Sarah Bernhardt - Queen Elizabeth (1912)

This is a brief clip from the silent Sarah Bernhardt film "Queen Elizabeth" (1912).
In this sequence, Robert Devereux, the 2nd Earl of Essex is executed. Queen Elizabeth (Bernhardt) visits his corpse, and mourns for him.
There's a subplot involving a missing ring, which (in the context of the story) demonstrates Essex's fidelity to Elizabeth.
"Queen Elizabeth" was by far Bernhardt's most successful film.
Audio recordings of Sarah's voice can be found at the Cylinder Preservation and Digitization Project website:
cylinders.libra...

[@kascnef]

This movie was the first movie released by what would become Paramount Pictures nearly 100 years ago...i wish Paramount would put this one out on itunes, bluray, and dvd!!!

[@LeePrice86]

how deliciously melodramatic!

[@freyaparton]

So many people forgetting that this is a silent movieeeeee she has to overact otherwise you don’t know what’s going on! I mean this is what Charlie chaplain did and so many other actors back then!

[@blessedalcuin]

The comments about her "horrible" acting make me a little sick. Didn't we learn in school to understand and accept other cultures for what they are? Shouldn't that include our own culture as it was a hundred years ago? If you ponder for just one second--instead of rushing to sneer your "superiority"--you might understand that she had brought in 1890s acting with the arm-waving and other huge gestures which were necessary for unamplified theatres with poor lighting. Sheesh.

[@ulrichlehnhardt4293]

I did not find comments about her "horrible" acting. You must keep in mind however that in those days her counterpart Eleonore Duse played much more naturally and also in those days there were people who found Bernhardt horrible. Alexandre Dumas e.g.

[@unclealand]

Saluki This IS terrible, but it has nothing to do with culture differences. If you want proof watch the silent film “La Passion du Jeanne d’Arc.” Rene Falconetti does not do all that throwing her arms up in the air and flailing around.

[@frankoberlander161]

@@unclealand A lot had happened in filmmaking during 16 years, comparing styles is unfair. You might as well compare this clip to "The Godfather" or "Star Wars", and to much bigger effect!

[@Alceste-Resister]

"La passion de Jeanne d'arc" is filmed in 1928 ! Here, Bernardt is playing in 1912. This is the way she played during the 19th century and this is how she became a legend.

[@rayito2005]

Una joya de la epoca de nuestros tatarabuelos.

[@Laleyla]

Hmmm, how do they keep the head in place? I thought he was decapitated....Great acting I think, words are not necessary. I'd like to see her as Tosca.

[@brildidge9523]

I can't say how they did it then but if it was today, they could try sellotape !!!

[@tutuvo07]

@Dungbeetleproduction actually, it's one of the most famous films produced by the Art Film Society of France.

[@ulrichlehnhardt4293]

interesting to see how the played in those days.. today this would be considered as overacting, BUT it is fascinating watching her

[@Perrosiutico]

Does Sarah realize that Essex's head is disconnected from his body?

[@7beers]

So use your imagination a bit more and relate to it in the context in which it was created.

[@xoxoBblair]

Sarah Bernhardt is my idol.I wish i could be like her.

[@williamreilly7411]

O

[@TheStockwell]

That's one honey of a continuity error. You'd think the inter-title at 0:15 would read, "The Queen visits the body of Essex and discovers that the ring is missing. Also, that Essex still has a head."

[@emmaduncan2296]

Well you kinda need to put it in the context of 19th century stagecraft, they had to really "overdo" the movements in order for the people in the cheap seats...so everyone tended to be more then a little over ripe. even though she is remembered for being one of the greatest stage actors to ever live, I think a lot of that can be chalked up to just pure charisma.

[@TheStockwell]

Good point. It could be that Essex heard the "whoosh!" of the executioner's axe and had a heart attack. Still, that sort of goof would look really bad on the executioner's resume. Another explanation: the axe did its job and Essex's head was stuck back on with Crazy Glue. History has many such untold tales to tell!

[@emmaduncan2991]

I was under the impression, that after an execution, they impaled the heads on spikes! (I studied English history at The Blackadder institute of Tudor history!)

[@NGS712]

Thankfully w/o the sound.

[@taahliaa]

sarah bernhardt is my great great great grandmother

[@RicharddtheStar]

Bullshit

[@scotnick59]

When interviewed by Cavett, Eva LeGallienne begged folks never to watch the wretched films of both Bernhardt and Duse. Their work can hardly be judged by them

[@successsystem2468]

Lou Tellegen as Essex! Wild actor.

[@Homoclassicus]

You certainly mean old-fashioned style of interpreting an opera, because nowadays the acting of most singers is quite similar to the actors of a theater. The only difference is that Opera needs slower and more grandiloquent movements in order to adequate the acting to the music, which is longer than a simple talk. ;-)

[@sandymark94]

0:50 me when the gpa is released

[@otterhouse]

I knew her Pathé cylinders, but never saw any movie of her. Thanks! ----------------------------- Rolf, Netherlands. I am a collector of classical 78's and lp's Click "otterhouse" above to see (and hear!) some of my collection.

[@NGS712]

Of course it is a silent film and without the ham acting we wouldn't really know how she was feeling.

[@antequem]

On ne peut pas dire que le jeu de la Dame soit sobre !!! outrance maximum !!! les Chargeurs réunis !

[@emtyhanded]

this video was just on 20/20

[@NatandGeorge]

Turner needs to colorize & audio-ize this!

[@lemonzing234]

0:01 Papyrus!? WAHT

[@ratatouilletv]

it's a bit like opera

[@Tiloara]

It is amazing! Sara and our Faina Ranevskaia look the same, manner of acting too. How to find full movie with Sara in main part?

[@supertilopa]

Mothers of France 1917

[@jimsher9880]

films from 1910 thru 1914 are showing up on dvd and right here on youtube in magnificent states of restoration. So what's the excuse here?

[@boullan-eratudor]

Probably because nobody who bought the DVD wanted to share the file in high quality on the internet...

[@Rapture1987]

@Littlezombie Who are your favourite actors/actresses?

[@makemecash1]

nice stuff

[@BrianJosephMorgan]

Brava!

[@laurentisaac]

The secrets of Sarah Bernhardt's Villa in Sainte-Adresse : lehavreregards.com/visite.php?lieu=villa-de-sarah-bernhardt

[@Ankhsnammon]

Thanks,sir,for to pst this!I feel the neded of to speak in my native tongue for to say:DIOSA ABSOLUTA!!!!!! Ankhsnammon(Galantha nina,from Argentina)

[@bertmustin]

One of our nations greatest Presidents.

[@NGS712]

It was just a j/k. Geez, ever since this rating system all the stiffs have been having a field day.

[@yuuuuuuuuur]

I really want to find her family tree because my last name is Bernhardt and we might be related

[@7beers]

She walkks pretty good for someone with only one leg!!!!!!!!

[@NGS712]

That's how they liked it.

[@milianol]

From where Ican download this Gem?

[@emmaduncan2296]

maybe he missed...

[@lynni3nyc863]

Wait, I thought he was just decapitated, am I missing something?

[@valross4886]

Lynn Lozer they sewed it back on.

[@blessedalcuin]

I kept waiting for her to grasp it one time too many and send it rolling off the bier.

[@angelsoulnme]

Me too! I kept saying, be careful his head is going to fall off! LMAO

[@PhillipeJensen]

Walt Disney presents Queen Elizabeth

[@bmanpictures]

Wait a minute. That guy's head was chopped off. But in the next scene it's back on.

[@ohwellwhateverneverm]

its kinda crepy

[@maxinemasterfield6749]

is there sound?

[@emmaduncan2991]

Any idea on how many legs she had, at this point?

[@orkneysnorknie]

move over cate blanchett

[@medamine39]

Something Strange about this actress: she used to sleep in a Coffin.

[@emmaduncan2991]

She claimed she did it to help her identify with the tragic roles she played, I think she did it for effect.

[@rodazi]

Sarah Bernhardt's acting is hilarious. I bet she would have been interesting at parties. I wonder what she was like when she was drunk.

[@RicharddtheStar]

This style of acting seems dated. Duse was truly the superior actress.

[@watzup1521]

it's sort of boring

[@RapsAlive]

Terrible.