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    The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex

    Reviewed by
    pietroantoni@

    One dazzling historic drama of what we now call the Elizabethan age, all from WARNER BROTHERS in 1939 pitting Queen Bette of the Warner Lot as Elisabeth I against near King Errol Flynn as Essex also of the Warner Lot. The film was shot in colour, a rarity in the 30's and directed by the inimitably great studio director Michaeal Curtiz who gave us greats like Casablanca, Robin Hood, Mildred Pierce and many, many, more. The film is a great character study of one of the greatest women/queens who ever lived (Elisabeth I) as portrayed by the greatest Hollywood star of the day, Miss Bette Davis. Bette does not impersonate the much, much older Elisabeth at the time of her great troubles with the Irish! Bette uses her great genius, tics, gestures and all to define the spirit of Elisabeth in quite an extraordinary way. It works perfectly.

    Bette's big beef with the Studio was in not having Sir Lawrence Olivier as her Essex, but in no way was Jack Warner going to deny the role to Flynn who was a tremendous money maker for Warners. Flynn, in his defense, did a fairly decent job portraying Lord Essex. 1939 was an enormous year for Miss Davis with 4 huge pictures all in one year. She could have been Oscar Nominated for any of the four but was finally nominated for DARK VICTORY, 1939, a film in which Miss Davis gives one of her greatest film signature roles.

    Bette played Queen Elisabeth in her career in the above wonderful, 1939 version and again in technicoloour in 1955's The Virgin Queen which co-starred Richard Todd and a disarmingly young Joan Collins. Bette went all out in 1955 shaving her hair for the role, still younger, however, than the historic queen but somewhat closer in age to the elder Elisabeth. I prefer the 1939 version. With its more muted colours and rather sensible set decoration, it seems much more realistic. Add Olivia D'Havviland, Vincent Price and other 1939 luminaries at Warner Bros and one has a wonderful film that has remained historically important!

    10
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    pietroantoni@  5.7.2015 age: 36-49 14,540 reviews

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