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Fire Over England

Fire Over England

  • Status: Released
  • 05-03-1937
  • Runtime: 92 min
  • Score: 6.2
  • Vote count: 37

The film is a historical drama set during the reign of Elizabeth I (Flora Robson), focusing on the English defeat of the Spanish Armada, whence the title. In 1588, relations between Spain and England are at the breaking point. With the support of Queen Elizabeth I, British sea raiders such as Sir Francis Drake regularly capture Spanish merchantmen bringing gold from the New World.

Flora Robson

Queen Elizabeth I of England

Raymond Massey

King Philip II of Spain

Leslie Banks

The Earl of Leicester

Laurence Olivier

Michael Ingolby

Vivien Leigh

Cynthia

Morton Selten

Lord Burleigh

Tamara Desni

Elena

Lyn Harding

Sir Richard Ingolby

George Thirlwell

Mr. Lawrence Gregory

Henry Oscar

Spanish Ambassador

Robert Rendel

Don Miguel

Robert Newton

Don Pedro

Donald Calthrop

Don Escobal

Charles Carson

Adm. Valdez

James Mason

Hillary Vane

Howard Douglas

Lord Amberley

Cecil Mainwaring

Lord Illingworth

Francis de Wolff

Sir James Tarleton

Graham Cheswright

Mr. Joseph Maddison

A. Corney Grain

Hatton

Laurence Hanray

French Ambassador

Roy Russell

Sir Humphrey Cooper

Evelyn Ankers

Lady-in-Waiting

Norma Varden

Elena's Governess (uncredited)

CinemaSerf

If anyone ever doubted the kind of actor Laurence Olivier was going to become, then they need only watch this and it is as plain as the nose on his handsome young face. Here, though, his over-acting (and singing) in the role of the enthusiastic "Michael Ingleby" rather badly dates an otherwise quite entertaining recounting of the machinations leading up build up to the Spanish Armada's attempt to invade Elizabethan England. Flora Robson always did carry off the role of a monarch well and Morton Selten (reputedly a child of Edward VII), Vivien Leigh, Raymond Massey and a slightly camp Leslie Banks serve well in support as this story of court intrigues and romance unfolds. Though it is mostly stage bound there are a few attempts to take it outside, the costumes look the part and it's quite menacingly scored at times, too. Keep a look out for early appearances by James Mason and Robert Newton and remember - a Spanish lady may retire, but she never goes to bed!