Over the past many months, Warner Archive has afforded me the opportunity to explore the career of the great director Michael Curtiz with one beautiful restoration after another. It is truly a wonder to plunge the depths of such a prolific individual, as he easily maneuvered from horrific spine-tinglers such as Doctor X to lighthearted musicals such as Romance On The High Seas and everything in-between. One standout between these two narratives is the ambitious historical drama The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex from 1939. The film was not just a notable undertaking for adapting the well-respected Broadway play Elizabeth the Queen by Maxwell Anderson, which fictionalizes the historical relationship between Queen Elizabeth I and Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex. It also reunited the highly volatile Bette Davis (The Letter) with Errol Flynn (The Adventures of Robin Hood) in which they had to camouflage their contempt for one another as true love. With audiences unaware of behind-the-scenes drama, the film turned into a decent hit and stands as a notable achievement in each career.
Queen Elizabeth I has to be one of the most oft-portrayed figures in all of film, but Bette Davis put her stamp on the character early on in film history in a way that has rarely been topped. Perhaps tapping into some of her own issues, Davis imbues the Queen with a palpable insecurity and suspicion of those who seek to threaten her reign. The closest person she has in her life is the much-beloved Earl of Essex (Errol Flynn), whose popularity and known ambition proves to be a major obstacle to the secret couple. With love between them, Elizabeth often has to choose the path of showcasing a brutal act of strength rather than give into her desires and be happy on a personal level. While Davis was still relatively young at this point, she taps into a mode similar to her Whatever Happened To Baby Jane? territory in which she casts aside glamor for something more raw and immediate. Flynn, on the other hand, does not do much to elevate the Earl of Essex above a pretty face and surface-deep emotions. His is not a poor performance by any means, but when you are acting opposite one of the greats like Davis, it is hard to compare.
These two are surrounded by a number of talented individuals that gives the ensemble some notable traits. With the Earl of Essex being the “golden boy” of the court, there are numerous figures looking to take him down a peg including figures played by Henry Daniell, Henry Stephenson, and even Vincent Price, who has an entertaining turn as Sir Walter Raleigh. Essex is not completely isolated at court, though, as figures such as Francis Bacon (Donald Crisp) are around to combat some of the scheming being planned by these opportunists. He is also the object of affection for Lady Penelope Grey (Olivia de Havilland, Gone With The Wind), who serves to imperil the life of Essex more than anyone thanks to her selfish actions. De Havilland has been able to portray more nuanced characters than this one, but she brings some character to this agent of chaos. At the end of the day, this particular love story leans more toward tragedy, but all of the figures involved bring the necessary emotion to make it work.
The idea of a historical drama from the 1930s may not seem the most exciting prospect to many, but this is where director Michael Curtiz really enhances the material. He has a real eye for what makes the material sing, and he cuts no corners when it comes to delivering a sumptuous feast for the eyes. The film thrives on deception and subterfuge to ramp up the interpersonal tension, but even the more broadly focused audiences should delight in the bigger set pieces in which Essex is leading his men into a battle in Ireland. The marriage of material, performers and director makes The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex a really strong entry into a genre that can often feel quite stuffy and unapproachable. Bette Davis is a firecracker who rarely disappoints on screen, and those who are a fan of hers or the charming Errol Flynn should have quite a fun time immersing themselves in the fictionalized drama of this story.
Video Quality
Warner Archive presents The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex with a stunning new 1080p master transfer sourced from a 4K scan of the original Technicolor negatives. Even with a film of this age, Warner Archive continues to show why they are considered one of the best companies in the business when it comes to their transfers. This presentation is certainly among the strongest I have seen for a classic film, which is a pleasure to say with such detail on display. The level of detail and clarity is miraculous with a pleasing amount of natural film grain intact. The black levels are incredibly deep with an excellent stability throughout. The film features some eye-popping colors within the costumes and settings that leap off the screen with a vibrant intensity. The film appears to be almost entirely free of dirt and damage, which gives it a timeless quality that enhances your appreciation of the feature. There does not appear to be any jarring digital anomalies such as compression artifacts, banding or any other such nuisances. This presentation is a standout effort from Warner Archive on all fronts.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray comes with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that is simply outstanding. The track balances vocals with the hushed whispers of the court and the occasional music with magnificent clarity. Normal dialogue comes through clearly from beginning to end. The powerful score that gives this film so much life is presented in a way that sounds great while maintaining fidelity. There are moments where there is a whirlwind of activity on the battlefield pushing the track to its limits with all of the competing elements, but it maintains its fidelity without fault. Warner Archive has provided a stellar audio presentation that does not exhibit any glaring signs of age-related wear-and-tear. The disc also comes with optional English (SDH) subtitles.
Special Features
- Warner Night at the Movies
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- Intro by Leonard Maltin: A four-minute introduction from the esteemed film critic in which he discusses this special collection of material that transports you back to this time as if you were discovering this film in a theater.
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- Dark Victory Trailer: A three-minute trailer for the Betty Davis classic is included here.
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- Newsreel: A two-minute news bulletin which discusses some of the war developments of the time, women’s fashion and fishing.
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- WB Cartoon – Old Glory: A nine-minute Merrie Melodies cartoon presented in HD which features Porky Pig learning a bit of American history from Uncle Sam.
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- WB Short – The Royal Rodeo: A 14-minute short in which a bored monarch looks to inject some fun into his life by inviting the rodeo to his kingdom. This is a fun divergence from the typical palace drama.
- Elizabeth & Essex – Battle Royale: A nearly 11-minute featurette in which historians and even a performer shares stories about the production of the film that sounded like a real bad time for nearly everyone involved. The personalities of Davis and Flynn were not meant to coexist which led to a lot of behind-the-scenes drama.
- Theatrical Trailer: The three-and-a-half minute trailer is provided here which plays up the epic roots of the story.
Final Thoughts
The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex offers up the chance for Bette Davis to deliver some of her finest work. Errol Flynn cannot quite match her greatness, but his performance is solid in this nuanced character role. Michael Curtiz lovingly captures the elegance and visual majesty of the story to elevate it above the typical period drama. Warner Archive has released a truly splendid Blu-Ray with a magnificent A/V presentation and an impressive array of special features. Those who have been waiting for this one to hit Blu-Ray should be very pleased by this release. Recommended
The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex can be purchased directly through the Warner Archive Amazon Store or various other online retailers.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Warner Archive has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
