Films Set In The 1550s

"Kathy Burke - Queen Mary Tudor"

"Edward Hardwicke - Earl of Arundel"

"Emily Mortimer - Kat Ashley"

"John Gielgud - The Pope"

"[on marriage] I do not think you should lecture me on that my lord, since you yourself have been twice divorced. And are now upon your third wife!. [Opposing ministers laugh uproariously]"

"Each of you must vote according to your conscience. But remember this. In your hands, upon this moment, lies the future happiness of my people, and the peace of this realm. Let that be upon your conscience also."

"This is the Lord's doing. And it is marvelous in our eyes."

"There will be no more talk of marriage."

"A man will confess to anything...under torture."

"Kat...I have become a virgin."

"Observe, Lord Burghley, I am married...to England."

"I say a prince should rather be slow to take action and should watch that he does not come to be afraid of his own shadow."

"[to Elizabeth] Madam, if I may. A prince should never flinch from being blamed for acts of ruthlessness which are necessary for safeguarding the state and their own person. You must take these things so much to heart that you do not fear to strike. Even the very nearest that you have if they be implicated."

"[to a priest he is having tortured] Tell me, what is God to you? Has he abandoned you? Is he such a worldly god that he must play at politics in the filth of conspiracy? Is he not divine? Tell me the truth, as if you were face to face with him now. I'm a patient man, Father."

"To Norfolk The dead have no titles."

"Sir Robert Dudley: [to Elizabeth] Remember who you are. Do not be afraid of them."

"Norfolk: [about Elizabeth] She is just a child and yet still you piss yourselves!"

"Tonight I think I die."

"Arundel: War is a sin, but sometimes, a necessary one."

"De la Quadra: [to Dudley] My lord, what will a man not do for love?"

"Duc d'Anjou: [in French] Elizabeth is a witch...a witch...and her servant is the devil!"

"Mary of Guise: Go back to England, and take this to your Queen. Hm? [in French, to herself] English blood on French colors. [turns to her officer] Send him back to his Queen, and make sure he remains alive. Tell that bastard Queen not to send children to fight Mary of Guise!"

"Sir William Cecil: He is a traitor, and his father before him. Lord Robert's head will end up on a spike, not on the pillow of a Queen."

"Cate Blanchett - Elizabeth I of England"

"Geoffrey Rush - Sir Francis Walsingham"

"Christopher Eccleston - Duke of Norfolk"

"Joseph Fiennes - Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester"

"Richard Attenborough - Sir William Cecil"

"Fanny Ardant - Mary of Guise"

"Eric Cantona - Monsieur de Foix"

"Vincent Cassel - Duc d'Anjou"

"Norfolk: [to Mary, on her deathbed, as she refuses to sign a warrant for Elizabeth's execution] Will you leave your kingdom to a heretic?"

"I do not like wars. They have uncertain outcomes."

"I have no desire to make windows into men's souls."

"Aye, but marry who, your grace? Would you give me some suggestion? For some say France and others Spain, and some cannot abide foreigners at all. So I am not sure how best to please you unless I married one of each."