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Mary, Queen of Scots

1971 · Movie · 128 min · ★ 6.7 · 67% critics

DramaHistory

A young Scottish queen returns to a divided homeland and finds her rule challenged by religious conflict, rival nobles, and pressure from a powerful neighboring monarch. As tensions rise, the struggle between two very different queens becomes a high-stakes contest of loyalty, power, and survival in a turbulent era.

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Details
Years
1971
Release date
1971-12-22
Language
English
Runtime
128 min
Critic score
67/100
TMDB rating
6.7/10 (62 votes)
About

You’ll likely enjoy this if you want a performance-driven royal rivalry with lush castles, costumes, and court intrigue, in the vein of Anne of the Thousand Days or Becket; Not for you if you dislike talky, politically dense, sometimes episodic storytelling.

Pros: powerhouse lead performances; lavish period detail; memorable music | Cons: episodic storytelling; confusing politics; uneven accents

Themes

  • scotland
  • queen
  • queen elizabeth i
  • tudor
  • execution
  • catholic
  • 16th century

Awards & recognition

  • Academy Award — Best Production Design · 1972 · nominated
  • Academy Award — Best Sound · 1972 · nominated
  • Academy Award — Best Actress · 1972 · nominated
  • Academy Award — Best Original Dramatic Score · 1972 · nominated
  • Academy Award — Best Costume Design · 1972 · nominated

Cast & crew

Directed by Charles Jarrott