The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939) Star of the month... Olivia de Havilland

The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939)

The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939) is the historically inaccurate but very powerful and elaborate costume drama telling the story of Queen Elizabeth I and her complicated and furious love affair with Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex. The title characters played by screen legends Bette Davis and Errol Flynn. 

Olivia de Havilland as Lady Penelope Gray

They are complimented with a first rate supporting cast including Olivia de Havilland, Vincent Price (in his breakthrough performance), Alan Hale, Donald Crisp and Nanette Fabray (credited as Nanette Fabares in her first adult film role).  As of June 2012, Olivia de Havilland and Nanette Fabray are the only two cast members in the film still alive at ages 95 and 91, respectively.

This was the first of two films where Bette Davis starred as Queen Elizabeth I - Davis later played the Elizabeth in the inferior film The Virgin Queen (1955), which tells of how the Queen met Sir. Walter Raleigh. Although not a sequel nor a prequel, it makes for an interesting parallel.

Bette vs. Errol

Bette & Errol did not like each other

This was the second time Bette Davis and Errol Flynn had starred together in a film, following their pairing in The Sisters (1938), a year prior. Davis and Flynn despised each other, and were both unhappy about working together for the second time. Bette Davis did not like Errol Flynn's drinking problem, and Errol did not like Bette's diva like attitude. Bette Davis had wanted Laurence Olivier for the role of Essex, who I feel would have been a more superior choice for this particular film.

Their off-screen antics were the result of the film's title. The original play the film is based on was called "Elizabeth the Queen". Flynn did not like this title, as he was a co-star, and felt his role should also appear in the title. The film was then going to be called "The Knight and the Lady". Bette Davis did not approve of this title, as she felt Elizabeth should be billed first, thus the eventual title of "The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex".

Queen Elizabeth I

Queen Elizabeth stars at herself in a fragment of broken

mirror after smashing no less than 3 mirrors 

Queen Elizabeth I was the daughter of King Henry VIII (the one who beheaded his 6 wives), and Anne Boleyn, who her father had beheaded when Elizabeth was just two years old. Elizabeth was known as The Virgin Queen, due to her never being married or having children. Despite her inability to bare children, I would question how virginal she really was considering the number of young men she had floating around her palace. She was one of the first powerful female leaders, and is even referred to in the film as "a king in petticoats".

The role of Queen Elizabeth is one of the most sought after roles for an actress to play, having also been played by actresses including Cate Blanchett, Dame Judi Dench, Glenda Jackson, Agnes Moorehead, Jean Simmons,  Helen Mirren and Vanessa Redgrave, just to name a few. Despite being played by such brilliant and celebrated actors, no one in my opinion has played her quite like Bette Davis.   

Bette Davis has a natural commanding presence, which presents an assertive, powerful and authentic portrayal. She plays a tough Queen, yet compassionate towards those showing her compassion. In this film, Bette smashes no less than 3 mirrors, which calculates to 21 years bad luck.

Olivia de Havilland as Lady Penelope Gray

Concluding Remarks

This was one of the first classic films I ever saw when I was about 14 years old.  I loved it from the first time I saw it, and having seen it a number of times over the past 14 years, I still love it. I would strongly recommend this to anyone who enjoys good drama or tragic love stories.

Young Bess

Spotlight on... Royalty on Film

"You dare defy me? Yes, you dare... I'm beginning to like you"

'Young Bess' is the 1953 elaborate costume drama telling the younger years of Queen Elizabeth I, or Young Bess as she was called by her father.

Directed by George Sidney, Jean Simmons plays the virgin Queen, with Charles Laughton reprising his role of Henry VIII (Laughton previously played King Henry in the 1933 film 'The Private Life of Henry VIII'). The film co-stars Deborah Kerr  as Catherine Parr and Stewart Granger as Thomas Seymour.

This first rate cast is supported by Kay Walsh, Guy Rolfe, Cecil Kellaway, Alan Napier, Kathleen Byron, Leo G. Carroll and Dawn Addams.

The film chronicles all the key events from her birth leading to her accession of the throne, including the execution of her mother Anne Boleyn, her exile as a child, her relationship with stepmother Catherine, and the death of her father King Henry VIII.

Queen Elizabeth I

Queen Elizabeth I was the daughter of King Henry VIII (the one who beheaded his 6 wives), and Anne Boleyn, who her father had beheaded when Elizabeth was just two years old. Elizabeth was known as The Virgin Queen, due to her never being married or having children. Despite her inability to bare children, I would question how virginal she really was considering the number of young men she had floating around her palace. She was one of the first powerful female leaders, and was even referred to as "a king in petticoats".

The role of Queen Elizabeth is one of the most sought after roles for an actress to play, having also been played by actresses including Bette Davis, Cate Blanchett, Dame Judi Dench, Glenda Jackson, Agnes Moorehead, Helen Mirren and Vanessa Redgrave, just to name a few.

Concluding remarks

'Young Bess' is an enjoyable and fascinating film to watch, although my favourite biography of Queen Elizabeth I is still The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939), starring Bette Davis in one her finest roles.

Private Lives of Elizabeth & Essex (1939) - Spotlight on... Royalty on FIlm

The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939) is the historically inaccurate but very powerful and elaborate costume drama telling the story of Queen Elizabeth I and her complicated and furious love affair with Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex. The title characters played by screen legends Bette Davis and Errol Flynn. 

They are complimented with a first rate supporting cast including Olivia de Havilland, Vincent Price (in his breakthrough performance), Alan Hale, Donald Crisp and Nanette Fabray (credited as Nanette Fabares in her first adult film role).  As of June 2012, Olivia de Havilland and Nanette Fabray are the only two cast members in the film still alive at ages 95 and 91, respectively.

This was the first of two films where Bette Davis starred as Queen Elizabeth I - Davis later played the Elizabeth in the inferior film The Virgin Queen (1955), which tells of how the Queen met Sir. Walter Raleigh. Although not a sequel nor a prequel, it makes for an interesting parallel.

Bette vs. Errol

Bette & Errol did not like each other

This was the second time Bette Davis and Errol Flynn had starred together in a film, following their pairing in The Sisters (1938), a year prior. Davis and Flynn despised each other, and were both unhappy about working together for the second time. Bette Davis did not like Errol Flynn's drinking problem, and Errol did not like Bette's diva like attitude. Bette Davis had wanted Laurence Olivier for the role of Essex, who I feel would have been a more superior choice for this particular film.

Their off-screen antics were the result of the film's title. The original play the film is based on was called "Elizabeth the Queen". Flynn did not like this title, as he was a co-star, and felt his role should also appear in the title. The film was then going to be called "The Knight and the Lady". Bette Davis did not approve of this title, as she felt Elizabeth should be billed first, thus the eventual title of "The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex".

Queen Elizabeth I

Queen Elizabeth stars at herself in a fragment of broken
mirror after smashing no less than 3 mirrors 

Queen Elizabeth I was the daughter of King Henry VIII (the one who beheaded his 6 wives), and Anne Boleyn, who her father had beheaded when Elizabeth was just two years old. Elizabeth was known as The Virgin Queen, due to her never being married or having children. Despite her inability to bare children, I would question how virginal she really was considering the number of young men she had floating around her palace. She was one of the first powerful female leaders, and is even referred to in the film as "a king in petticoats".

The role of Queen Elizabeth is one of the most sought after roles for an actress to play, having also been played by actresses including Cate Blanchett, Dame Judi Dench, Glenda Jackson, Agnes Moorehead, Jean Simmons,  Helen Mirren and Vanessa Redgrave, just to name a few. Despite being played by such brilliant and celebrated actors, no one in my opinion has played her quite like Bette Davis.   

Olivia de Havilland as Lady Penelope Gray

Bette Davis has a natural commanding presence, which presents an assertive, powerful and authentic portrayal. She plays a tough Queen, yet compassionate towards those showing her compassion. In this film, Bette smashes no less than 3 mirrors, which calculates to 21 years bad luck.

Concluding Remarks

This was one of the first classic films I ever saw when I was about 14 years old.  I loved it from the first time I saw it, and having seen it a number of times over the past 14 years, I still love it. I would strongly recommend this to anyone who enjoys good drama or tragic love stories.

The Virgin Queen (1955)

Star Birthday - Richard Todd & Spotlight on Royalty on Film

Star Birthday - Richard Todd 

Richard Todd was born on 11 June 1919 in Dublin, Ireland, and began his career on the stage before transitioning to film. Todd died on 3 December 2009 after  a battle with cancer. 

Recommended viewing

• The Hasty Heart (1949)
• Stage Fright (1950)
• The Virgin Queen (1955)
• Saint Joan (1957)

The Virgin Queen (1955)

The Virgin Queen (1955), is the historically inaccurate story of the relationship between Queen Elizabeth I and Sir. Walter Raleigh. The film stars Bette Davis, Richard Todd and the seductive Joan Collins in an early film role.

This was the second of two films where Bette Davis starred as Queen Elizabeth I - Davis had first played Queen Elizabeth in the more superior film The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939), which tells the complicated and furious love affair Queen Elizabeth had with Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex. 

The film is notable for being the first American film for Australian actor Rod Taylor.

Queen Elizabeth I

Queen Elizabeth I was the daughter of King Henry VIII (the one who beheaded his 6 wives), and Anne Boleyn, who her father had beheaded when Elizabeth was just two years old. Elizabeth was known as The Virgin Queen, due to her never being married or having children. Despite her inability to bare children, I would question how virginal she really was considering the number of young men she had floating around her palace. She was one of the first powerful female leaders, and is even referred to in the film as "a king in petticoats".

The role of Queen Elizabeth is one of the most sought after roles for an actress to play, having also been played by actresses including Cate Blanchett, Dame Judi Dench, Glenda Jackson, Agnes Moorehead, Jean Simmons,  Helen Mirren and Vanessa Redgrave, just to name a few. Despite being played by such brilliant and celebrated actors, no one in my opinion has played her quite like Bette Davis.  Bette Davis has a natural commanding presence, which presents an assertive, powerful and 

authentic portrayal.

Concluding Remarks

This is an average and watchable film portraying Queen Elizabeth I. I would recommend this film to fans of Bette Davis and Joan Collins, and to those who have an interest in the royal family. For all others, I would strongly recommend watching the much superior The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939).