England’s Queen Elizabeth I is a renowned and complicated historical figure who made unique contributions to Western civilization, therefore, there are plenty of movies about Elizabeth I to choose from. While the English royal family has always been a source of interest for viewers across the globe, shows like The Crown and The Tudors have kept that spark of intrigue alive. The line of succession in British history is a bloody one, full of political intrigue, scandal, and reform that makes for great television and movies. However, few royals are remembered as Elizabeth I was, and she has quite a unique place in history.
One of England’s most esteemed monarchs, Queen Elizabeth I is known as the “Virgin Queen,” as she famously never married. She brought her domain into the Golden Age after the oppressive rule of her sisters and King Henry VIII before her. There are many accomplishments to her estimable name, making the sheer amount of TV shows and movies about Elizabeth I quite understandable. Under her reign, England became a flourishing world power with a stable economy, a functional government, and a central hub for emerging artists. There’s a lot to explore and learn about her time on the throne, and movies about Elizabeth I have audiences covered.
Elizabeth (1998)
In one of her best movies, Cate Blanchett stars as Elizabeth Tudor in the 1998 historical drama film Elizabeth, arguably one of the best movies about Elizabeth I. This film centers on the female monarch’s ascension to the throne after her sister Mary I’s (more commonly referred to as “Bloody Mary”) death and Elizabeth’s early years as Queen. There is also a plotline focusing on the ill-fated secret romance of Elizabeth Tudor and Sir Robert Dudley (Joseph Fiennes) as she remains married to her county, unwilling to give up her power in a political alliance with other suitors. The film is an intriguing character study, artfully played out by Blanchett.
Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007)
Nearly a decade later, Elizabeth: The Golden Age is the sequel to the 1998 production Elizabeth, seeing Blanchett star as the Queen once again in one of the best movies about Elizabeth I. This addition attempts to pick up later in the reign than where its preceding film left off. Blanchett continues to bring unwavering confidence yet stark empathy to the role, acting as Elizabeth Tudor who leads England into a golden era, despite dealing with the strained relationship with Spain and that of her own subjects. This sequel also serves as a standalone film. Viewers do not need to have seen the first film to understand this addition.
Fire Over England (1937)
Coming out around the same time as The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex, Fire Over England is a black-and-white production. The narrative follows a naval officer that discovers Spain’s plan to fight against England. This superficial and narrow plot leads the young man to win the heart of one of Queen Elizabeth’s ladies in waiting. Fire Over England, is still one of the most important movies about Elizabeth I, because the actress who plays her, Flora Robson, adds an essence of elegance to the character, and her unnamed lady-in-waiting, played by Vivien Leigh, is a gem of an actress who beguiles the audience in this dramatic narrative.
Shakespeare In Love (1998)
Best Picture Oscar winner Shakespeare In Love is a must-watch film and definitively one of the best movies about Elizabeth I. This is a movie that hearkens to the heart of a hopeless romantic. While it focuses mostly on the relationship between the famous playwright Shakespeare (Joseph Finnies) and his lover Viola (Gwyneth Paltrow), Queen Elizabeth (Judi Dench) also makes an appearance, as she is the person that judges whether or not Shakespeare’s play can truly capture the nature of love in its authenticity. As usual, Dench puts on a stunning performance as she carefully pulls the strings of the narrative, and thus is a particular highlight of the critically beloved film.
The Private Lives Of Elizabeth And Essex (1939)
Coming out shortly after Fire Over England, The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex was originally released in black and white, but has since been remastered into a color production. This film covers the tumultuous relationship between Queen Elizabeth and the Earl of Essex, as their relationship stays hidden because the Queen refuses to give her power up by marriage and wishes to remain the nation’s Virgin Queen. This is a great film for cinephiles and history buffs alike, and one of the most quintessential movies about Elizabeth I. Bette Davis and Errol Flynn star in this film as Queen Elizabeth and Robert Devereux, the Earl of Essex.
The Virgin Queen (1955)
Bette Davis reclaims her role as Queen Elizabeth in the 1955 film, The Virgin Queen. In one of the many movies about Elizabeth I, the plot in this film is relatively simple. With the discovery of the New World, explorer Sir Walter Raleigh (Richard Todd) seeks the Queen’s consent to travel to America; however, when the Virgin Queen is hesitant, he works to seduce her in hopes that her newfound fondness for him will allow him to set sail. Davis once again plays Elizabeth I with a quiet austerity but beneath this public veneer is a fair and gracious monarch. It may not be Bette Davis’ most iconic role, but it’s one of her best.
Orlando (1992)
While this Shakespearean play is centered on Orlando rather than Queen Elizabeth I, the reigning monarch plays an important role in the plot and the film adaptation is one of the best movies about Elizabeth I. In Orlando, the reigning monarch (played by Quentin Crisp) allowed Orlando (Tilda Swinton) to inherit the lands that belonged to his family because she believed who he was as a person. Later, Orlando struggles to hold onto those lands after waking up in a different century as a woman. It’s definitely worth the watch as both Swinton and Crisp provide powerhouse performances through the lens of Shakespeare’s masterful storytelling.
Elizabeth I (2005)
One of the best movie actresses of all time, Helen Mirren portrays the iconic monarch, Queen Elizabeth, in the 2005 two-part miniseries Elizabeth I. Alongside Mirren as the Queen, Jeremy Irons plays the Duke of Essex, and Hugh Dancy is Earl of Leicester. While not one of the many movies about Elizabeth I, instead telling a fuller tale with a TV format, the show’s creators took a different spin with this narrative by telling the story of Queen Elizabeth’s final days as reigning monarch, rather than her ascension to the throne, the rivalry with Mary, Queen of Scots, or a chronological plotline following events during her nearly fifty-year reign.
Elizabeth I: The Virgin Queen (2005)
Movies about Elizabeth I don’t have the runtime to explore her entire influential reign. Therefore, the miniseries format is ideal for fully delving into Queen Elizabeth’s impact on England, and the show Elizabeth I: The Virgin Queen delves into her life with surprising depth. Starring Anne-Marie Duff (during her run on the UK Shameless series) as the titular monarch, this 2006 miniseries attempts to cover the entirety of Queen Elizabeth Tudor’s life, from infancy to death. In the matter of four episodes, the show details the tyrannical rule of her sister, Queen Mary I (Joanne Whalley), the love affair with Robert Dudley (Tom Hardy), and her last years of life.
Reign (2013-2017)
While CW’s Reign starts out as following Mary Stuart’s (Adelaide Kane) attempt to regain her throne, halfway through the series, Reign is written to include Queen Elizabeth’s (Rachel Skarsten) efforts to maintain her power. It is written as a rivalry between the two monarchs, with both fearing of usurped crowns and recognizing that they were both female pawns on the political chessboard of monarchies, hierarchies, and birthright. The TV show Reign is also known for the show’s costuming. Even though it is based in the 1500s, the costume designer pulls modern fashion in order to create a young adult show that is both historical and intriguing to its demographics.
