Queen Elizabeth Films

Queen Elizabeth Films and Television Series

Fire Over England 1937, Flora Robson

 Contouring is used a lot throughout the film to define the facial features which was needed as the film was in black and white colour could not be shown. This is possibly why the cheek bones and eyes especially are defined more than Queen Elizabeth would have done herself, as it was needed to prevent the facial features from being lost on camera. The eyebrows however are still blocked out and pencilled in faintly to keep true to how Queen Elizabeth had her eyebrows.

Private lives of Elizabeth and Essex, 1939, Bette Davis

The make-up designer for this film was Perc Westmore. Bette Davis had her hair line and eyebrows shaved for this role as Elizabethan women used to do this in order to make their forehead seem longer which was a sign of nobility. Davis also had wrinkles created under her eyes to reflect Queen Elizabeth's age and white make-up was used so that she looked like Elizabeth did in many of her portraits especially  the ones created later on in her life. 

ElizabethR, 1971, Glenda Jackson

Dawn Alcock was the make-up artist in this mini series. Glenda Jackson had a high hairline and pale skin with either pale lips or red lips which usually depended on whether her character was in public or in private in the different scenes. This reflects how Queen Elizabeth made herself look a certain way in front of people to create a particular look that her people admired. In portrait of Queen Elizabeth the check are either not defined or defined slightly using red however Dawn Alcock made the check bones very defined which reflects when the programme was made as high defined check bones were popular in the 1970’s.

Elizabeth 1997, Cate Blanchett

Jenny Shircore was awarded an Oscar for the make-up and hair she designed on this film. Anita Burger was Cate Blanchett’s make-up artist. The make-up is very subtle and stays true to the looks Queen Elizabeth had in many of her portraits with pale skin, coloured in eyebrows and the illusion that little other make-up is being worn. The lips and checks are also very pale and look washed out where as in many of Queen Elizabeth’s portraits she had more redness to her cheeks and lips. This may be partly due to more natural coloured lips being popular at the time when the film was made. Alternatively it could have been used to represent purity as Elizabeth was seen as a symbol of purity to her people. It also means that Cate Blanchett's acting is not distracted from by the use of dramatic make-up.

Shakespeare in Love, 1998,Judi Dench

Lisa Westcott was the make-up designer and Veronica Brebrer was the make-up artist for this film.  The make-up is subtle and makes the complexion look very pale and cold which makes the character look tired and almost weak. This could have been done to show the struggles Elizabeth faced during her reign ad very vulnerability as an unmarried monarch.

The Virgin Queen, Anne Marie Duff, 2005

Karen Hartley was the make-up designer and Laura Schiavo was the make-up artist for Anne Marie Duff in this mini series. Prosthetics were used to show the Queen ageing and also her hair line became higher and eyebrows made fainter to reflect the Queens’ style changes in her later life.

Elizabeth 1st, 2005, Helen Mirren

Fae Hammond was the make-up artist in this mini series. The hair line in quite high however the hair comes on to the forehead slightly unlike a lot of Queen Elizabeth’s portraits. This gives her a slightly softer look and frames the face which would appeal more to modern day audiences. The make-up however has been done very similar to Queen Elizabeths’ portraits with pale skin, fait eyebrows and a brown/red colour on the lips. This is a more accurate colour than is used in many films, as often the lips are a lot paler or redder than in Elizabeth’s portraits which sometimes reflects the fashions at the times when the films were made.

Elizabeth: The Golden Age, 2007, Cate Blanchett

Jenny Shircore was the make-up designer for this film as she was for the film Elizabeth in which Cate Blanchett had previously stared as the Queen. This time the make-up was whiter with cool grey tones making the character look almost ill and very serious.