When Queen plays a Queen

Bette Davis played the Queen twice. She played her first in the film The Private Lives of Elizabeth Essex (1939). Errol Flynn once again plays the courtier, this time Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex, whose love for the Queen is not enough to prevent him seeking power. A convincing portrayal of Elizabeth from this
great actress and the real life tension between Flynn and Davis adds chemistry to their on screen performances.

Bette Davis wanted Laurence Olivier to play the role of Essex, and balked at
Warner's casting Errol Flynn. Flynn then went ahead and tried to have the title changed from the original
stage title ELIZABETH THE QUEEN to THE KNIGHT THE LADY . When Davis threatened to walk out, the studio hastily came up with the final title.

Bette Davis played the Queen secondly inTheVirgin Queen (1955), which is the story of Sir Walter Raleigh, played by Richard Rodd. A young Joan Collins stars as Raleigh's wife,
Bess Throckmorton.

Did you know?
After the Queen B. Watched a screening of The Private Lives of Elizabeth Essex once again in the seventies she had told to her friend and her co star Olivia De havilland that Errol Flynn
performance was very good :said Davis

" I think he was very good no ....he was Marvelous and I was wrong all the time"

I couldn't agree more!!!