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Sunday 4 October 2015

Oscar Winning Films About British Royals





Found below, in chronological order, are the twelve Oscar winning films about the British royals.

A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS.  
Released in 1966.
From a play by Robert Bolt.
Directed by Fred Zinnemann. 

Is a film about Thomas More, the man who stood up to King Henry VIII when he rejected the Catholic Church in order to divorce Queen Katherine Of Aragon and remarry.
The film starred actor Robert Shaw as King Henry VIII and Paul Scofield as Thomas More.
The film won six Oscars including Best Actor for Paul Schofield and Best Director for Fred Zinnerman as well as -  
Best Cinematography.
Best Costume Design.
Best Picture.
Best Screenplay.


ANNE OF A 1000 DAYS.
Released in 1969.
From a play by Maxwell Anderson.
Directed by Charles Jarrot.

This is the story of King Henry VIII and his affair and subsequent marriage to Anne Boleyn, after 24 years of marriage to Queen Katherine of Aragon.
The film starred Richard Burton as King Henry VIII and Genevieve Bujold as Anne Boleyn.
The film won an Oscar for Best Costume Design. 


THE LION IN WINTER.  
Released in  1968.
From a screenplay by James Golden.
Directed by Anthony Harvey.

This film is about the wife and three sons of King Henry II who viciously plotted to force his hand in order to make him choose a successor to the throne.
The film starred Peter O'Toole as King Henry II and Katherine Hepburn as his wife Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine.
The film won three oscars, including Best Lead Actress for Katherine Hepburn and -  
Best Music Score.
Best Screenplay. 


HENRY V.   
Released in1989.
From a play by William Shakespeare.
Directed by Kenneth Branagh.

This is the adaptation of Shakespeare's play about King Henry V's brutal conquest of France.
The film starred Kenneth Brannah as the King and won an Oscar for Best Costume Design. 


THE MADNESS OF KING GEORGE.  
Released in 1994.
From a play by Alan Bennet.
Directed by Nicholas Hytner.

This is the story of King George III and his long battle with depression and other mental illnesses, and who was nursed by his wife Queen Charlotte.
The film starred Nigel Hawthorn as the ill fated King George and Helen Mirren as his devoted wife Queen Charlotte.
The film won an Oscar for Best Art Direction. 


RICHARD III.   
Released in 1995.
From a play by William Shakespeare.
Directed by Richard Loncaine. 

Another adaptation of a Shakespeare play, this time about the life and times of King Richard III.
The film starred Ian McKellan as the King and Annette Bening as Queen Elisabeth, wife of King Edward IV.
The film went on to win two Oscars for Best Art Direction and Best Costume Design.  


MRS BROWN.  
Released in 1997.
From an original screenplay by Jeremy Brock.
Directed by John Madden.

This film tells the story of Queen Victoria's much rumoured friendship with servant John Brown.
The film starred Judy Dench as the widowed Queen Victoria and Billy Connolly as John Brown.
The film won an Oscar for Judy Dench as Best Lead Actress and another for Best Makeup. 


ELISABETH.   
Released in 1998.
From an original screenplay by Michael Hirst.
Directed by Shekhar Kapur.

This film is about the early years of the reign of Britain's most powerful queen, Elisabeth I.
The film starred Cate Blanchett as the young Elisabeth and Geoffrey Rush as her advisor, Sir Francis Walsingham.
The film won one Oscar for Best Original Soundtrack. 


THE QUEEN.  
Released in  2006.
From an original screnplay by Peter Morgan.
Directed by Stephen Frears.

This film tells the story of Queen Elisabeth II's unfortunate handling of the death of her former daughter - in - law,  Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997.
The film starred Helen Mirren as the Queen and James Cromwell as her husband Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, who helped her through a nation's tragedy.
The film went on to win actress Helen Mirren an Oscar for Best Lead Actress. 


ELISABETH, THE GOLDEN AGE.  
Released in 2007.
From an original screenplay by William Nicholson and William Hirst.
Directed Shekhar Kapur.
 
This filnm is the follow up to the 1998 film, Elisabeth, also starring Cate Blanchett, that tells the story of the latter years of Elisabeth I's reign.
The film also starred Jordi Molla as King Phillip of Spain.
The film won an Oscar for Best Acheivement in Costume Design.   


THE YOUNG VICTORIA.   
Released in 2009.
 From an original screenplay by Julian Fellowes.
Directed by Jean - Marc Vallee.
This film portrays the early years of Britain's second longest reigning monarch Queen Victoria and her subsequent love affair with her future husband Prince Albert of Saxe - Coburg Gotha.
The film starred Emily Blunt as the young Victoria and Rupert Friend as the dashing Albert.
The film won an Oscar for Best Acheivement in Costume Design. 


THE KING'S SPEECH.   
Released in 2010.
From a screenplay by David Seidler.
Directed by Tom Hooper.

Tells the story of the shy and retiring King George VI, who came to the throne upon the abdication of his older brother King Edward VIII in 1936.
The King suffered from a deliberating speech defect that dominated his life, until he started taking voice lessons from Australian speech therapist Lionel Logue. 
The film starred Colin Firth as King George VI and Geoffrey Rush as therapist Lionel Logue.
The film went on to win an Oscar for actor Colin Firth as Best Lead Actor as well as three other Oscar awards for -  
Best Film.
Best Screenplay.
Best Acheivement in Directing.  

If you love the royals and want to know more about their family histories check out this informative website at - https://sites.google.com/site/british monarchy family history 

 

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