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The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939)

11/11/1939 (US)Drama, History, Romance1h 46m
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Elizabeth I's love for the Earl of Essex threatens to destroy her kingdom.

Overview

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

    Top Billed Cast

    1. Bette Davis

      Bette Davis

      Queen Elizabeth

    2. Errol Flynn

      Errol Flynn

      The Earl of Essex

    3. Olivia de Havilland

      Olivia de Havilland

      Lady Penelope Gray

    4. Donald Crisp

      Donald Crisp

      Francis Bacon

    5. Alan Hale

      Alan Hale

      The Prince of Tyrone

    6. Vincent Price

      Vincent Price

      Sir Walter Raleigh

    7. Henry Stephenson

      Henry Stephenson

      Lord Burghley

    8. Henry Daniell

      Henry Daniell

      Sir Robert Cecil

    9. James Stephenson

      James Stephenson

      Sir Thomas Egerton

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    • Reviews 1
    C

    A review by CinemaSerf

    8.0
    Written by CinemaSerf on Jun 22, 2022

    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 substan...

    StatusReleased

    Original LanguageEnglish

    Budget-

    Revenue-

    Keywords

    • queen
    • queen elizabeth i
    • tudor
    • earl
    • 16th century
    • british monarchy