Young Bess focuses on the formative years of young Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth I). Sent into exile in Hatfield upon the death of her mother Anne Boleyn, Bess is constantly subject to her autocratic father's (Henry VIII) whims, being summoned to the court to meet an ever-changing series of "step-mothers", only to be sent away again when the King's marriages fail. By the time she is in her late teens, she is understandably fed up. Enter the dashing naval hero, Admiral Thomas Seymour, who has come to fetch Bess to court to meet her latest step-mother, Catherine Parr. He is handsome, proud, noble, and Elizabeth is smitten.
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Catherine Parr proves to be different than the rest of King Henry's wives, and Elizabeth is welcomed with open arms. Elizabeth forges a deep bond with Catherine and with her younger brother, Prince Edward. And she falls deeper and deeper in love with Lord Seymour. Upon the death of King Henry, Elizabeth discovers that Lord Seymour and Catherine are in love, and have been for many years. Though wounded, and still in love with Seymour, she helps procure royal permission for the two to marry.
Whether the film is accurate in it's portrayal of a love triangle between Elizabeth, Lord Seymour, and Catherine Parr is debatable. It has certainly been theorized over the years that Elizabeth and Seymour had an affair during his marriage to Catherine Parr. While is is known that Elizabeth had a tendre for Seymour, and he had feelings for her, whether they had an affair or not is still conjecture.
The beautiful sets and gorgeous Tudor costumes are a real treat to see.
The review of this Movie prepared by Cairis
