Young Bess (1953)
- Starring:
- Jean Simmons, Stewart Granger, (more)
- Director(s):
- George Sidney
Synopsis of Young Bess
This costume drama was based on the historical fiction of Margaret Irwin, which embellishes the facts of the early years of England's eventual Queen Elizabeth I. It's told in flashback style, starting with the horrible day when King Henry VIII (Charles Laughton) sends away the future queen, young Bess (Jean Simmons), and executes her mother, Anne Boleyn (Elaine Stewart). Some years and several wives later, Henry VIII invites Bess to return to the palace to live with Catherine Parr (Deborah Kerr), her new stepmother. When the king dies, Bess' young half-brother, Edward (Rex Thompson), assumes the title of regent. Bess falls in love with the Navy's top admiral, Thomas Seymour (Stewart Granger), but has her brother compel him to marry Catherine. After Catherine dies, Thomas confesses his love to Bess. But his scheming brother Ned (Guy Rolfe) finds out about Thomas' feelings and accuses him of seducing Bess. ~ Michael Betzold, Rovi
Complete Cast of Young Bess
- Jean Simmons - Young Bess
- Deborah Kerr - Catherine Parr
- Kay Walsh - Mrs. Ashley
- Cecil Kellaway - Mr. Parry
- Robert Arthur - Barnaby
- Norma Varden - Lady Tyrwhitt
- Noreen Corcoran - Young Bess, Age 6
- Elaine Stewart - Anne Boleyn
- Doris Lloyd - Mother Jack
- Lester Matthews - Sir William Paget
- Carl Saxe - Executioner
- Ann Tyrrell - Mary
- Patrick Whyte - Officer
- David Cavendish - Council Man
- Reginald Sheffield - Court Recorder
- Stewart Granger - Thomas Seymour
- Charles Laughton - Henry VIII
- Guy Rolfe - Ned Seymour
- Rex Thompson - Edward
- Leo G. Carroll - Mr. Mums
- Alan Napier - Robert Tyrwhitt
- Ivan Triesault - Danish Envoy
- Dawn Addams - Kate Howard
- Lumsden Hare - Archbishop Thomas Crammer
- Kathleen Byron - Anne Seymour
- John Sheffield - English Officers
- Charles R. Keane - Halberdiers
- Fay Wall - Woman
- Ian Wolfe - Stranger
- Director(s):
- George Sidney
- Writer(s):
- Arthur Wimperis, Jan Lustig
- Producer(s):
- Sidney Franklin, Sidney Franklin
- 1953 - National Board of Review - Best Actress
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