Mary of Scotland [DVD]

This early nineteen thirties film is a classic. It features a very young and exquisite Katherine Hepburn in the title role. Beautiful, unfettered, and but eighteen years of age, she arrives on Scottish soil unheralded. There, she meets with her bastard half brother, the Earl of Moray, sternly portrayed by Ian Keith, who has been acting as Regent on her behalf. It quickly becomes apparent from her half brother and the Scottish Lords that her reign will not be an easy one. Moreover, she is staunchly Catholic and Scotland is strongly Protestant, whipped to Calvinist fervor by John Knox, the Calvinist reformer. Yet, she, herself, preaches religious tolerance, but finds her thoughts on the matter rebuffed. Look for the wonderful Donald Crisp in the role of Lord Huntly, who alone supports her views.

She later meets the Earl of Bothwell, hammily and lustily played by Fredrick March, and it is love at first sight. Yet, she gives in to pressure and marries the Catholic, but dissolute, English Lord Darnley, foppishly played BY Douglas Walton. Unbeknownst to Mary, the Earl of Moray has been plotting with England's Queen Elizabeth to undermine her, and it is they who connived to put Lord Darnley in Mary's sights, knowing his weaknesses.

Lord Darnley, jealous of the Mary's affection for her Italian troubador and secretary, Riccio, played with touching loyalty by a cadaverous John Carradine, as well as of her apparent attraction to Bothwell, conspires with the Earl of Moray and some of the other Scottish Lords to have Riccio murdered. After his murder, Mary plays on Darnley's insecurities and together they flee the palace. Bothwell arrives in the nick of time to hold off the killers, while they get away.

Mary gives birth to James, the heir to the Scottish throne. Ultimately, Darnley himself is dispatched to his death. Mary and Bothwell marry and are hunted down. The Earl of Moray gives them terms that require Bothwell to go into exile, but promises that Mary may remain as queen. Bothwell leaves, but ultimately ends up in a Danish prison and dies insane. Mary, finds that the Earl of Moray's promise was a false one. His intention is to have her infant son, James, crowned King of Scotland, with himself ruling as Regent, until James reacheds his majority.

Mary flees Scotland and goes to England, expecting succor from her cousin, Elizabeth I. She finds only imprisonment. After years of house arrest, Mary is finally tried for treason, accused of plotting against her cousin, and beheaded. She died knowing that her son, James, would one day be King of England, as he was next in the line of succession, Elizabeth I having no children and not likely to have any.

This is a wonderful, classic film, with great, rousing bagpipe refrains throughout. Whlie it is a little hammy at times, it is still a wonderful piece of theatre. The cinematography is stark, almost chiaroscuro in effect, which contributes to its appeal. It is a very enjoyable film which should appeal to lovers of historical dramas and period pieces, as well as those who simply love a great film.

Mary was/is many a school-girl's heroine and her story is well-known. Mary, onetime consort of the young French king, who had died prematurely, comes to Auld Caledonia, where she is the rightful monarch. To the south, her cousin Elizabeth, Queen of England, fears the threat the Scottish queen represents, as she is next in line for the English throne. Mary, a Catholic, runs up against the Protestant leaders and the power-hungry, recalcitrant lords. To insure the succession to the throne and enhance her position, Mary married the weakling Lord Darnley whom she does not love.....Helen Hayes had played Mary to great acclaim on Broadway; while this picture will never go down in the books as one of the all-time greats, it did, however, display Hepburn's arresting and distictive personality in a role that called upon all her acting resources - and she revealed herself as an actress of greater range than was previously believed. Ford gave the film careful directorial handling, and it was handsomely mounted in all departments. March garnered excellent reviews as the bold and dashing Bothwell. Both Bette Davis and Ginger Rogers (!) fought for the role of Elizabeth I which was ultimately given to Florence Eldridge (Mrs. March) who did a commendable if not brilliant job playing Good Queen Bess.

This early nineteen thirties film is a classic. It features a very young and exquisite Katherine Hepburn in the title role. Beautiful, unfettered, and but eighteen years of age, she arrives on Scottish soil unheralded. There, she meets with her bastard half brother, the Earl of Moray, sternly portrayed by Ian Keith, who has been acting as Regent on her behalf. It quickly becomes apparent from her half brother and the Scottish Lords that her reign will not be an easy one. Moreover, she is staunchly Catholic and Scotland is strongly Protestant, whipped to Calvinist fervor by John Knox, the Calvinist reformer. Yet, she, herself, preaches religious tolerance, but finds her thoughts on the matter rebuffed. Look for the wonderful Donald Crisp in the role of Lord Huntly, who alone supports her views.

She later meets the Earl of Bothwell, hammily and lustily played by Fredrick March, and it is love at first sight. Yet, she gives in to pressure and marries the Catholic, but dissolute, English Lord Darnley, foppishly played by Douglas Walton. Unbeknownst to Mary, the Earl of Moray has been plotting with England's Queen Elizabeth to undermine her, and it is they who connived to put Lord Darnley in Mary's sights, knowing his weaknesses.

Lord Darnley, jealous of the Mary's affection for her Italian troubador and secretary, Riccio, played with touching loyalty by a cadaverous John Carradine, as well as of her apparent attraction to Bothwell, conspires with the Earl of Moray and some of the other Scottish Lords to have Riccio murdered. After his murder, Mary plays on Darnley's insecurities and together they flee the palace. Bothwell arrives in the nick of time to hold off the killers, while they get away.

Mary gives birth to James, the heir to the Scottish throne. Ultimately, Darnley himself is dispatched to his death. Mary and Bothwell marry and are hunted down. The Earl of Moray gives them terms that require Bothwell to go into exile, but promises that Mary may remain as queen. Bothwell leaves, but ultimately ends up in a Danish prison and dies insane. Mary, finds that the Earl of Moray's promise was a false one. His intention is to have her infant son, James, crowned King of Scotland, with himself ruling as Regent, until James reacheds his majority.

Mary flees Scotland and goes to England, expecting succor from her cousin, Elizabeth I. She finds only imprisonment. After years of house arrest, Mary is finally tried for treason, accused of plotting against her cousin, and beheaded. She died knowing that her son, James, would one day be King of England, as he was next in the line of succession, Elizabeth I having no children and not likely to have any.

This is a wonderful, classic film, with great, rousing bagpipe refrains throughout. Whlie it is a little hammy at times, it is still a wonderful piece of theatre. The cinematography is stark, almost chiaroscuro in effect, which contributes to its appeal (if one gets the black and white version). It is a very enjoyable film that should appeal to lovers of historical dramas and period pieces, as well as those who simply love a great film.