I first watched it with my mother who was a bette davis fan. But she wanted lawrence olivier for essex, and was given errol flynn, an actor she did not like to work with. Apr 05, 2018 once youre done, come back here, because we are about to meet bette davis in her portrayal of the virgin queen. Bette davis made a second appearance in the virgin queen, a film largely centered on. After a brief theater career, she became one of the biggest stars in the hollywood studio. Oct 29, 2015 the virgin queen 1955 bette davis as elizabeth i, queen of england. He wants ships to sail and make a name for england. In each section here at classic movie favorites we like to highlight films that are the best or important for the actress or actor.
The first and better known film was done in 1939, the private lives of elizabeth. She was nicknamed the queen of hollywood or the first lady of the american screen and the fifth warner brother during her career. Based on the play elizabeth the queen by maxwell anderson which had a successful run on broadway with lynn fontanne and alfred lunt in the lead rolesthe film. Overview of the virgin queen, 1955, directed by henry koster, with bette davis, richard todd, joan collins, at turner classic movies. The first time was in michael curtizs the private lives of elizabeth and essex.
Apr 04, 2016 for the virgin queen, she went even further. Well, it is true the elizabeth is a pretty old girl in both films. The explorer and the aging queen strike up an unexpected warm friendship, but complications ensue when raleigh falls in love with a beautiful ladyinwaiting and the queen finds out. Bette davis, walter raleigh richard todd and ladyin. Over a long career spanning six decades, she had made appearances in several successful and top grossing films, such as the man who played god 1932, dangerous 1935, and the little foxes 1941. Bette davis in the virgin queen 1955 this was was the second time that bette davis played the great english monarch. The virgin queen started out pretty slow but got better and better as the mo. Im dying to find a copy of the private lives of elizabeth and essex to compare her performances as queen elizabeth i. American actress bette davis was born on april 5, 1908, in lowell, massachusetts. Bette davis film the virgin queen 35m2755 hollywood.
But he was flying high in 1939, when warner brothers purchased the film rights for elizabeth the queen for bette davis at davis urging. The 1955 film the virgin queen is a mixed bag of elizabethan melodrama, shakespearean romance, and a queen who just happens to be named elizabeth. Not to be believed for a single moment, the virgin queen works well. Bette davis made a second appearance in the virgin queen, a film largely centered on queen elizabeths relationship with. Davis thought she had done a better job on her second try. She was noted for playing unsympathetic, sardonic characters, and. In fact it tells the story of sir walter raleigh, but raleighs story can hardly be told without making the queen a very central character indeed, and with bette davis playing elizabeth its not surprising that its the queen who dominates the movie. The 1939 movie was based on the play by maxwell anderson and focused on the queens relationship. However,this film, as it is, is more than just good. Having previously portrayed englands queen elizabeth i in 1939s the private lives of elizabeth and essex, bette davis reprises the role in. Drama romantiek film geregisseerd door henry koster. Bette davis, richard todd, joan collins, herbert marshall, jay robinson, dan oherlihy, rod taylor, robert douglas. I learned the details behind the movie after watching it helping make sense of the films tone, but ultimately the virgin queen is a 1950s period love story endeavoring to be a queen elizabeth movie. Further, the title was changed probably based on the charles laughton film the private life of henry viii to the private lives of elizabeth and essex.
Bette davis full list of movies and tv shows in theaters, in production and upcoming films. Although many other distinguished actresses have played elizabeth i its a role that has attracted those of the calibre of sarah bernhardt, glenda jackson, vanessa redgrave, judi dench and cate blanchett only bette davis went to the lengths of having her hair shaved. Ruth elizabeth bette davis was a famous american film, television and theatre actress. See a full list of bette davis films classic movie favorites. Virgin queen by henry koster bette davis, richard todd. The virgin queen dvd, 2008, bette davis centenary collection. Oct 20, 20 complete movie the virgin queen directed by henry coster and staring bette davis, richard todd, joan collins. What ever happened to baby jane 1990 by mark novak. The virgin queen is sumptuous in its production, done in color, and the costumes. Bette davis, richard todd, joan collins, herbert marshall en dan oherlihy.
The virgin queen is a 1955 deluxe color historical drama film directed by henry koster and starring bette davis, richard todd and joan collins. Watch the virgin queen online stream full movie directv. The virgin queen 1955 rotten tomatoes movie trailers. The virgin queen marked bette daviss return to the big screen after a nearly 3year hiatus, but shes as charismatic and compelling as ever.
Henry kosters 1955 drama gives bette davis the chance to lustily reprise her role as gloriana, although not to the glory of anybody else. Harry brown and mindret lords screenplay proposes that elizabeths relationship with. Rent the virgin queen 1955 on dvd and bluray dvd netflix. For similarlynamed women, see elizabeth davis disambiguation ruth elizabeth bette davis. Bette davis as queen elizabeth i with errol flynn youtube. Bette davis is again the virgin queen in this 1955 film, and this time, her attention is on sir walter raleigh.
Bette davis simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. It stars bette davis, richard todd, joan collins, herbert marshall and dan oherlihy. The virgin queen movie poster 20x40 bette davis richard. Too bad, it could have been great and a major movie of the 50s. How an american actress ever managed to perfect such aristocratic tones is a wonder in itself. This film is a good opportunity to see bette davis playing the same character again but with more experience under her belt. Miss davis again played elizabeth i in the virgin queen and a year later, in 1956, appeared in paddy chayefskys a catered affair as ma. April 5, 1908 october 6, 1989 was an american actress of film, television and theater. Afraid, the queen deletes errol over the pleas from olivia. Rent the virgin queen 1955 starring bette davis and richard todd on dvd and bluray. Next one i order will most likely be what ever happened to baby jane. Below are the films that are featured in this section. Filmed in cinemascope, it focuses on the relationship between elizabeth i of england and sir walter raleigh.
Harry brown and mindret lords screenplay proposes that elizabeths relationship with adventurer sir walter raleigh richard todd was somewhat more than cordial. Where to stream the best movies about british queens w. This is the third bette davis blogathon, set up by in the good old days of classic hollywood, and as usual i invite you to check out the link to find a lot of other blog posts about one of hollywoods most iconic actresses of all time once youre done, come back here, because we are about to meet bette davis in her portrayal of the virgin queen. Bette davis, versatile, volatile american actress whose raw, unbridled intensity kept her at the top of her profession for 50 years. The virgin queen marks bette daviss second go around as elizabeth i of england. Bette davis was a big fan of elizabeth i and played her twice on screen in the private lives of elizabeth and essex and in the virgin queen and both featured joseff hollywood jewelry vintage hollywood hollywood glamour hollywood stars classic hollywood hollywood divas elizabeth i elizabeth movie barbara stanwyck anne boleyn. The virgin queen movie poster 20x40 bette davis richard todd. Jun 18, 2010 afraid, the queen deletes errol over the pleas from olivia. Sir walter relaigh richard todd will stop at nothing to. The virgin queen 1955 queen elizabeth i the star 1952 margaret elliot phone call from a stranger 1952 marie hoke another mans poison 1951 janet frobisher preston.
Stay in the know with the latest movie news and cast interviews at. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing the virgin queen near you. The private lives of elizabeth and essex 1939 imdb. The virgin queen is a film directed by henry koster with bette davis, richard todd, joan collins, jay robinson, year. Complete movie the virgin queen directed by henry coster and staring bette davis, richard todd, joan collins. She was known for such movies as of human bondage, jezebel, dark victory, the little foxes, all about eve, and whatever happened to baby jane. Its not really my style of movie, but i did enjoy it.
With a career spanning 60 years and 100 acting credits, she is regarded as one of the greatest actresses in hollywood history. Earlier, in a more interesting film, the story of elizabeth and essex, she was the younger elizabeth and the earl of essex was errol flynn. What was really interesting about the movie virgin queen is how jone colins and bette davis seem to equally carry the movie, in complimenting each others acting ability. Bette davis appeared in over 100 films receiving two oscars, 10 nominations and three emmy awards. Based on the play elizabeth the queen by maxwell andersonwhich had a successful run on broadway with lynn fontanne and alfred lunt in the lead rolesthe film fictionalizes the historical relationship between queen elizabeth i and robert devereux, 2nd earl of essex. Actually the original title is better and it is as elizabeth the queen that the film is remembered. Stay in the know with the latest movie news and cast interviews at movies. Im dying to find a copy of the private lives of elizabeth and essex to. Virgin queen by henry koster bette davis, richard todd, joan.
The private lives of elizabeth and essex wikipedia. Families are sharing photos of their adorable diy movie. Watch the virgin queen starring bette davis in this drama on directv. Bette davis the private lives of elizabeth and essex 1939 queen elizabeth the old maid 1939 charlotte lovell. I love bette davis and this is the either movie that she made starring as the virgin queen. The problem is that queen was originally conceived not as elizabeths story but as that of sir walter raleigh, with the queen originally conceived of as a supporting part.
When bette davis first played queen elizabeth i onscreen in essex and elizabeth 1939, she was enjoying her own reign in hollywood not only professionally, after a decade of thrilling work that included of human bondage 1934 and jezebel 1938, but personally, as she juggled love affairs with william wyler and howard hughes while still married to another man. This was was the second time that bette davis played the great english monarch. English explorer sir walter raleigh richard todd wants to lead a seafaring expedition to the new world. Yet that is what bette davis has done in the case of the virgin queen, the twentieth centuryfox costume drama that came to the roxy yesterday. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. Apparently, the virgin queen was originally intended to be a swashbuckler entitled the adventures of sir walter raleigh, but when hollywood diva bette davis indicated her interest in playing the part of queen elizabeth, a role she had already essayed in the private lives of elizabeth and essex, the film was rewritten to give the queen a larger. She had previously starred with errol flynn in the private lives of elizabeth and essex 1939 and, at the time was considered as the actress who did the best interpretation of the queen ever filmed, with perhaps her only competition being flora robsons earlier performance of elizabeth in fire over england. Sir walter raleigh gains audience with queen elizabeth i and soon wins her over to his way of thinking. Dangerous oscar winner jezebel oscar winner the virgin queen, what ever happened to baby jane and hush, hush. However, its davis and those infamous bette davis eyes, that were once immortalised in song, that take the plaudits and show you exactly why she remains one of the finest talents ever to grace hollywood. Having previously portrayed englands queen elizabeth i in 1939s the private lives of elizabeth and essex, bette davis reprises the role in the technicolorandcinescope costumer the virgin queen. Elizabeth i bette davis loves, loses sir walter raleigh.
May 15, 2015 this was was the second time that bette davis played the great english monarch. With bette davis, richard todd, joan collins, jay robinson, herbert marshall, dan o. I gave the movie the virgin queen four stars because bette davis has always been a great actress in my eyes. Dec 15, 2019 bette davis as queen elizabeth i with errol flynn. The two must hide their love or face the wrath of the virgin queen. Certainly bette davis was very great in this very old movie production, which in when you view the movie, you can detect that the production is a little nieve for 2005 movie standards. Bette davis april 5, 1908 october 6, 1989 was an american actress of the stage, cinema and television. The virgin queen 1955 film the virgin queen is a 1955 deluxe color historical drama film directed by henry koster and starring bette davis, richard todd and joan collins. Bette davis as elizabeth in a costume drama about her affection for a dashing young adventurer whos actually in love with a younger, prettier woman. It doesnt measure up to the earlier the private lives of elizabeth and essex, but as long as bette davis is on screen, the virgin queen commands our attention. Movie info having previously portrayed englands queen elizabeth i in 1939s the private lives of elizabeth and essex, bette davis reprises the role in the technicolorandcinescope costumer the. As a matter of fact, her affair with essex followed the one with raleigh by a few years. Davis was never under the illusion that she was portraying elizabeth as a young beauty in either movie, but in the virgin queen her costumes and makeup.
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