Les amours de la reine Élisabeth (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:

england | queen | queen elizabeth i | film d'art | royalty | 

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Genres:

Short | Biography | Drama | History

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Details

Country:

France

Release Date:

August 1912 (France)

Also Known As:

Drottning Elisabeth

Box Office

Budget:

$47,500 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Le Film d'Art

Technical Specs

Runtime:

44 min (Video Version)

Sound Mix:

Silent

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Joseph Carl Breil's score is often considered the first original musical score written specifically for a motion picture. Breil was a prominent American composer of opera and operetta in addition to his film score work.

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Connections

Featured in Birth of Hollywood: Episode #1.1 (2011)

User Reviews

Interesting primitive feature

This is a curio, a filmed play which is silent, but retains Miss Bernhardt's bow at the end, a film which tells you what is going to happen in the scene before it does (in case you didn't get it), and which takes enormous liberties with fact as historical films always do. This is the story of Elizabeth and Essex, so those of us who are familiar with Davis and Flynn and their version can have some fun drawing comparisons ... it's not without its unintentionally amusing moments (just how, when Elizabeth visits Essex's body after his execution, has his head been put back on his body without leaving a scar, and why, when Elizabeth dies, does she fall on some conveniently placed cushions?) but these aside its an entertaining 40 minutes, well acted by all concerned and not as stilted as I thought it might be. Miss Bernhardt comes across as something special even in silence and something is better than nothing. If you like silents and can give old ones a chance, you'll probably like this. The picture quality wasn't great on the copy I saw but it is nearly 90 so I think we can make allowances ... one I'll happily watch again.