Mary of Scotland (1936)

Director:

John Ford
(more)

Writers:

Dudley Nichols (screenplay)
Maxwell Anderson (play)
(more)

Release Date:

28 August 1936 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | History | Romance

Tagline:

One of the greatest love stories of all time... brought to the screen in throbbing glory by a wonderful cast of stars!

Plot:

The recently widowed Mary Stuart returns to Scotland to reclaim her throne but is opposed by her half-brother and her own Scottish lords.

Plot Keywords:

England | Scotland | Queen | Escape | Throne

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Katharine Hepburn	...	Mary Stuart
Fredric March	...	Bothwell
Florence Eldridge	...	Elizabeth Tudor
Douglas Walton	...	Darnley
John Carradine	...	Rizzio
Robert Barrat	...	Morton
Gavin Muir	...	Leicester
Ian Keith	...	Moray
Moroni Olsen	...	John Knox
William Stack	...	Ruthven
Ralph Forbes	...	Randolph
Alan Mowbray	...	Throckmorton
Frieda Inescort	...	Mary Beaton
Donald Crisp	...	Huntly
David Torrence	...	Lindsay
Molly Lamont	...	Mary Livingstone
Anita Colby	...	Mary Fleming
Jean Fenwick	...	Mary Seton
Lionel Pape	...	Burghley
Alec Craig	...	Donal
Mary Gordon	...	Nurse
Monte Blue	...	Messenger
Leonard Mudie	...	Maitland
Brandon Hurst	...	Airan
Wilfred Lucas	...	Lexington
D'Arcy Corrigan	...	Kirkcaldy
Frank Baker	...	Douglas
Cyril McLaglen	...	Faudoncide
Doris Lloyd	...	Fisherman's Wife
Robert Warwick	...	Sir Francis Knollys
Murray Kinnell	...	Judge
Lawrence Grant	...	Judge
Ivan F. Simpson	...	Judge (as Ivan Simpson)
Nigel De Brulier	...	Judge (as Nigel de Brulier)
Barlowe Borland	...	Judge
Walter Byron	...	Walsingham
Wyndham Standing	...	Sergeant-at-Arms
Earle Foxe	...	Earl of Kent
Paul McAllister	...	du Croche
Lionel Belmore	...	Fisherman
Gaston Glass	...	Frenchman
Neil Fitzgerald	...	Nobleman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Frank Anthony	...	Man (uncredited)
John Blood	...	Man (uncredited)
Al Bridge	...	(uncredited)
Tommy Bupp	...	Boy in Boat (uncredited)
David Clyde	...	(uncredited)
Hallam Cooley	...	(uncredited)
Jean De Briac	...	Man (uncredited)
Harvey D'Roulle Foster	...	Man (uncredited)
Jerry Frank	...	(uncredited)
Bud Geary	...	(uncredited)
Douglas Gerrard	...	(uncredited)
Hilda Grenier	...	Woman (uncredited)
Winter Hall	...	(uncredited)
Halliwell Hobbes	...	Man (uncredited)
Robert Homans	...	Jailer (uncredited)
Shep Houghton	...	Soldier (uncredited)
Maxine Jennings	...	Woman (uncredited)
Jean Kircher	...	Prince James (uncredited)
Judith Kircher	...	Prince James (uncredited)
Fred Malatesta	...	Man (uncredited)
G.L. McDonnell	...	Man (uncredited)
Wedgwood Nowell	...	Queen Elizabeth's Majordomo (uncredited)
John Pickard	...	Soldier dueling Bothwell (uncredited)
Father Raemers	...	Man (uncredited)
Robert Ryan	...	(uncredited)
Leslie Sketchley	...	(uncredited)
Wingate Smith	...	(uncredited)
Pat Somerset	...	Mary's Majordomo (uncredited)
Harry Tenbrook	...	One of Queen Mary's Guards (uncredited)
John Tyke	...	Man (uncredited)
Billy Watson	...	Fisherman's son (uncredited)
Bobs Watson	...	Fisherman's Son (uncredited)
Niles Welch	...	Man (uncredited)

Directed by
John Ford
Leslie Goodwins		(uncredited)

Writing credits
Dudley Nichols		(screenplay)
Maxwell Anderson		(play)
Mortimer Offner		contributing writer (uncredited)

Produced by
Pandro S. Berman	....	producer

Original Music by
Nathaniel Shilkret

Cinematography by
Joseph H. August		(photographed by)
Jack MacKenzie		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Van Nest Polglase

Costume Design by
Walter Plunkett

Makeup Department
Mel Berns	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Louise Sloane	....	hair stylist: Ms. Hepburn (uncredited)

Production Management
Bert Gilroy	....	unit manager (uncredited)
Louis Shapiro	....	unit manager (uncredited)
Charles Stallings	....	unit manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Edward Donahue	....	assistant director

Art Department
Carroll Clark	....	associate art director
Darrell Silvera	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Hugh McDowell Jr.	....	sound recordist
Denzil A. Cutler	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
George Marsh	....	sound edit (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Vernon L. Walker	....	photographic effects (as Vernon Walker)

Camera and Electrical Department
Louie Anderson	....	grip (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Jane Loring	....	editorial associate
Robert Parrish	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Maurice De Packh	....	orchestrator (as Maurice de Packh)
Nathaniel Shilkret	....	musical director (uncredited)
Max Steiner	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)

Other crew
Jack Bond	....	stand-in: Fredric March (uncredited)
Patricia Doyle	....	stand-in: Katharine Hepburn (uncredited)
Idalyn Dupre	....	stand-in: Frieda Inescort (uncredited)
Georgia French	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Hermes Pan	....	choreographer (uncredited)
Meta Stern	....	script clerk (uncredited)
Bill Worth	....	stand-in: John Carradine (uncredited)

Production Companies

• RKO Radio Pictures

Distributors

• RKO Radio Pictures (1936) (USA) (theatrical)
• Zenith Film (1936) (Italy) (theatrical)
• C&C Television Corporation (1955) (USA) (TV)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Theatre Guild  producer of stage play
• Western Costume Company  costumes (uncredited)

Also Known As:

Mary, Queen of Scotland (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

123 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Victor System)

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:K-16 | USA:Approved (PCA #2052) | Argentina:13

Company:

RKO Radio Pictures

Trivia:

Contrary to the play and the film, Mary and Elizabeth never met.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When an overzealous Bothwell pulls at the window bars of his cell, the prop bars move.

Quotes:

Queen Elizabeth I: You were born too close to my throne.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Directed by John Ford (1971)

Radiant Hepburn in overlong historical drama from Maxwell Anderson play...

The complicated historical background involved in MARY OF Scotland is such that unless you know something about British monarchs you'll have a hard time knowing where the truth lies in this epic historical romance. But it's clear that KATHARINE HEPBURN gives a radiant performance as Mary, Queen of Scots--the only drawback being that she never ages a bit over a twenty-five year span. When she goes to her execution, she looks just as young as she did in the opening scene.

It's a pleasure to report that FREDRIC MARCH breathes a lot of life into his portrayal of Bothwell. Too bad he didn't exhibit this kind of gusto when he played the title role in ANTHONY ADVERSE the same year. He's all bravado and robust athletic grace and looks good in his period costumes. Maybe we owe his strong performance to John Ford, but whatever it is, he's much better here than he was as Anthony Adverse.

JOHN CARRADINE seemed an unusual choice to play Rizzo, the Italian secretary who happens to be a troubadour of sorts, but it's nice to see him in a more sympathetic role for a change. DONALD CRISP, ALAN MOBRAY, DOUGLAS WALTON and FRIEDA INESCOURT are interesting in supporting roles.

Walton is another actor who shines here, rather than remaining colorless in the background of many a film. He gives a flamboyant performance as Lord Darnley and it's probably among the best roles he ever had.

FLORENCE ELDRIDGE makes an interesting Queen Elizabeth, less showy in the role than Bette Davis or Flora Robson but still with the right amount of regal spirit.

John Ford directs the first half of the film with his usual authority but things get a little too repetitious and slow-moving in the second half when tedium really settles in before Mary's final walk to the execution block.

Summing up: A mixed bag, some strong performances, a few strong scenes but overall result is disappointing. Here's an historical romance that cried out for Technicolor. It manages to look drab in B&W despite the lavish costumes and good photography.