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The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex ()

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A depiction of the love/hate relationship between Queen Elizabeth I and Robert Devereux, the Earl of Essex.
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Photos and Videos

52 photos | 1 video

Cast verified as complete

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Queen Elizabeth
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Earl of Essex
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Lady Penelope Gray
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Francis Bacon
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Earl of Tyrone
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Sir Walter Raleigh
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Lord Burghley
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Sir Robert Cecil
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Sir Thomas Egerton
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Mistress Margaret Radcliffe (as Nanette Fabares)
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Lord Knollys
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Lord Mountjoy
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Sir Edward Coke
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Guy Bellis ...
Lord Charles Howard (uncredited)
Jacob Dance ...
Essex's Soldier (uncredited)
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Bit Part (uncredited)
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Majordomo (uncredited)
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Spectator Outside Whitehall Palace (uncredited)
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Handmaiden (uncredited)
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Capt. Armand of the Queen's Guard (uncredited)
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Lady of the Court (uncredited)
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Lady of the Court (uncredited)

Directed by

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Michael Curtiz

Written by

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Norman Reilly Raine ... (screen play) and
Æneas MacKenzie ... (screen play) (as Aeneas MacKenzie)
 
Maxwell Anderson ... (from the stage play by)

Produced by

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Robert Lord ... associate producer
Hal B. Wallis ... executive producer

Music by

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Erich Wolfgang Korngold

Cinematography by

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Sol Polito ... director of photography

Film Editing by

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Owen Marks ... film editor

Art Direction by

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Anton Grot

Costume Design by

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Orry-Kelly ... (costumes by)

Makeup Department

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Perc Westmore ... makeup artist

Production Management

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Jack L. Warner ... in charge of production
Frank Mattison ... unit manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director

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Sherry Shourds ... assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department

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C.A. Riggs ... sound
Nathan Levinson ... special sound effects (uncredited)

Special Effects by

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Byron Haskin ... special effects
Hans F. Koenekamp ... special effects (as H.F. Koenekamp)

Stunts

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Buster Wiles ... stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department

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W. Howard Greene ... associate director of photography

Costume and Wardrobe Department

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Eugene Joseff ... costume jeweller (uncredited)

Music Department

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Leo F. Forbstein ... musical director
Hugo Friedhofer ... orchestrator
Milan Roder ... orchestrator
Faith Kruger ... singing voice: Olivia de Havilland (uncredited)

Other crew

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Ali Hubert ... technical advisor
Natalie Kalmus ... technicolor color director
Stanley Logan ... dialogue director
Morgan Padelford ... associate technicolor color director
Herman Lissauer ... historical advisor (uncredited)
Crew verified as complete

Production Companies

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Distributors

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Special Effects

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Other Companies

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Storyline

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Plot Summary

This period drama frames the tumultuous affair between Queen Elizabeth I and the man who would be King of England, Robert Devereux, the Earl of Essex. Ever the victor on the battlefield, Devereux returns to London after defeating Spanish forces at Cadiz. Middle-aged Elizabeth, so attracted to the younger Devereux but fearful of his influence and popularity, sends him on a new mission: a doomed campaign to Ireland. When he and his troops return in defeat, Devereux demands to share the throne with the heir-less queen, and Elizabeth, at first, intends to marry. Ultimately sensing the marriage would prove disastrous for England, Elizabeth sets in motion a merciless plan to protect her people and preserve her throne. Written by IMDb Editors

Plot Keywords
Taglines Elizabeth I's love for the Earl of Essex threatens to destroy her kingdom. See more »
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Parents Guide Add content advisory for parents »
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Additional Details

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Also Known As
  • Essex and Elizabeth (United States)
  • Elizabeth and Essex (United States)
  • Elizabeth the Queen (United States)
  • The Knight and the Lady (United States)
  • La vie privée d'Elisabeth d'Angleterre (France)
  • See more »
Runtime
  • 106 min
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Language
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Filming Locations

Box Office

Budget $1,075,000 (estimated)

Did You Know?

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Trivia Errol Flynn and Bette Davis disliked each other, and when Elizabeth slaps Essex in front of the entire court, Davis hauled off and unexpectedly belted Flynn for real, during a dress rehearsal, a blow that brought stars to his eyes. Flynn described in his biography that he had decided that if Davis hit him during filming, he would have to hit her back. However, she did not actually hit him in the take that ended up in the final version of the film. See more »
Goofs The movie depicts Lord Burleigh being alive at the time of Essex's insurrection in 1601 however, Burleigh died in 1598. See more »
Movie Connections Edited into Adventures of Don Juan (1948). See more »
Soundtracks The Passionate Shepherd to His Love (Come Live With Me and Be My Love) See more »
Quotes Queen Elizabeth I: And when he takes you in his arms again, thank heaven you are not a queen.
Mistress Margaret Radcliffe: But I thought to be a queen...
Queen Elizabeth I: To be a Queen is to be less than human, to put pride before desire, to search Men's hearts for tenderness, and find only ambition. To cry out in the dark for one unselfish voice, to hear only the dry rustle of papers of state. To turn to one's beloved with stars for eyes and have him see behind me only the shadow of the executioner's block. A queen has no hour for love, time presses, and events crowd upon her, and her shell, an empty glittering husk, she must give up all the a woman holds most dear.
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