This analysis of how filmmakers have portrayed England’s Queen Elizabeth I (1533–1603), and the audience’s perception of Elizabeth based upon these portrayals, examines key representations of the Tudor monarch in various motion pictures from the Silent era on and in television miniseries.
Actresses who have portrayed Elizabeth include Bette Davis, Glenda Jackson, Judi Dench, Cate Blanchett and Helen Mirren; Quentin Crisp appeared as the Queen in Orlando (1992).
The text focuses on the historical context of the period in which each film or miniseries was made and1the extent of the portrayals of Elizabeth.
Instructors considering this book for use in a course may request an examination copy here.

Bethany Latham is an associate professor and electronic resources/documents librarian at Jacksonville State University in Alabama. Her articles have appeared in such publications as Reference Reviews and Library Journal. She is managing editor of The Historical Novels Review.

Bethany Latham
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 298
Bibliographic Info: 11 photos, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2011
pISBN: 978-0-7864-3718-4
eISBN: 978-0-7864-8514-7
Imprint: McFarland

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS      ix

PREFACE      1

1. Why Elizabeth I? A Look at the Life and Times of the Historical Elizabeth      3

2. The Silent Era: Divas and Aristocrats      16

Les Amours de la Reine Élisabeth (1912): Sarah Bernhardt      16

The Virgin Queen (1923): Diana Manners      34

3. Hollywood’s Golden Age: Bette Davis and Big- Budget Historicals      40

Mary of Scotland (1936): Florence Eldridge      41

Fire Over England (1937): Flora Robson      65

The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939): Bette Davis      76

The Sea Hawk (1940): Flora Robson      90

Young Bess (1953): Jean Simmons      101

The Virgin Queen (1955): Bette Davis      113

4. Hollywood, A.D.: Elizabethan Career Woman to Pop Culture      130

Mary, Queen of Scots (1971): Glenda Jackson      130

Elizabeth (1998): Cate Blanchett      148

Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007): Cate Blanchett      165

5. Glimpses of Elizabeth: The Bit Parts      179

Orlando (1992): Quentin Crisp      179

Shakespeare in Love (1998): Judi Dench      183

Alice in Wonderland (2010): Helena Bonham Carter      186

6. Serialized Elizabeth: The Miniseries      191

Elizabeth R (1971): Glenda Jackson      191

Blackadder II (1986): Miranda Richardson      216

Elizabeth I: The Virgin Queen (2005): Anne- Marie Duff      220

Elizabeth I (2005): Helen Mirren      239

7. Semper Eadem: The Evolving Elizabeth      267

CHAPTER NOTES      273

BIBLIOGRAPHY      277

INDEX      283