A Great and Spectacular Drama!
The mother died under the executioner's axe; the daughter rose to become England's greatest monarch -- the brilliant and cunning Queen Elizabeth I. Jean Simmons portrays young Bess in this rich tapestry of a film that traces the tumultuous, danger-fraught years from Elizabeth's birth to her unexpected ascension to the throne at a mere 25. Charles Laughton reprises his Academy Award®-winning* role as her formidable father Henry VIII. Deborah Kerr plays her last stepmother (and Henry's last of six wives), gentle Catherine Parr. And Simmons' then real-life husband, Stewart Granger, adds heroics as Lord Admiral Thomas Seymour. In a resplendent world of adventure, romance and court intrigue, Young Bess reigns.
Young Bess (1953) is a drama, history and romance film directed by George Sidney, released on May 29, 1953 with a runtime of 1h 52m. It stars Jean Simmons, Stewart Granger, Deborah Kerr and Charles Laughton. Viewers rate it 5.8 out of 10 across 22 ratings.
Watch the official trailer for Young Bess before you stream it.
Jean Simmons
as Young Bess (Queen Elizabeth I)
Stewart Granger
as Thomas Seymour
Deborah Kerr
as Catherine Parr
Charles Laughton
as King Henry VIII
Kay Walsh
as Mrs. Ashley
Guy Rolfe
as Ned Seymour
Kathleen Byron
as Ann Seymour
Cecil Kellaway
as Mr. Parry
Rex Thompson
as Prince Edward / King Edward VI
Robert Arthur
as Barnaby
Leo G. Carroll
as Mr. Mums
Norma Varden
as Lady Tyrwhitt
Directed by George Sidney, written by Margaret Irwin, Arthur Wimperis and Jan Lustig, produced by Sidney Franklin.
Average viewer score of 5.8/10 from 22 ratings.
Maybe not quite how it actually happened, but this was Hollywood, remember. Jean Simmons plays the Princess Elizabeth brought up in rags and riches depending on the whim of her father Henry VIII (rather rumbustiously played by Charles Laughton). Meantime Thomas Seymour (a handsome, swashbuckling rogue played by Stewart Granger) is marrying Henry's widow Catherine Parr (Deborah Kerr) and so we have our…
Reviewed on December 24, 2022
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Young Bess (1953) is available to stream on HBO Max Amazon Channel and HBO Max. Streaming availability is checked against JustWatch data and can change by region.
The main cast of Young Bess (1953) includes Jean Simmons, Stewart Granger, Deborah Kerr, Charles Laughton and Kay Walsh. The film was directed by George Sidney. You can see the full cast and crew list, with character names, further up this page.
Young Bess was released on May 29, 1953 and runs for 1h 52m.
Young Bess (1953) holds an average rating of 5.8 out of 10 from 22 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 Young Bess trailer is embedded in the trailer section of this page and plays instantly, no download or sign-up required.
