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Royalty

Around the world, people have a fascination for those born into privilege. And at the top of the heap are those born into royalty, groomed from a young age to take on the responsibilities, and perks, of leadership. From Queen Cleopatra to King Henry VIII to the current Queen of England, filmmakers, like their audiences, have taken a keen interest in what makes these people tick, always trying to expose something of their private lives and challenges, and perhaps even making them seem as human as the rest of us. Pictured: Queen Bette in 'The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex'.

Cleopatra (1963)

7/10
Director: Joseph L Mankiewicz
Starring: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Rex Harrison

Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton star in this truly mammoth production filled with spectacle and a cast of thousands. The legendary story of the Qu... Read more

Anastasia (1956)

7.1/10
Director: Anatole Litvak
Starring: Akim Tamiroff, Helen Hayes, Ingrid Bergman, Yul Brynner, Martita Hunt, Natalie S...

Ingrid Bergman won an Oscar for her performance in this strange but engrossing story about Czar Nicholas' missing daughter Anastasia. Yul Brynner is a... Read more

The King And I (1956)

7.5/10
Director: Walter Lang
Starring: Deborah Kerr, Yul Brynner, Rita Moreno

Walter Lang's remake of the classic Rodgers and Hammerstein musical is thematically buttressed by the daring choreography of Jerome Robbins ('West Sid... Read more

The Virgin Queen (1955)

7/10
Director: Henry Koster
Starring: Joan Collins, Bette Davis, Richard Todd, Herbert Marshall, Dan O'Herlihy

Bette Davis reprises her role as Queen Elizabeth I, having previously portrayed her in 'The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex'. The fanciful story... Read more

Richard III (Olivier) ( Blu-ray ) (1954)

7.5/10
Director: Laurence Olivier
Starring: Laurence Olivier, Stanley Baker, Claire Bloom, John Gielgud, Cedric Hardwicke, R...

Shakespeare's tragic, twisted king is brilliantly portrayed by Laurence Olivier, who also produced and directed. With Cedric Hardwicke, Ralph Richards... Read more

Richard III (Olivier) (1954)

7.5/10
Director: Laurence Olivier
Starring: Claire Bloom, John Gielgud, Laurence Olivier, Ralph Richardson, Cedric Hardwicke...

Shakespeare's tragic, twisted king is brilliantly portrayed by Laurence Olivier, who also produced and directed. With Cedric Hardwicke, Ralph Richards... Read more

Anna And The King Of Siam (1946)

7.1/10
Director: John Cromwell
Starring: Irene Dunne, Rex Harrison, Linda Darnell, Lee J Cobb

A sumptuous production chronicling the experiences of a British governess in 19th Century Thailand and her battle of wits with a strong-willed ruler.... Read more

Caesar and Cleopatra (1945)

6.4/10
Director: Gabriel Pascal
Starring: Vivien Leigh, Claude Rains, Stewart Granger, Flora Robson

George Bernard Shaw's exuberantly witty play about Rome's titanic leader and Egypt's young queen was transferred to the big screen with stars Vivien L... Read more

Henry V (Olivier) ( Blu-ray ) (1944)

7.7/10
Director: Laurence Olivier
Starring: Laurence Olivier, Leslie Banks, Robert Newton, Esmond Knight, Renee Asherson, Fe...

'Henry V' is one of Shakespeare's most compelling historical plays. Laurence Olivier won a special Oscar for outstanding achievement as an actor, prod... Read more

Henry V (Olivier) (1944)

7.7/10
Director: Laurence Olivier
Starring: Laurence Olivier, Leslie Banks, Robert Newton, Esmond Knight, Renee Asherson, Fe...

'Henry V' is one of Shakespeare's most compelling historical plays. Laurence Olivier won a special Oscar for outstanding achievement as an actor, prod... Read more