AniInterview Sorry, this movie sucks

Kailansorac Clever, believable, and super fun to watch. It totally has replay value.

SeeQuant Blending excellent reporting and strong storytelling, this is a disturbing film truly stranger than fiction

Jemima It's a movie as timely as it is provocative and amazingly, for much of its running time, it is weirdly funny.

Hot 888 Mama . . . when this documentary was released in 1955. As the filming began, The Pill had not yet been invented, so it was ASSUMED that Liz was THE VIRGIN QUEEN. (Current polls prove that most Britishers wish that she'd STAYED that way, now that they've gotten a load of Prince Charles.) This flick proves that Chuck is just a chip off the Old Block in ditching HIS young Diana for a geriatric Camille. His Mom Liz is shown here dumping a lad by the name of Walt before hooking up (off-screen) with her near-Centenarian of Today, Phillip. Though the Teutonic Tudors renamed themselves after a Canadian Village (Windsor) as a Public Relations Stunt during World War Two, their Prussian Roots are still highly visible at the beginning of Liz's seemingly Endless Reign as depicted here in THE VIRGIN QUEEN's costumes. Just as this Corgi Whisperer would later drive her own sister to an Early Grave by nixing Margaret's marriage, a few years prior to THAT fiasco Liz tries to have her Cake and Eat It Too here by vetoing Walt's shot-gun wedding to his knocked-up Sweetie, Beth. (It's truly amazing how much Royal Trauma the invention of The Pill has alleviated.)

tamarenne I cannot help but be disappointed by the reviews this movie has thusfar received in IMDb, but not surprised. With respect to Glenda Jackson and Cate Blanchett, neither of those ladies can hold a patch on the brilliant Bette Davis, perhaps the greatest actress ever, as the immortal Queen Elizabeth I, perhaps the greatest monarch that England ever knew. Whether or not the movie is weak history, the movie shines as a vehicle for La Davis. Richard Todd gives a decent performance, although I submit he has neither the acting chops nor the charisma of Errol Flynn. But he serves well in the role. The costumes, cinematography and screenplay are bright and arresting. And like it or not, Bette Davis' brilliant, mannered, and astoundingly powerful depiction of Queen Elizabeth I has informed every ensuing depiction of the Virgin Queen

Nazi_Fighter_David On his return to England in 1581, after fighting honorably and victoriously in the Irish War, Walter Raleigh (Richard Todd) makes his way to Lord Leicester (Herbert Marshall), a confidant of Queen Elizabeth (Bette Davis). Lord Leicester is so impressed with his good looking and self-confidence, that he arranges for him an introduction at Court… Raleigh, hoping to gain the queen's attention so he can interest her in sponsoring his ambition to sail to the New World and return with great loots, orders a costly blue cape he cannot afford…By laying it over a mud puddle in her path as she crosses the palace courtyard, Raleigh got what he deeply desires… Formerly presented to her and openly inspired with a foolish and excessive passion, Queen Elizabeth appoints him as Captain of the Guard against the advice of Chadwick (Jay Robinson), a counselor whose dislike of Raleigh is unrestricted… Once in the Palace, and close to the queen, Raleigh falls in love with one of her beautiful attendants, Beth Throgmorton (Joan Collins), who feels she is competing with the queen for Raleigh's kindness… In a position to have entire faith in the queen, Raleigh tells her of his hope of being sent to the New World to seek fortunes… Indulgent at first, Elizabeth finally considers his offer and promises him one ship for his expedition… On the eve of his departure, Elizabeth knights Raleigh in her bed-chamber ignoring that, while awaiting her decision, he has married Beth in a secret ceremony… It all makes for a pretty interesting historical motion picture not to be missed

bkoganbing The Virgin Queen marks Bette Davis's second go around as Elizabeth I of England. The first and better known film was done in 1939, The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex. The action in that film takes place at almost the very end of her regime in 1602. Bette Davis who was 31 at the time was made up to look the 66 that Elizabeth was then. This film takes place 15 years earlier, but Bette is now 47, a lot closer in age to the real Elizabeth then. The film is a fictional account of the arrival of Sir Walter Raleigh at her court and what transpired therein. Raleigh is played by Richard Todd, the Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex, Raleigh was played by Vincent Price. These are two quite different Raleighs, Todd is here, self described as blunt speaking plain soldier who wants Elizabeth to give him a ship to explore the new world. By 1602, Price's Raleigh has become every bit the flattering courtier that he as Todd so despised.All royal courts are places of intrigue by their very nature, Elizabeth's even more so. First of all she was a woman who did like young handsome men around her. In her early days it was Robert Dudley, the Earl of Leicester played here by Herbert Marshall. Later on it was Christopher Hatton who is played by Robert Douglas. Then it was Raleigh and last the Earl of Essex, the protagonist in the earlier Davis Elizabethan role. These guys fought for her favor and she kind of enjoyed pitting them against each other. In addition she had the Cecils, uncle William and nephew Robert also serving here. There was no romantic attachment there and Francis Walsingham as well with no romance involved. Each one of these people had their good and bad qualities and served Elizabeth well in his own way.Also she was known as The Virgin Queen because she was unmarried though I doubt strongly she physically kept her virginity. She was the last of the line of Tudors, the succession was very much up in the air. The threat of civil war, like the War of the Roses in the previous century. None of these guys knew who would wind up succeeding her, they all had to be on nimble feet to make the right jump. A wrong decision could cost somebody his head.This is the background of what Raleigh was dealing with in Elizabeth's court. It's not true however that Christopher Hatton was the villain as shown here. He was battling for his survival like everybody else. What is true is that Raleigh while Elizabeth was drawn to him, was in turn drawn to Bess Throckmorton one of her ladies in waiting. He did secretly marry her and got her pregnant as the film states. And Elizabeth I got her dander up as she was wont to do.I'm sorry the Cecils and Walsingham were not included in this film. They were both very much on the scene, it's the biggest inaccuracy of the film.It's not good history, but fair enough entertainment. Note the presence here of both a young Joan Collins as Ms. Throckmorton and Dan O'Herlihy as Raleigh's Irish sidekick. Both do good jobs in their parts.