Mary of Scotland (film)
Mary of Scotland | |
---|---|
Joseph H. August Jack MacKenzie | |
Edited by | Jane Loring |
Music by | Nathaniel Shilkret |
Production company | |
Distributed by | RKO Radio Pictures |
Release dates |
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Running time | 123 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $864,000[2] |
Box office | $1,276,000[2] |
Mary of Scotland is a 1936 American
Plot
In 1561, Mary Stuart, the young widow of Francis II of France, sets sail for her native Scotland to re-establish herself as monarch. In spite of attempts by her politically insecure cousin, Queen Elizabeth of England, to prevent her from reaching Scotland, Mary lands safely with her Italian secretary, David Rizzio, and rides to Holyrood Palace near Edinburgh.
Immediately upon her arrival, Mary is confronted by her half brother, James Stewart, the Earl of Moray, who is the leader of the country's ruling noblemen, and is questioned about her devotion to Catholicism and her refusal to marry. While the noblemen select a council for Mary, the queen is denounced publicly as a "wicked" Catholic by John Knox, an outspoken Protestant leader. Knox's accusations are countered by the equally eloquent Earl of Bothwell, who in spite of his own Protestantism, pledges his loyalty to Mary and demands that he be named Scotland's military chief.
Enraged by Mary's success at charming her court, Elizabeth plots with Throckmorton, the new Scottish ambassador, to use Moray against her. At the same time, Rizzio encourages Mary to wed Lord Darnley, a Catholic who is the heir to the English crown after Elizabeth. Although she loves Bothwell, Mary rejects his proposal and marries the foppish Darnley. Soon after, Mary's council tries to force her to dismiss Rizzio and, when she refuses, goads the sexually frustrated Darnley into accusing the Italian of adultery. In Mary's bedroom, a group of Scottish lords murder Rizzio and, as a drunken Darnley watches, force the queen to sign a false confession of infidelity. Aided by Bothwell's loyal troops, Mary and Darnley escape and thwart Moray and Elizabeth's conspiracy.
A year after Mary gives birth to a boy, James, a still discontented Darnley threatens to disown his son as his legitimate heir. Before he is able to carry out his plan, however, Darnley is burned alive in his private refuge, which is destroyed by planted explosives. As Knox damns Bothwell as Darnley's murderer, the earl "kidnaps" Mary and, in defiance of the council, secretly marries her. Twenty days later, Moray abducts baby James, and the rebel lords attack Holyrod Castle. Outnumbered by Moray's troops, Bothwell finally agrees to leave Scotland if Mary is allowed to remain queen. In spite of his promises, Moray forces Mary to abdicate and, after imprisoning her, makes himself regent.
Eventually Mary escapes and, believing Elizabeth to support her cause, flees to England. Elizabeth, however, takes Mary prisoner and, after Bothwell dies a mad man in a Danish jail, puts her on trial for treason. Crushed by the news of Bothwell's death, Mary eagerly accepts her inevitable condemnation and refuses to renounce the Stuart claim to the English throne, even when offered clemency by Elizabeth. Satisfied that she has enjoyed a more rewarding life than the ambitious Elizabeth, Mary faces her execution with courage.[7]
Cast
- Katharine Hepburn as Mary, Queen of Scots
- Fredric March as the Earl of Bothwell
- Elizabeth of England
- Douglas Walton as Lord Darnley
- John Carradine as David Rizzio
- Robert Barrat as Morton
- Gavin Muir as Leicester
- James Stuart, Earl of Moray
- Moroni Olsen as John Knox
- William Stack as Lord Ruthven
- Ralph Forbes as Randolph
- Alan Mowbray as Throckmorton
- Frieda Inescort as Mary Beaton
- Donald Crisp as Huntly
- David Torrence as Lindsay
- Molly Lamont as Mary Livingston
- Anita Colby as Mary Fleming
- Jean Fenwick as Mary Seton
- Lionel Pape as Burghley
- Alec Craig as Donal
- Mary Gordon as Nurse
- Monte Blue as Messenger
- Leonard Mudie as Maitland
- Brandon Hurst as Airan
- Wilfred Lucas as Lexington
- D'Arcy Corrigan as Kirkcaldy
- Frank Baker as Douglas
- Cyril McLaglen as Faudoncide
- Doris Lloyd as Fisherman's Wife
- Robert Warwick as Sir Francis Knollys
- Murray Kinnell as a Judge
- Lawrence Grant as a Judge
- Ivan F. Simpsonas a Judge
- Nigel De Brulier as a Judge
- Barlowe Borland as a Judge
- Walter Byron as Walsingham
- Wyndham Standing as a Sergeant-at-Arms
- Earle Foxe as the Earl of Kent
- Paul McAllister as du Croche
- Lionel Belmore as a Fisherman
- Gaston Glass as the Frenchman
- Neil Fitzgerald as the Nobleman
- Tommy Bupp as Boy in Boat (uncredited)
- Robert Homans as Jailer (uncredited)
- Harry Tenbrook as Guard (uncredited)
- Bobs Watson as Fisherman's Son (uncredited)
Accuracy
The film does not keep close to the historical truth, portraying Mary as a wronged martyr and her third husband (James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell) as a romantic hero. While it is true that Bothwell was well known as a philanderer, his last marriage to Mary was genuine. Regarding Mary's historical status, the false imprisonment by Elizabeth I and Anglo Protestant intrigue in Scotland did undermine her claim to the throne of Scotland and the throne of England, making her a direct threat to Elizabeth I.
At the beginning of the movie, Mary is described as the legitimate heir of
Reception
Contemporary reviews were generally positive.
The film is not regarded well by critics today, and in its time, it was a
References
- Film Daily. New York: Wid's Films and Film Folk, Inc.: 2 July 27, 1936.
- ^ a b c Richard Jewel, 'RKO Film Grosses: 1931-1951', Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television, Vol 14 No 1, 1994 p. 57.
- ^ Variety film review; August 5, 1936, p. 16.
- ^ Harrison's Reports film review; July 25, 1936, p. 119.
- ^ "Mary of Scotland". www.tcm.com. Retrieved 2022-11-04.
- ^ "Answers - The Most Trusted Place for Answering Life's Questions". Answers.com.
- ^ "Catalog - Mary of Scotland - catalog.afi.com". AFI Catalog.
- ^ Nugent, Frank S. (July 31, 1936). "Movie Review – Mary of Scotland". The New York Times. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
- ^ "Mary of Scotland". Variety: 16. August 5, 1936.
- Film Daily: 7. July 24, 1936.
- ^ "Looking 'Em Over". Motion Picture Daily: 8. July 23, 1936.
- ^ Maloney, Russell (August 8, 1936). "The Current Cinema". The New Yorker. p. 52.