The Other Boleyn Girl (2008)
Based on the historical novel by Philippa Gregory, this film (starring Natalie Portman as Anne, Scarlett Johansson as her less famous sister Mary, and Eric Bana as the King) tends to trivialize the issues of Henry VIII's reign ("I have torn this country apart for you," Henry angrily tells Anne. Really? We see no indication of it...) and does not adequately convey the passage of time, but is nonetheless worth seeing on the big screen for aficionados of royal costume dramas.
Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007)
Reprising her role as the title character, Cate Blanchett delivers a stellar performance in this visual feast, but the movie is marred by ponderous dialogue, gratuitous historical inaccuracies, and a transparently Whiggish caricature of Philip II of Spain (1527-1598; acceded 1556) (Jordi Mollà) and Catholicism. Why the filmmakers felt entitled to entirely replace the actual text of Elizabeth I's famous Speech to the Troops at Tilbury, one of the great patriotic orations of history, with feeble inanities of their own creation is beyond me.
The Tudors (2007-08) (TV)
Not much of a television watcher in general, I purchased digital cable solely in order to be able to view this series, and it was worth it. An excellent cast, featuring Jonathan Rhys Meyers as the young King Henry VIII, brings tremendous energy to a colorful and engrossing period production. Purists may be irked by the merging of Henry VIII's two sisters into one character and other incidents of dramatic license. While I understand the original intent of depicting the young, athletic Henry VIII before he became the obese tyrant of popular imagination, for the third season (coming in 2009 and beginning in 1536 when Henry was 45) they really need to start making Rhys Meyers (b. 1977) look older and fatter, because this is getting ridiculous, and no one is going to feel sorry for Catherine Howard if the King still looks like a 30-year-old movie star.
The Crown Prince (2006) (TV)
Max von Thun stars as Archduke Rudolf (1858-1889). I found it difficult to sympathize with his character, but I suspect that was more the fault of the actual Rudolf than the actor; in other words, an effective production that rings true, though I didn't think Sandra Ceccarelli quite captured the dreaminess of his mother Empress Elisabeth (1837-1898).
Goya's Ghosts (2006)
This engrossing period film on the rarely dramatized era of Spain during the Napoleonic wars is hard to pigeonhole ideologically, being hard on both the Church and the Revolution, and likely to make partisans of either alternately uncomfortable. Randy Quaid and Blanca Portillo are so convincing as King Carlos IV (1748-1819; reigned 1788-1808) and Queen Maria Luisa (1751-1819) that they might have stepped out of Goya's (Stellan Sjarsgård) portrait.
The Queen (2006)
With a riveting performance by Helen Mirren as Queen Elizabeth II, Stephen Frears's film transcends the republican sympathies of the director and writer to deliver an essentially sympathetic and inspiring inside look at the British royal family's difficult week following the death of Diana, Princess of Wales. (See my full review here.)
Marie Antoinette (2006)
Starring Kirsten Dunst, Sofia Coppola's adaptation of Antonia Fraser's biography offers a stunning rendition of the court at Versailles. (See my full review here.)
The Queen's Sister (2005) (TV)
Lucy Cohu, as Princess Margaret (1930-2002), stars valiantly in a rather ridiculous production which, trying to be clever and daring, succeeds only in being tedious.
Elizabeth I (2005) (TV)
Starring Helen Mirren in the title role, this superbly acted drama focuses on the queen's relationships with favorites Robert Dudley (Jeremy Irons) and Robert Devereux (Hugh Dancy).
The Virgin Queen (2005) (TV)
Anne-Marie Duff's performance and make-up convey the aging of this much-portrayed monarch more convincingly than any previous version.
Kingdom of Heaven (2005)
Ridley Scott's epic captures the spectacle but not the spirit of the Crusades, trivializing religious motivations and promoting an anachronistic agnostic pluralism. Edward Norton portrays Baldwin IV (reigned 1174-85), the leper King of Jerusalem.
The Libertine (2004)
John Malkovich portrays an authentically tolerant King Charles II in this compelling if necessarily unpleasant drama of the decline of the debauched Earl of Rochester (Johnny Depp).
Charles II: The Power & the Passion (2003) (TV)
Rufus Sewell brilliantly captures the character of Britain's King Charles II (1630-1685; acceded de jure 1649 / de facto 1660) in this excellent BBC drama.
Henry VIII (2003) (TV)
Ray Winstone delivers a credible performance as England's most notorious king (1491-1547; acceded 1509) in this enjoyable miniseries.
The Lost Prince (2003) (TV)
Stephen Poliakoff's drama is a well-acted and beautifully designed account of the short, sad, life of Prince John (1905-1919), youngest son of King George V.
The Lion in Winter (2003) (TV)
Andrei Konchalovsky's remake, starring Patrick Stewart as Henry II and Glenn Close as Eleanor, is respectable, even affecting at times, but somehow lacks the original's sense of authentically carrying personalities across eight centuries.
Luther (2003)
Starring Joseph Fiennes, this biopic absurdly whitewashes the founder of Protestantism, trying to turn him into a modern champion of religious freedom, but includes somewhat more believable portrayals of Elector Fredrick the Wise of Saxony (1463-1525) by the late Sir Peter Ustinov and Holy Roman Emperor Charles V (1500-1558) by Torben Liebrecht.
The Last Samurai (2003)
A powerfully moving tribute to Japanese traditionalists, loyal to their young Emperor Meiji (Shichinosuke Nakamura) even as they courageously battle his modernized army.
Prince William (2002) (TV)
Probably the best thing that can be said about this project, which the real Prince William almost certainly would have preferred never to have been made, is that it was not as bad as it could have been.
Napoléon (2002) (TV)
Interesting but (perhaps inevitably) jumpy and superficial A&E biopic of the legendary French emperor (1769-1821; reigned 1804-1815), a parvenu and usurper but nevertheless a key figure in royal history.
Victoria and Albert (2001) (TV)
Victoria Hamilton and Jonathan Firth star as Britain's longest reigning monarch (1819-1901; acceded 1837) and her beloved husband (1819-1861) in this lavish, sentimental, and quite believable depiction of their marriage.
Juana La Loca (Mad Love) (2001)
Excellent Spanish drama of the life of Fernando and Isabel's daughter Queen Juana of Castile (1479-1555), from her marriage in 1496 to the death of her husband King Felipe in 1506.
The Affair of the Necklace (2001)
This account of the scandal which contributed to the French Revolution tries unsuccessfully to create sympathy for the countess whose scheming destroyed the reputation of the innocent Queen Marie Antoinette (1755-1793).
L'Anglaise et le Duc (The Lady and the Duke) (2001)
This controversial film is the first French movie ever to depict the Revolution in an unambiguously negative light--a must-see for monarchists. A Scottish royalist living in revolutionary France is torn between her loyalty to King Louis XVI (never depicted) and her affection for his disloyal cousin the Duc d'Orleans (1747-1793).
Suriyothai (2001)
This heroic portrayal of a Siamese princess who sacrificed herself for her country sheds light on the history of a country which still reveres its monarchy today.
The Princess and the Marine (2001) (TV)
Marisol Nichols and Mark-Paul Gosselaar star in this forgettable dramatization of an affair between a Bahraini princess and an American soldier.
Vatel (2000)
Julian Sands portrays Louis XIV (1638-1715; acceded 1643) in this elegant adaptation of the story of the Prince de Condé's perfectionist steward.
Ferdinando e Carolina (1999)
This glimpse into the early married life of King Ferdinando III/IV of Naples & Sicily (1751-1825; acceded 1759) and Queen Maria Carolina (1752-1814) feels appealingly authentic in its earthiness, though occasionally the dialogue (or at least its subtitled translation) suggests a forced attempt to educate the audience, and the movie ends rather abruptly. Be sure to catch the amusingly anachronistic mistranslation of the nationality of the ambassador who comes to call on the young King.
Anna and the King (1999)
This film was banned in Thailand for historical inaccuracies in its depiction of the relationship between Siamese King Mongkut (1804-1868; acceded 1851) and British governess Anna Leonowens, but I enjoyed it.
Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc (1999)
A bit old for the role at 46, John Malkovich nevertheless captures the weakness of King Charles VII (1403-1461; acceded 1422, crowned 1429) in this inaccurate and occasionally annoying drama of the life of France's patron saint (Milla Jovovich).
Joan of Arc (1999) (TV)
Superior to Messenger, this epic stars Leelee Sobieski in the title role and Neil Patrick Harris as a rather Machiavellian King Charles VII.
The Man in the Iron Mask (1998)
Leonardo DiCaprio stars as King Louis XIV of France (1638-1715; acceded 1643) and his fictional twin in this mediocre adaptation of the story by Alexandre Dumas père.
Elizabeth (1998)
Heroic portrayal of England's "Virgin Queen" (1533-1603; acceded 1558) by Cate Blanchett; focuses on the difficult early years of her reign, beginning in the middle of Queen Mary's.
Shakespeare in Love (1998)
I did not like this movie at all, but Dame Judi Dench's Oscar-winning performance as Queen Elizabeth I (the only redeeming feature) warrants its inclusion here.
Mrs. Brown (1997)
Dame Judi Dench (a staunch royalist in real life) is superb as Britain's Queen Victoria in middle age.
Anastasia (1997)
Criticized by some Orthodox royalists, this animated feature on the most famous daughter (1901-1918) of Russia's Tsar Nicholas II makes no attempt to be historically accurate or even plausible, but as a children's film is reasonably entertaining if one's expectations are not too high. In my opinion, children who see this movie should gently be told the sad truth.
Rasputin (1996) (TV)
HBO's biopic on Nicholas and Alexandra's mysterious Friend is better than most movies made for television. Despite the title, it continues the story of the Imperial Family after Rasputin's death and is as much about the Romanovs as it is about their "dark servant of destiny."
A Royal Scandal (1996) (TV)
An amusing and justifiably irreverent look at the disastrous marriage of Britain's King George IV (1762-1830; acceded 1820) and Queen Caroline (1768-1821).
Catherine the Great (1995) (TV)
Catherine Zeta-Jones stars in this colorful but uninspired and unconvincing dramatization of the early life and reign of Russia's most famous ruling Empress.
Braveheart (1995)
Some might regard this exciting and moving epic as anti-royalist, given hero William Wallace's (1272-1305) (Mel Gibson) defiance of England's ruthless King Edward I (1239-1307; acceded 1272) (Patrick McGoohan), but Wallace and his supporters object only to the rule of a foreign king, as they fight for a free Kingdom of Scotland under Robert the Bruce (1274-1329; acceded 1306) (Angus MacFadyen).
Restoration (1995)
Sam Neill does a good job as Britain's pleasure-loving King Charles II (1630-1685; acceded 1660).
Richard III (1995)
I was not convinced by the "updating" of Shakespeare's play to a 1930s fascist England, but Sir Ian McKellan is great as the title character (1452-1485; acceded 1483).
La Reine Margot (Queen Margot) (1994)
This lengthy but fascinating French film set in the 1570s features Isabelle Adjani as Queen Margot (1553-1615), the daughter of the scheming Queen Catherine de Medici and the reluctant wife of King Henri IV of France and Navarre.
The Madness of King George (1994)
Nigel Hawthorne gives a moving performance as Britain's unfortunate King George III (1738-1820; acceded 1760). The original play was called "The Madness of George III," but distributors worried that Americans would think they'd missed the first two.
Diana: Her True Story (1993) (TV)
Andrew Morton's biography was controversial; this adaptation is just silly.
Edward II (1991)
Strange but compelling modern adaptation of Marlowe's play about medieval England's openly homosexual king (1284-1327; acceded 1307).
Henry V (1989)
Kenneth Branagh is magnificent as one of England's most heroic kings (1387-1422; acceded 1413) in his superb adaptation of the Shakespeare play.
The Last Emperor (1987)
Opulent and engrossing depiction of the unusual life of China's Emperor Pu-yi (1906-1967; reigned 1908-11 and in Manchuria 1934-45).
Lady Jane (1986)
An endearing portrait of England's nine-day queen (1537-1554), enjoyable despite silly attempts to attribute modern progressive/egalitarian ideals to Jane (Helena Bonham Carter) and her husband (Cary Elwes).
Peter the Great (1986) (TV)
Maximilian Schnell stars in this enjoyable miniseries profiling Russia's Tsar Peter I. (1672-1725; acceded 1682/89).
Amadeus (1984)
Mostly about the composers Mozart and Salieri, this also includes a good performance by Jeffrey Jones as Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II (1741-1790; acceded 1765/80).
Macbeth (1979)
This production of Shakespeare's tragedy, which undoubtedly would be far more effective on stage than on the screen, is brilliantly acted by Ian McKellen and Judi Dench, though its visually minimalist approach may be tedious for those, like me, who prefer their sets and costumes elaborate and authentic to the era depicted.
Edward the King (1975) (TV)
Timothy West stars in this thoroughly enjoyable and comprehensive recreation of the life of Britain's King Edward VII (1841-1910; acceded 1901)
Fall of Eagles (1974) (TV)
This docudrama of the decline and fall of the three great European empires from the mid-19th century through World War I features excellent performances that often succeed in giving one the eerie feeling that one is observing the real personalities depicted.
Elizabeth R (1971) (TV)
Glenda Jackson stars in perhaps the most dramatically sophisticated adaptation of the life of Queen Elizabeth I. The dialogue, acting, and attention to historical detail are admirable, but I would recommend taking the [quite substantial] series in small doses so as to avoid becoming even more weary of the queen's temper and mood changes than her poor advisors and favorites must have been.
The Tragedy of Macbeth (1971)
Except for the strange and irritating music, Roman Polanski's adaptation of the classic Shakespeare play about Scotland's tormented usurper (reigned 1040-1058) is admirable.
Nicholas and Alexandra (1971)
While not by any means a great movie, the adaptation of my favorite book definitely deserved its Oscars for Best Art Direction and Best Costume Design. The resemblance of members of the cast to the actual historical personages is convincing. Michael Jayston is Tsar Nicholas II (1868-1918; reigned 1894-1917) and Janet Suzman is Empress Alexandra (1872-1918).
Cromwell (1970)
Too favorable to the title character (Richard Harris) for my taste, but the great Alec Guinness nevertheless makes Britain's ill-fated King Charles I (1600-1649; acceded 1625) a sympathetic character.
Anne of the Thousand Days (1969)
First-rate drama with Geneviève Bujold as Queen Anne Boleyn (1501-1536) and Richard Burton as King Henry VIII of England.
The Lion in Winter (1968)
Peter O'Toole and Katharine Hepburn are wonderful as King Henry II (1133-1189; acceded 1154) of England and Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine (1122-1204).
The Rise of Louis XIV (1966)
Jean-Marie Patte stars as the young Sun King in Roberto Rossellini's admirably realistic depiction of the early years of the great monarch's reign.
A Man for All Seasons (1966)
Sir Thomas More (Paul Scofield) eloquently stands up to King Henry VIII (Robert Shaw).
Becket (1964)
Peter O'Toole shines as King Henry II at odds with former friend Thomas Becket (Richard Burton).
The King and I (1956)
The classic musical, more reliable as entertainment than as history, stars Yul Brynner as Siam's King Mongkut.
The Virgin Queen (1955)
Bette Davis returns as Queen Elizabeth I.
The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939)
Starring Bette Davis as the aging Elizabeth I and Errol Flynn as her young favorite doomed by his pride, this production abounds in color and drama, though the portrayal of Essex as a sort of proto-democrat seems rather anachronistic.
Juarez (1939)
While the title reflects this film's obvious admiration for the short-lived Mexican monarchy's leading republican antagonist, the ill-fated Emperor Maximilian (1832-1867; acceded 1864) and Empress Carlota (1840-1927) are portrayed sympathetically and effectively by Brian Aherne and Bette Davis.
The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)
Ian Hunter is the mostly absent but heroic King Richard the Lion Heart (1157-1199; acceded 1189) in this exciting drama.
If I Were King (1938)
Entertaining comedy with an amusing portrayal of King Louis XI of France (1423-1483; acceded 1461) by Basil Rathbone.
Marie Antoinette (1938)
Suitably lavish drama of the life of France's tragic queen.
Aleksandr Nevsky (1938)
Soviet classic (with score by Sergei Prokofiev) about the valiant Prince of Novgorod (1220-1263) who defended medieval Russia from the Teutonic Knights.
Mayerling (1936)
Competently depicts the ill-fated love affair of Archduke Rudolf of Austria (1858-1889) and Baroness Marie Vetsera.
Mary of Scotland (1936)
Katharine Hepburn aptly plays the tragic Mary, Queen of Scots (1542-1587; reigned 1542-67)
The Crusades (1935)
Henry Wilcoxon is King Richard I and Loretta Young is Queen Berengaria in Cecil DeMille's epic drama of the medieval conflict between the West and Islam.
Catherine the Great (1934)
Lavish but inaccurate and somewhat boring drama of the early life of Russia's Empress Catherine II (1729-1796; acceded 1762).
Queen Christina (1933)
Greta Garbo delivers an admirable performance as the unique Queen Christina (1626-1689; reigned 1632-54) of her native Sweden.
Rasputin and the Empress (1932)
Not a very good or historically accurate movie, but important for two reasons. This is the film regarding which Prince Felix and Princess Irina Yusopov successfully sued MGM Studios for libel, and it is the only movie that Hollywood "royalty" Ethel (Alexandra), Lionel (Rasputin), and John (Prince Chegodieff, the Yusopov character) Barrymore made together.