Young Bess (1953)

The young Elizabeth I (Jean Simmons) is in love with Thomas Seymour (Stewart Granger) who is married to the widow (Deborah Kerr) of her father, Henry VIII (Charles Laughton). Based on the novel by Margaret Irwin and directed by George Sidney (THE HARVEY GIRLS). A Hollywoodized glossy version of English history (meaning historically inaccurate). It's a gorgeous watch, what with the MGM art department pulling out all the stops, Walter Plunkett's sumptuous costumes (both Oscar nominated) and a rich Miklos Rozsa score. But there's precious little substance and director Sidney seems out of his element with costume drama. Even Laughton returning to his former Oscar winning triumph as Henry VIII (PRIVATE LIFE OF HENRY VIII) can't seem to summon up more than a shadow of his previous performance and poor Deborah Kerr seems pitifully wasted. Still, it's not dull and I suppose we can be grateful for that. Co-starring Kay Walsh, Kathleen Byron, Guy Rolfe, Cecil Kellaway, Elaine Stewart (as Anne Boleyn), Dawn Addams, Norma Varden, Alan Napier, Leo G. Carroll and young Rex Thompson (THE KING AND I) as the young King Edward.