The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex

1939

1h 46m

IMDb RATING

6.3/10

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Drama

History

Romance

This period drama frames the tumultuous affair between Queen Elizabeth I and the man who would be King of England.

Directors

Michael Curtiz

Writers

Norman Reilly Raine(screenplay by)

Æneas MacKenzie(screenplay by)

Maxwell Anderson(theatre play by)

Stars

Bette Davis

Errol Flynn

Olivia de Havilland

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Watch The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939) - Trailer

Top cast

Queen Elizabeth

The Earl of Essex

Lady Penelope Gray

Francis Bacon

The Prince of Tyrone

Sir Walter Raleigh

Lord Burghley

Sir Robert Cecil

Sir Thomas Egerton

Mistress Margaret Radcliffe

Lord Knollys

Lord Mountjoy

Sir Edward Coke

Lord Charles Howard (uncredited)

Jacob Dance

Essex's Soldier (uncredited)

Forrester Harvey

Bit Part (uncredited)

Holmes Herbert

Majordomo (uncredited)

I. Stanford Jolley

Spectator Outside Whitehall Palace (uncredited)

Directors

Michael Curtiz

Writers

Norman Reilly Raine(screenplay by)

Æneas MacKenzie(screenplay by)

Maxwell Anderson(theatre play by)

All cast & crew

Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Bette Davis; Errol Flynn some swash, buckle and a rousing Korngold score - what more could you want? This is a sumptuous costume drama based on the real life story of an elderly Queen Elizabeth's infatuation with the much younger and more reckless Earl of Essex. There is an engaging chemistry between them - though the script does rather drag at times; and the usual suspects in support - including Olivia de Havilland; Henry Stephenson, Henry Daniell & Donald Crisp keep the whole thing moving along nicely. This is also the first film in which I actually recall Vincent Price having a more substantial part in, too. Lots of theatrical licence taken with the actual turn of events, but hey - it is all good fun...

Geronimo196722 Jun, 2022