The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939)
I’d seen the publicity photos of Bette Davis with her shaved head in preparation for her role as Queen Elizabeth in The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex, but I foolishly believed the movie would be another Lincoln, bowling audiences over with makeup and a wig. I had no idea Bette Davis would give such a fantastic performance.
It’s not just the makeup; Bette loses herself in this role. She carries herself with the air of a royal, someone who knows she can get away with any sort of behavior but has had the breeding to always behave well. She’s obviously intelligent, shrewd, and cunning, and she makes it clear in her dealings with other rulers that her gender has nothing to do with her capabilities. She may be a woman, but she lives and breathes in her country’s best interest. It was a tough decision to vote against Vivien Leigh in her immortal portrayal of Scarlet O’Hara, but at the 1939 Rag Awards, we awarded Bette Davis Best Actress for her incredibly believable performance as Queen Elizabeth.
As the title suggests, this movie focuses on the romance between the much older queen and the young, handsome Earl of Essex. Who plays the irresistible man worth throwing away a kingdom for? Well, since this is a Michael Curtiz movie, with music by Erich Wolfgang Korngold, and with Olivia de Havilland in a small role as one of the ladies in waiting, it’s a good guess to assume Errol Flynn is Bette’s leading man. She originally wanted Laurence Olivier in the role, which is easy to understand, but Errol’s performance doesn’t leave any room for disappointment. He’s proud, strong, daring, romantic, and above all, contains a strong love of his country and his queen.
You’ll also get to see Alan Hale, Henry Stephenson, Henry Daniell, Leo G. Carroll, Vincent Price as Sir Walter Raleigh, and Donald Crisp as Francis Bacon in the supporting cast. Orry-Kelly’s exquisite costumes unfortunately went unrecognized at the Academy Awards, since the category of Costume Design had not been created. Whether your interest is fashion, history, or acting, you’ll be thrilled by this dramatic biopic.
Want to watch it? Click here to watch it on ok.ru. And thanks "Classic Movies Kristine Rose" for posting!
More Errol Flynn movies here!
It’s not just the makeup; Bette loses herself in this role. She carries herself with the air of a royal, someone who knows she can get away with any sort of behavior but has had the breeding to always behave well. She’s obviously intelligent, shrewd, and cunning, and she makes it clear in her dealings with other rulers that her gender has nothing to do with her capabilities. She may be a woman, but she lives and breathes in her country’s best interest. It was a tough decision to vote against Vivien Leigh in her immortal portrayal of Scarlet O’Hara, but at the 1939 Rag Awards, we awarded Bette Davis Best Actress for her incredibly believable performance as Queen Elizabeth.
As the title suggests, this movie focuses on the romance between the much older queen and the young, handsome Earl of Essex. Who plays the irresistible man worth throwing away a kingdom for? Well, since this is a Michael Curtiz movie, with music by Erich Wolfgang Korngold, and with Olivia de Havilland in a small role as one of the ladies in waiting, it’s a good guess to assume Errol Flynn is Bette’s leading man. She originally wanted Laurence Olivier in the role, which is easy to understand, but Errol’s performance doesn’t leave any room for disappointment. He’s proud, strong, daring, romantic, and above all, contains a strong love of his country and his queen.
You’ll also get to see Alan Hale, Henry Stephenson, Henry Daniell, Leo G. Carroll, Vincent Price as Sir Walter Raleigh, and Donald Crisp as Francis Bacon in the supporting cast. Orry-Kelly’s exquisite costumes unfortunately went unrecognized at the Academy Awards, since the category of Costume Design had not been created. Whether your interest is fashion, history, or acting, you’ll be thrilled by this dramatic biopic.
Want to watch it? Click here to watch it on ok.ru. And thanks "Classic Movies Kristine Rose" for posting!
More Errol Flynn movies here!