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Young Bess

  • 19531953
  • ApprovedApproved
  • 1h 52m
IMDb RATING
6.6/10
1.6K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Young Bess (1953)
The early life of Elizabeth I, from her childhood until her accession to the throne of England in 1558.
Play trailer4:10
1 Video
38 Photos
  • Biography
  • Drama
  • Romance

The early life of Elizabeth I, from her childhood until her accession to the throne of England in 1558.The early life of Elizabeth I, from her childhood until her accession to the throne of England in 1558.The early life of Elizabeth I, from her childhood until her accession to the throne of England in 1558.

IMDb RATING
6.6/10
1.6K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • George Sidney
  • Writers
    • Margaret Irwin(based on the novel by)
    • Jan Lustig
    • Arthur Wimperis
  • Stars
    • Jean Simmons
    • Stewart Granger
    • Deborah Kerr
Top credits
  • Director
    • George Sidney
  • Writers
    • Margaret Irwin(based on the novel by)
    • Jan Lustig
    • Arthur Wimperis
  • Stars
    • Jean Simmons
    • Stewart Granger
    • Deborah Kerr
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 27User reviews
    • 3Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 2 Oscars
      • 1 win & 3 nominations total

    Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 4:10
    Official Trailer

    Photos38

    Young Bess (1953)
    Stewart Granger and Jean Simmons in Young Bess (1953)
    Jean Simmons in Young Bess (1953)
    Deborah Kerr and Stewart Granger in Young Bess (1953)
    Deborah Kerr and Stewart Granger in Young Bess (1953)
    Deborah Kerr and Stewart Granger in Young Bess (1953)
    Jean Simmons in Young Bess (1953)
    Stewart Granger in Young Bess (1953)
    Deborah Kerr and Jean Simmons in Young Bess (1953)
    Charles Laughton in Young Bess (1953)
    Cecil Kellaway in Young Bess (1953)
    Stewart Granger in Young Bess (1953)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Jean Simmons
    Jean Simmons
    • Young Bess (Queen Elizabeth I)as Young Bess (Queen Elizabeth I)
    Stewart Granger
    Stewart Granger
    • Thomas Seymouras Thomas Seymour
    Deborah Kerr
    Deborah Kerr
    • Catherine Parras Catherine Parr
    Charles Laughton
    Charles Laughton
    • King Henry VIIIas King Henry VIII
    Kay Walsh
    Kay Walsh
    • Mrs. Ashleyas Mrs. Ashley
    Guy Rolfe
    Guy Rolfe
    • Ned Seymouras Ned Seymour
    Kathleen Byron
    Kathleen Byron
    • Ann Seymouras Ann Seymour
    Cecil Kellaway
    Cecil Kellaway
    • Mr. Parryas Mr. Parry
    Rex Thompson
    Rex Thompson
    • Prince Edwardas Prince Edward…
    Robert Arthur
    Robert Arthur
    • Barnabyas Barnaby
    Leo G. Carroll
    Leo G. Carroll
    • Mr. Mumsas Mr. Mums
    Norma Varden
    Norma Varden
    • Lady Tyrwhittas Lady Tyrwhitt
    Alan Napier
    Alan Napier
    • Robert Tyrwhittas Robert Tyrwhitt
    Noreen Corcoran
    Noreen Corcoran
    • Bess as a childas Bess as a child
    Ivan Triesault
    Ivan Triesault
    • Danish Envoyas Danish Envoy
    Elaine Stewart
    Elaine Stewart
    • Anne Boleynas Anne Boleyn
    Dawn Addams
    Dawn Addams
    • Kate Howardas Kate Howard
    Doris Lloyd
    Doris Lloyd
    • Mother Jackas Mother Jack
    • Director
      • George Sidney
    • Writers
      • Margaret Irwin(based on the novel by)
      • Jan Lustig
      • Arthur Wimperis
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    Chronicles the life of queen Elizabeth I, before she became the queen of England. Apart from taking part in the court intrigues, she is unhappily in love with admiral Thomas Seymour, and dreams of building a navy to match the Portuguese and the Spanish. —Mattias Thuresson
    • woodpile
    • character name as title
    • king edward vi character
    • king henry viii character
    • queen elizabeth i character
    • 115 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Taglines
      • A Great and Spectacular Drama!
    • Genres
      • Biography
      • Drama
      • Romance
    • Certificate
      • Approved
    • Parents guide
      • Add content advisory

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Cast as on-screen lovers Young Bess (Queen Elizabeth I) and Sir Thomas Seymour, in real life Jean Simmons and Stewart Granger were married to each other when this movie was filmed. They also appeared together in Footsteps in the Fog (1955) and Adam and Evelyne (1949); additionally Simmons had an uncredited bit part in Granger's Caesar and Cleopatra (1945).
    • Goofs
      In the film, young Bess is mostly referred to as "Princess Elizabeth". In history, Elizabeth was denied that title from the age of three. Her father Henry VIII declared his marriage to Anne Boleyn invalid before her execution for treason, thus Elizabeth was declared illegitimate and only to be called "Lady Elizabeth".
    • Quotes

      Prince Edward: [muttering to Tom about Uncle Ned, who rules while Edward is King as a minor] I wish he'd die.

      Thomas Seymour: What? What was that?

      Prince Edward: I said, I wish he'd die. D-Y-E.

      Thomas Seymour: It's the wrong spelling.

      Prince Edward: [nonchalant] Oh, is it?

      Ned Seymour: What is Your Majesty talking about?

      Prince Edward: Spelling. Nobody knows for certain how to spell the King's English.

      Ned Seymour: The spelling is not important, so long as the word carries the right meaning.

      Thomas Seymour: The word His Majesty had *exactly* the right meaning.

    • Connections
      Featured in The World According to Smith & Jones: The Tudors (1987)

    User reviews27

    Review
    Top review
    6/10
    Good cast elevates a standard period piece about the girlhood of Elizabeth I
    The tale is told in flashback by her former governess Catherine Ashley (Kay Walsh), just before Bess' Coronation ceremony. Film follows Bess from birth to her falling in love with another woman's husband through Court politics and treachery.

    Charles Laughton is good, if somewhat hammy, as King Henry VIII. His deathbed scene takes forever.

    Deborah Kerr is OK as the rather frail Katharine Parr, sixth wife of Henry VIII; she looks too healthy and pretty to be ill. Apparently, she's afflicted with a dread disease that leaves her looking lovely, with perfect make-up, not a hair out of place and in soft focus, while it kills. Actually, Parr died in childbirth after becoming immediately pregnant with Thomas Seymour's child after her marriage, while her four year marriage to Henry produced no offspring. This rather puts to bed (pardon the saying) Henry's affirmation that Henry was virile and sexually active up to his death. But I digress. Stewart Granger's Thomas Seymour is appropriately heroic and apparently gifted with second sight. It's too bad he wasn't gifted with two heads.

    Simmons is very good in the title role. Her voice has the commanding tones of one accustomed to being obeyed, and she convincingly ages from around ten to age 25. She is the best part of the film.

    Director George Sidney uses a subtle and effective trick to get the viewer on Simmons' side. In her scenes, the furniture is immense (in one scene, she sits in a chair that is twice her size), suggesting that Bess is dwarfed by the events taking place around her.

    The film received well deserved Oscar nominations for Best Art Direction and Costumes. "Young Bess" is a good showcase for Simmons' acting talents.
    helpful•5
    0
    • AlsExGal
    • Jun 25, 2017

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 29, 1953 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Die Thronfolgerin
    • Filming locations
      • Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $2,423,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 52 minutes

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