Take a look back at an old trailer…
Man, people worked more in the 1930s. Michael Curtiz has five other titles credited to him as director for 1939 besides this one. A movie like this today would consume a filmmaker for years, and he tossed it off between golf games.
I love how the trailer makes it seem like the story is all about Elizabeth as a capricious and dangerous ruler because she wasn’t getting laid enough (and maybe that’s an accurate representation of the film — I’ve never seen it). By the time Errol Flynn tells Bette Davis “I will love you always,” you have to wonder what else he could possibly respond to her “Do you love me?” if he doesn’t want to have to lead an army into war with the Portuguese or the Italians or whomever she might choose to open a can of lonely-lady whup-ass on out of sexual frustration.
“She’s a witch! I love her! I hate her! I adore her! *sigh*” Poor ol’ Errol…
The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex is available on DVD in Region 1 and Region 2.
