Elizabeth I's love for the Earl of Essex threatens to destroy her kingdom.
This period drama frames the tumultuous affair between Queen Elizabeth I and the man who would be King of England.
The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939) is a drama, history and romance film directed by Michael Curtiz, released on November 11, 1939 with a runtime of 1h 46m. It stars Bette Davis, Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland and Donald Crisp. Viewers rate it 6.3 out of 10 across 100 ratings.
Watch the official trailer for The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex before you stream it.
Bette Davis
as Queen Elizabeth
Errol Flynn
as The Earl of Essex
Olivia de Havilland
as Lady Penelope Gray
Donald Crisp
as Francis Bacon
Alan Hale
as The Prince of Tyrone
Vincent Price
as Sir Walter Raleigh
Henry Stephenson
as Lord Burghley
Henry Daniell
as Sir Robert Cecil
James Stephenson
as Sir Thomas Egerton
Nanette Fabray
as Mistress Margaret Radcliffe
Ralph Forbes
as Lord Knollys
Robert Warwick
as Lord Mountjoy
Directed by Michael Curtiz, written by Æneas MacKenzie, Norman Reilly Raine and Maxwell Anderson.
Average viewer score of 6.3/10 from 100 ratings.
Bette Davis; Errol Flynn some swash, buckle and a rousing Korngold score - what more could you want? This is a sumptuous costume drama based on the real life story of an elderly Queen Elizabeth's infatuation with the much younger and more reckless Earl of Essex. There is an engaging chemistry between them - though the script does rather drag at times; and the usual suspects in support - including Olivia de…
Reviewed on June 22, 2022
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The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939) is available to stream on HBO Max Amazon Channel and IndieFlix Shorts Amazon Channel, and to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube and Fandango At Home. Streaming availability is checked against JustWatch data and can change by region.
The main cast of The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939) includes Bette Davis, Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Donald Crisp and Alan Hale. The film was directed by Michael Curtiz. You can see the full cast and crew list, with character names, further up this page.
The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex was released on November 11, 1939 and runs for 1h 46m.
The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939) holds an average rating of 6.3 out of 10 from 100 viewer votes, and is a good pick if you enjoy drama, history and romance films. Read the viewer reviews on this page to decide for yourself.
Yes. The official The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex trailer is embedded in the trailer section of this page and plays instantly, no download or sign-up required.
