Queen Elizabeth (1912)

Episodes from the life of Elizabeth I, Queen of England (1533-1603), focusing on her ill-fated love affair with Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex.

Directors:

Henri Desfontaines (co-director), Louis Mercanton (co-director)

Writer:

Émile Moreau (play)

Stars:

Sarah Bernhardt, Lou Tellegen, Max Maxudian

Cast

Credited cast:
Sarah Bernhardt	...	Queen Elizabeth I
Lou Tellegen	...	Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex
Max Maxudian	...	Howard, Earl of Nottingham (as Maxudian)
Nita Romani	...	Arabella, the Countess of Nottingham (as Mlle. Romani)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jean Angelo	...	Seymour
Jean Chameroy	...	Lord Bacon (as Harmeroy)
Albert Decoeur	...	Sir Francis Drake (as Decoeur)
Georges Deneubourg	...	Biron
Marie-Louise Derval	...	Lady Howard
Henri Desfontaines
Dick	...	Harrington
Guy Favières	...	Worcester
Paul Guidé	...	Shakespeare
Paul Laurent	...	Jacques Stuart
Jane Maylianes	...	Lady Southwell

Storyline

Episodes from the life of Elizabeth I, Queen of England (1533-1603), focusing on her ill-fated love affair with Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex.

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Plot Keywords:

william shakespeare character | england | queen | queen elizabeth i | film d'art | 

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Genres:

Short | Biography | Drama | History

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Did You Know?

Trivia

Paramount Pictures' first film (under the name Famous Players)

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Connections

Referenced in Going Attractions: The Definitive Story of the Movie Palace (2019)

User Reviews

Poor Bernhardt

This film was a struggle. I had to keep myself from shutting it off and doing something else. I don't think I've ever been this bored for forty minutes, not even while listening to dry lectures in algebra class.

I'm grateful that we have the legendary Bernhardt captured on film for all time, but it's unfortunate that she was not paired with adequate filmmakers who understood how to make engaging cinema. The movie is literally a recording of a stage play, all done in long shot with the actors playing for the back row. Peppered throughout are intertitles which explain exactly what's going to happen in the next scene.

The fact that this film was made in 1912 is no excuse; watch the one reeler An Unseen Enemy from the same year and you can see that film is shot and acted much better than this. Perhaps if the likes of DW Griffith had directed, this might have been a classic. Instead we're left with a movie which only functions as a historical curio and nothing more.

Details

Country:

France

Language:

None

Release Date:

August 1912 (France)

Also Known As:

Drottning Elisabeth

Box Office

Budget:

$47,500 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Pathé Frères

Technical Specs

Runtime:

44 min (Video Version)

Sound Mix:

Silent

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1