The Sword and the Rose (1953)
1h 32m | PG-13
Tells the story of Mary Tudor and her troubled path to true love. Henry VIII, for political reasons, determines to wed her to the King of France. She tries to flee to America with her love but is captured when she is "un-hatted" on board ship. In return for her consent to the marriage with France, Henry agrees to let her choose her second husband. When King Louis of France dies, Mary is kidnaped by the Duke of Buckingham. He tries to force her to marry him but she is rescued by her love in an exciting battle on the beach.
Director: Ken Annakin
Studio: Walt Disney Productions
Genre: Adventure, Drama, History
Video: 720p
Cast
Richard Todd
as Charles Brandon
Glynis Johns
as Princess Mary Tudor
James Robertson Justice
as King Henry VIII
Michael Gough
as Duke of Buckingham
Peter Copley
as Sir Edwin Caskoden
Rosalie Crutchley
as Queen Katherine
Reviews
Hats of to Walt Disney (and to James Robertson Justice) for managing to turn the rather unpleasant English King Henry VIII into an engaging, cheeky character who likes nothing better than to spat with his younger sister Mary (Glynis Johns) who is determined to live her own life, despite her brother's dynastic ambitions for her. She alights on the newly appointed captain of the King's Guard "Brandon" (Richard Todd), a character with ambitions to sail the world seeking plunder and glory, but her kingly sibling has decided to wed (sell, basically) her to the aging French King Louis XII (a fun scene with Jean Mercure). After a few escapades, she is forced to acquiesce - otherwise her beau will face the axe - but she does manage to exacts a few useful pre-conditions that will allow her to choose her next husband herself! Quite an achievement for a Princess in 16th Century Europe. It's got the odd bit of swash and buckle, but mostly it is a sort of pantomime-does-history romantic romp with a cast having fun, a remarkably dashing Michael Gough as her would-be suitor Buckingham, and some fine looking sets and costumes. True, the facts are treated with a certain degree of "latitude" but I really quite enjoyed it... It's the sort of family drama that this studio did well.