Mary, Queen of Scots (1971)

Mary Stuart, who was named Queen of Scotland when she was only six days old, is the last Roman Catholic ruler of Scotland. She is imprisoned at he age of 23 by her cousin Elizabeth Tudor, ... See full summary »

Director:

Charles Jarrott

Writer:

John Hale (original screenplay)

Stars:

Vanessa Redgrave, Glenda Jackson, Patrick McGoohan

Nominated for 5 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Vanessa Redgrave	...	Mary Queen of Scots
Glenda Jackson	...	Queen Elizabeth
Patrick McGoohan	...	James Stuart
Timothy Dalton	...	Henry - Lord Darnley
Nigel Davenport	...	Lord Bothwell
Trevor Howard	...	William Cecil
Daniel Massey	...	Robert Dudley
Ian Holm	...	David Riccio
Andrew Keir	...	Ruthven
Tom Fleming	...	Father Ballard
Katherine Kath	...	Catherine De Medici
Beth Harris	...	Mary Seton
Frances White	...	Mary Fleming
Bruce Purchase	...	Morton
Brian Coburn	...	Huntly

Storyline

Mary Stuart, who was named Queen of Scotland when she was only six days old, is the last Roman Catholic ruler of Scotland. She is imprisoned at he age of 23 by her cousin Elizabeth Tudor, the English Queen and her arch adversary. Nineteen years later the life of Mary is to be ended on the scaffold and with her execution the last threat to Elizabeth's throne has been removed. The two Queens with their contrasting personalities make a dramatic counterpoint to history.

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Plot Keywords:

queen | scotland | execution | catholic | 16th century | 

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Taglines:

MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS, who ruled with the heart of a woman.

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | History

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some violence

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 March 1972 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

María, reina de Escocia

Filming Locations:

Alnwick Castle, Alnwick, Northumberland, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

128 min

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (world premiere) Mono (35 mm prints) 4-Track Stereo (some 35 mm prints) Stereo (DVD Release)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Vanessa Redgrave was originally cast as Queen Elizabeth, but was replaced by Glenda Jackson. She was later recast as the title role. Redgrave would eventually play Queen Elizabeth in Anonymous four decades later.

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Goofs

Mary, Queen of Scots, wears small gold stud earrings throughout the film. They didn't exist in the 16th century, but were extremely popular in the 1970s.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Francis - King of France: [screams] La Vierge!
Mary, Queen of Scots: What is it? What is it?
Francis - King of France: My head! My head!
Mary, Queen of Scots: Be still, be still, put your head down.
Francis - King of France: Please, help me.

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Connections

Follows Anne of the Thousand Days (1969)

User Reviews

Wonderfully atmospheric music and locations, excellent pacing, and especially wonderful performances by Redgrave, McGoohan, and the compellingly handsome Nigel Davenport.

A visually lush, beautifully-acted treatment of the compelling story of Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots--refreshingly, not slanted in favor of Mary's English opponents. Along with massive doses of romance, the film provides an interesting depiction of the long-distance tension between Mary and her Cousin, Elizabeth I of England, and the forces at work in the courts of continental Europe and of England and Scotland that made Mary's life hazardous from the moment she set foot on Scottish soil. This is above all a vivid portrait of the interrelationships of fascinating personalities--none more so than those of the Queen, played with riveting and unselfconscious elegance by Vanessa Redgrave, and her great love Lord Bothwell--in which role the gifted and compellingly attractive Nigel Davenport is perfectly cast.