The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex

10 reviews for The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex

1. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   Leo Hott – January 31, 2023

   A must have for Flynn & Davis fans!!!!
   Errol Flynn was quite possibly at his peek, as far as looks & physicality during the filming of this movie, its ashamed there isn’t more action fencing with blades that is. There is plenty of fencing with word’s between these star crossed lovers! Much is made of Bette Davis’s performance in this film and while her acting is terrific I feel they went a little overboard trying to exaggerate the age difference between the two star’s! She almost appears frightening, making the romance almost unbelievable!!! I always thought this would have been better with Flora Robson playing Queen Elizabeth. The chemistry in "The Sea Hawk" between Errol Flynn & Flora Robson worked incredibly well !! I think Flora Robson definitely had the acting ability to pull this movie off! And had she been cast opposite of Errol Flynn in this it would have been Flora’s third appearance in motion pictures as Queen Elizabeth!!! But no one can deny Bette Davis does’ a great job in this film but for me she looks more creepy than older. Errol Flynn is acting his butt off, but I think the public being so used to his physical feats of swashbuckling were constantly waiting for some flashy duel’s and missed his fiery performance!!! This is one of those film’s that the more you watch it the more you pick up from it. There is action galore just not the kind your used to seeing in a period piece with Errol Flynn. While it says on the disc cover that this film is preserved in its theatrical ratio it fills the entire screen this can only mean that it is in anamorphic widescreen or it has been panned & scanned. The costumes are beautifully opulent for this time period & accurate. Even the armor is very artistically made with stunning inlays & pattern welding! This has all the gorgeous vivid color one expects to see in a big budget epic from the 50’s & 60’s era of movie making as well as some great cinematography a incredible feat considering how much of this film takes place inside. This is a must have for fan’s of both Davis & Flynn as they both deliver great performances!!! I am a huge fan of period piece’s and this movie is visually stunning & with its star studded cast it has Oscar written all over it!!! While this may not be a historically accurate story it is certainly historically accurate as far as weapons, armor & costume’s, it is like peaking back through time!!!

2. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   Jack E. Levic – January 31, 2023

   THE GLORY OF OLD HOLLYWOOD IN A DELIGHTFUL PERIOD PIECE STARRING ERROL FLYNN AND BETTE DAVIS
   THE PRIVATE LIVES OF ELIZABETH AND ESSEX is a magnificent film from the glory days of Hollywood when the story and the spectacular mattered. Special effects were simple and the cast and story ruled the day. There is a lot to praise about PRIVATE LIVES featuring some of the biggest stars and character actors of 1939. If you are a fan of Bette Davis or Errol Flynn or classic movies in general, you can’t miss this outstanding trip to old Hollywood.

   Davis was born to play Queen Elizabeth I of England. In fact, she played Elizabeth again in 1955. Here is youthful Errol Flynn at his sexiest. Although Davis is close to Flynn’s age she portrays an older Elizabeth obsessed with losing her youth and looks and ability to bewitch male admirers. Look for a young Vincent Price as Sir Walter Raleigh along with young Olivia de Havilland and Nanette Fabray. As I write these words, de Havilland and Fabray are the last living stars from this 1939 film.

   I’ve read a lot about Elizabeth I and I know Hollywood has always tinkered with the facts. PRIVATES LIVES follows history to a broad extent. Elizabeth and the Earl of Essex (Flynn) did seem to have some sort of attraction fueled by each one’s wild ambition. Elizabeth and Essex clash on all levels. Did he love her as she loved him? Only history knows.

   Here is all the glory and splendor of a 1939 Hollywood extravaganza. Obviously, it was mostly filmed in sound stages with some local California filling in (not very realistically) for England. Acting is top notch and Flynn and Davis have a wild chemistry despite their alleged mutual distaste for each other. As another reviewer wrote, "they don’t make them like this anymore." PRIVATE LIVES is a delightful spectacle to watch and enjoy. The acting is beyond compare and the lush and gorgeous period costumes are enchanting. It’s a step back into time when the story and the actors ruled the celluloid world.

3. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   Mark W. Norton – January 31, 2023

   Blu-Ray is a MAJOR Upgrade over the 2005 DVD!
   For Flynn, Davis, deHavilland, and Price fans this film is of course a delight, but I just want to comment on how wonderful the film looks on the new Warner Archive Blu-ray. The Technicolor hues pop out in every scene, with lifelike skin tones, textures, and especially the colorful costumes. After viewing the film I compared it to the 2005 Warner DVD and the differences were dramatic: the older disc had many print imperfections, faded color, and that defect that makes the colors look like they’re not quite synced up correctly. The other recent releases that impressed me this much are the 4K Ten Commandments and the Shout! Factory release of The Masque of the Red Death. Thanks to Warner for the usual excellent job on their Archive releases. This is a demonstration-quality disc in every way!

4. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   Scarlett O'Hara – January 31, 2023

   Glorious Transfer in 4k.
   The transfer is amazing!! Sound is excellent also. Sharp and clear. I am sure the film looks better now than first released in 1939. Acting…Music and Orry Kelly’s incredible costumes make this a must have Blu ray!!
   Olivia de Havilland is a lovely Penelope. Film gets better and better with multiple viewings. 1939 was truly Hollywood’s Golden Year. And one of Bette’s best years. 4 major hits for her in 1939. Dark Victory ( for which she was nominated) …..Juarez…..The Old Maid….and The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex. What a year for her. Foretelling what was ahead of her in the 40’s. She was Warner Brothers Queen!!!

5. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   David W. – January 31, 2023

   PERHAPS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL COLOR I HAVE EVER SEEN IN A FILM
   This is a great movie—in and of itself—but what really impressed me was the extraordinary Technicolor. The transfer of this print is stunning and the attention to detail with color pairings and color schemes—particularly in the costumes by Orry-Kelly—makes this film a must-see. Errol Flynn is effortlessly charming and Bette Davis gives a powerful performance as Queen Elizabeth. Her subtle reference to the Queen’s pockmarked skin, from the lead-based makeup ceruse—and its ensuing nerve damage resulting in nervous ticks and body flinches—is remarkable to watch.

6. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   Trevor – January 31, 2023

   Superb picture quality…..
   I believe Warner applied their super resolution process to this three strip Technicolor movie resulting in perfect alignment of the negatives (with no color fringes as evident on the previous DVD) and superb picture quality. This is a demonstration disc to show your friends what can be achieved with modern technology.

7. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   M. Bonanno – January 31, 2023

   Bette Davis at her best!
   When I was a little girl I saw this movie many times when it was shown on TV. Recently I have been enjoying all of Bette Davis movies one by one. Modern movies and TV do not hold my interest so I decided to go back in time and review all of her movies. This one is one of my favorites.

   There cannot be any question about the quality and effectiveness of Bette Davis as an actress. She is so believable in what ever costume or attitude you view her. In my opinion she deserves the title of the best actress that Hollywood has ever produced for all time. The movie is based on fact and I like history and autobiography. History is more interesting than make believe even with the wonderful embelleshments of costume and elaborate sets that only the Golden Age of Hollywood produced.

   The costumes of this movie are so incredible, they alone inspire creativity and wonder. Created by the wonderful Ory Kelly, who dressed Bette Davis in a some of her best films, they captured my attention as a child and they have not lost their power to mesmerize. Some artistry is dead in Hollywood now and great costume design is one art that is gone forever. If you want to see a good movie with a great story, acted by the best actress of all time and dressed by the best costume designer, this movie is for you.

8. 

   Rated 4 out of 5

   James M. Shertzer – January 31, 2023

   A little stodgy but fine
   Another glorious Technicolor restoration from Warner Archive that looks like a print fresh from the lab. Incredible for a film more than 80 years old. The chief problem is, while they are individually good, there is little chemistry between Davis and Flynn.

9. 

   Rated 2 out of 5

   Helana Williams – January 31, 2023

   Boring
   The storyline dragged on. Don’t think this is the movie that I was trying to find. Worst performance by Bette Davis I’ve seen; and I love her movies.

10. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    Jeff L – January 31, 2023

    Beautiful transfer
    If you enjoy this film get the blu ray.
    Color corrected and no Technicolor blurring like the DVD print.
    Wonderful classic film and a feast for the eyes.