Mary Queen of Scots(2018)

2h 4m

Release Date: Dec 7, 2018 | Wide

Mary Stuart's (Saoirse Ronan's) attempt to overthrow her cousin Elizabeth I (Margot Robbie), Queen of England, finds her condemned to years of imprisonment before facing execution.

Official Website

Releases

Original Release | Dec 7, 2018

Dec 21, 2018 | Moderate

Jan 4, 2019 | Wide

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Box Office Results

Results

Opening Weekend US & Canada:
$194,777
Total US & Canada:
$16,468,499
Total International
$30,244,310
Total Worldwide:
$46,712,809

Current Showtimes

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(U.S. Only)

Director & Top Cast

Josie Rourke
Director

Guy Rhys
Earl of Kent

Gallery

Technical Specifications

Sound Mix: Dolby Atmos,Dolby Surround 7.1,Dolby Digital

Aspect Ratio: 2.39 : 1

Other Details

Country of Origin: United Kingdom,United States,China

Language: English,French,Gaelic,Latin

Summaries

Plot Summary

In 1561, nineteen-year-old Mary (Saoirse Ronan), Catholic Queen of Scotland (now under control of Protestants, returns to her home country from France following the death of her husband, Francis II of France, to take up her throne, where she is received by her half-brother, the Earl of Moray (James McArdle) the serving regent of Scotland. Mary was sent to France as child to escape death in Scotland.In neighboring England, her cousin, twenty-eight-year-old Elizabeth (Margot Robbie) is Protestant Queen of England - unmarried, childless, and threatened by Mary's potential claim to her throne. Her advisers tell Elizabeth that Mary should bow to her and not to Rome. They want her married back on the European continent to thwart any coup. Mary soon clashes with the cleric John Knox (David Tennant) and dismisses him from her court. Knox is a protestant and leader of the Scottish Reformation and perceives Mary to be a danger to the kingdom's Protestant supremacy.In an attempt to weaken her cousin's threat to her sovereignty, Elizabeth arranges for Mary, whom the English Catholics recognize as their rightful Queen, to be married to an Englishman. She chooses Robert Dudley (Joe Alwyn), whom she secretly loves, to propose to Mary. Both are unwilling to be married to each other, but the news of Elizabeth's smallpox (and promise of her early death) convinces Mary to take the offer provided that Mary is named Elizabeth's heir apparent. Reluctant to let go of Dudley, Elizabeth secretly sends Lord Darnley (Jack Lowden) to Scotland under the pretense of living under their religious freedom (Darnley is a Catholic and hence cannot thrive as a Lord in England but can do so safely in Scotland). Despite initially sensing an ulterior motive on Darnley's part, Mary gradually grows fond of Darnley and eventually accepts his marriage proposal.Mary's impending marriage to Darnley causes a constitutional crisis within both realms: In England, Elizabeth is advised by her court to oppose the marriage for fear that Darnley, an English noble, will elevate Mary's claim to the Crown. In Scotland, Mary's council is suspicious of Darnley as they fear an English takeover. Both kingdoms demand his return to England, but Mary refuses, thus enraging Moray to furiously leave her court and mount a rebellion against her. Darnley marries Mary, only for her to discover him in bed with her friend David Rizzio (Ismael Cruz Córdova) the following morning. Faced with insurgency and infidelity, Mary decides to quash the rebel forces but spares both Rizzio and Moray. She demands Darnley give her a child. When a child is conceived, Mary declares that the child is the "heir to Scotland and England" - which deeply offends the English.Moray colludes with Darnley's father Matthew Stewart (Brendan Coyle), 4th Earl of Lennox, to undermine Mary, spreading rumors about Mary's adultery and that her child was illegitimately fathered by David Rizzio, Mary's private secretary. Hearing the rumors, John Knox vehemently preaches to the Scottish public that Mary is an adulteress. Fearing the accusations against Mary and the possible discovery of his homosexuality, Darnley is coerced by the under-miners to join them in executing Rizzio and reluctantly delivers the final blow. Mary discovers the plot and agrees to pardon the men involved provided that she is presented with the evidence that Darnley had taken part. She ultimately forgives Moray and asks Elizabeth to be her child's godmother.Together, they agree that the child is heir presumptive, much the chagrin of the English court. Mary banishes Darnley but refuses to divorce him despite the appeals of her council, which then approaches her adviser and protector, the Earl of Bothwell (Martin Compston), to have him killed. In the ensuing melee after Darnley's death, Mary is forced to flee and leave her child behind. The following morning, Bothwell advises that her council have decided that she marry a Scotsman immediately. Bothwell tells Mary that she should marry him. Mary now realizes that Bothwell killed Darnley so that he himself could marry her. She has no choice, but to accept. This induces Knox to zealously preach to the Scots that Mary is a "harlot" who had her husband killed, leading Moray and the rest of her court to demand her abdication. Despite furiously objecting to it, Mary eventually abdicates her throne and flees to England.Learning of Mary's arrival in England, Elizabeth arranges for a clandestine meeting with her. Mary asks for Elizabeth's help to take back her throne. Elizabeth is reluctant to go to war on behalf of a Catholic, but instead promises a safe exile in England as long as Mary does not aid her enemies. Mary indignantly responds that if she does, it will only be because Elizabeth forced her to do so, and threatens that should Elizabeth murder her, she should remember that she "murdered her own sister and queen". Elizabeth orders that Mary is imprisoned in England and eventually receives compelling evidence that Mary had conspired with her enemies to have her assassinated. Pressured, and with no other choice, Elizabeth ultimately orders Mary's execution in 1567. As Mary is walked to the scaffold, a remorseful Elizabeth cries for Mary and reveals a bright red dress. In her final thoughts, Mary wishes her son James (Andrew Rothney) well and hopes for peace upon his reign.The post-script reveals that upon Elizabeth's death in 1603, James became the first monarch to rule both Scotland and England.

Storyline

This movie explores the turbulent life of the charismatic Mary Stuart (Saoirse Ronan). Queen of France at 16 and widowed at 18, Mary defies pressure to remarry. Instead, she returns to her native Scotland to reclaim her rightful throne. But England is under the rule of the compelling Elizabeth I (Margot Robbie), who wishes to reduce the perceived threat from Mary. Each young Queen beholds her "sister" in fear and fascination. Rivals in power and in love, and female rulers in a masculine world, the two must decide how to play the game of marriage versus independence. Determined to rule as much more than a figurehead, Mary asserts her claim to succeed to the English throne, threatening Elizabeth's sovereignty. Betrayal, rebellion, and conspiracies within each court imperil both thrones--and change the course of history. — Focus Features Queen of France at 16 and widowed at 18, Mary Stuart defies pressure to remarry. Instead, she returns to her native Scotland to reclaim her rightful throne. However, Scotland and England fall under the rule of the compelling Elizabeth I. Each young Queen beholds her sister in fear and fascination. Rivals in power and in love, and female regents in a masculine world, the two must decide how to play the game of marriage versus independence.