title): Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% (this title) · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Tragedy: A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin. · Doomed love: Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).

9% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeThe story follows the doomed love affair between Lady Emma Hamilton and Lord Horatio Nelson, destroyed by war, duty, and societal expectations.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfRomanticlove
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% (this title) · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% (this title) · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% (this title) · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Romantic love · 15% of filmsSacrifice · 4% of filmsClass · 3% of films
Mourns its theme: Grieves its theme, or what has been lost of it.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on the passionate, forbidden love between Emma Hamilton and Horatio Nelson, which demands personal and social sacrifice against a backdrop of rigid class divides.
StanceThe film mourns a love destroyed by social constraints and war, focusing closely on Emma and Nelson's personal tragedy.

The world

Early modernInstitutionalDomesticRealistic
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score · Miklós Rózsa
SettingNaples and London during the Napoleonic Wars
MusicRózsa's lush, Romantic-era score underscores the film's tragic romance.

Content guide

Is That Hamilton Woman okay for kids?

Not Rated

That Hamilton Woman is not rated. As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (33/100), sexual content at minimal (0/100), language at minimal (0/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (33/100) and frightening material at mild (33/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Overall
Mild · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Mild
too few votes to rank (6 votes)
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (5 votes)
Profanity
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (6 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
too few votes to rank (6 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Mild
too few votes to rank (6 votes)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (29 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does That Hamilton Woman have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in That Hamilton Woman?

Cast

Vivien Leigh
as Lady Emma Hamilton
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Laurence Olivier
as Lord Horatio Nelson
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Alan Mowbray
as Sir William Hamilton
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Sara Allgood
as Mrs. Cadogan-Lyon
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Gladys Cooper
as Lady Frances Nelson
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Henry Wilcoxon
as Captain Hardy
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Heather Angel
as A Street Girl
Halliwell Hobbes
as Reverend Nelson
Gilbert Emery
as Lord Spencer
Miles Mander
as Lord Keith

Crew

More like this

What are movies like That Hamilton Woman?

Movies like That Hamilton Woman include Romeo & Juliet (2013), Bright Star (2009) and A Royal Affair (2012). Of the 12 closest matches, all are forbidden-love stories, and half are films about royalty and aristocracy.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

All 12 share its story type: period drama. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with That Hamilton Woman?

3.9K other films share the rarest tag below, relationship: forbidden love. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.