Portrait of James II (1633-1701) in Garter Robes (oil on canvas) by Lely, Peter (1618-80) (school of), Bolton Museum and Art Gallery; Portrait of William III of England (1650-1702) attributed to Thomas Murray, c. 1691, National Portrait Gallery
I’m continuing to make my way through all the English/British kings, and James II and (especially) William III just aren’t on screen enough to justify their own posts! So let’s do them together.
James II
James (1633-1701; reigned 1685-88) was the younger son of Charles I, and succeeded his brother when he died childless. But James had converted to Catholicism, and post-English Civil War, a Catholic monarch was a no-go. His first wife, Anne Hyde, died before he ascended; he married (Catholic) Mary of Modena, and when she gave birth to a son (the whole “warming pan baby” story), ensuring more Catholics on the throne, anti-Catholic riots ensued, leading to English lords inviting William of Orange to take on the throne (more on that in a moment).
After defeat in battle, James and his family moved to France and lived at the court of Louis XIV. His son James (the “Old Pretender”) was the figurehead of the Jacobite rebellions, although it was HIS son Charles (“Bonnie Prince Charlie“) who led the famous 1745 uprising.
There’s a few productions for which I can’t find pics:
- Gibb McLaughlin in Nell Gwynne (1926)
- Douglas Matthews in Thank You, Mr. Pepys! (1938)
- Guy Henry in England, My England (1995)
Otherwise, here’s James on screen!
Donald Hall in Hearts and the Highway (1915)
A lost silent film.
Sam De Grasse in The Man Who Laughs (1928)
A German expressionist silent film adaptation of the Victor Hugo novel. The plot is complicated, but James shows up in the beginning to get the plot in motion.
Vernon Steele in Captain Blood (1935)
An Errol Flynn swashbuckling pirate movie. Flynn’s character is arrested for treason against James at the beginning of the film, leading to him becoming a pirate.
John Westbrook in The First Churchills (1969)
Focused on John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, and his wife, Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough from their first meeting in 1673 through 1713. The duke was a key English general and statesman and his wife was the favorite of Queen Anne. We’ll have a longer review soon!
Charlie Creed-Miles in The Last King aka Charles II: The Power & the Passion (2003)
James lurks around petulantly throughout this bio-series about his brother, Charles II, and at the end he’s quickly deposed.
William III
William III (1650-1702; co-reigned with Mary II from 1689-1702) started off as William of Orange, a sovereign Dutch prince. He married James II’s daughter, Mary (elder sister to Anne), and when James was deposed, the English looked to Protestant Mary and her Protestant husband. They two were invited to rule England, Scotland, and Ireland, which they did after the “Glorious Revolution.” Mary died of smallpox in 1694, leaving William sole ruler; as the couple died childless, the throne passed to Mary’s younger sister Anne (another of James II’s daughter).
William’s role is too small for me to find pics in these productions:
- Bernard Lee in The Black Tulip (1937)
- Olaf Hytten in Against All Flags (1952)
- Henry Davies in The Black Tulip (1956)
- Eric Woofe in The Black Tulip (1970)
- Corin Redgrave in England, My England (1995)
Otherwise:
Henry Daniell in Captain Kidd (1945)
Another pirate-y swashbuckler! At one point pirate William Kidd goes to court to get a commission as a privateer.
Alan Rowe in The First Churchills (1969)
That same BBC bio-series! It clearly covers ground.
Laurence Olivier in Peter the Great (1986)
A TV miniseries about Russia’s tsar Peter I (reigned 1721-25) that I occasionally think about watching. Opinions?
Thom Hoffman in Orlando (1992)
William and Mary briefly show up to make Orlando ambassador to Constantinople.
Jochum ten Haaf in The Last King aka Charles II: The Power & the Passion (2003)
He’s VERY briefly shown at the end of this Charles II bio-series (see above) to demonstrate “what happens post-Charles.”
Bernard Hill in The League of Gentlemen’s Apocalypse (2005)
A “disaster horror comedy film” that expands on the AMAZINGLY good and weird British TV series. The film takes place on set during the filming of a historical horror film called “The King’s Evil.”
Egbert-Jan Weber in Michiel de Ruyter (2015)
A bio-film about the Dutch admiral who leads the country against England and France during the Anglo-Dutch Wars.
George Webster in Versailles (2015)
I didn’t make it long enough through this bio-series about Louis XIV to see William show up, so you tell me!
Have you seen any of these productions? Got opinions on James or William in any of them?
In truth, I’m not fond of this period of British history due to the continued religious intolerance. The only one of these iterations of William I saw was Versailles, where he came off as an arrogant punk who was a thorn in the Sun King’s side. As their costumes were often simplified, not much to write about. I loved the soap opera aspect of that series, the costumes not so much.
I am a fan of “Peter the Great” for the soundtrack and Maximillian Schell, though I get distracted by the ways they worked to conceal Schell’s absence for a chunk of the series. (They used a stand in and dubbed Schell’s voice.) I still rewatch it occasionally. Vanessa Redgrave is diabolical. I say watch it!
Why did Schell disappear? Did he die mid-filming?
Comments on IMDB say he was sick with influenza for four weeks, so filming was delayed. Which ran into his contractual commitment to direct an opera in Berlin and a play in Salzburg, so he left to do that.
I’ve watched ‘The First Churchills’!
I find the period after Cromwell – the restoration- so interesting and so many changes in clothing!
Typo: James II was the son of Charles I, and thus the brother of CII.
Not my favorite era for men’s clothing, but the wigs are delightful.
I think I got it right — I said younger son of CI — but then just referred to his brother, so I see why it’s confusing! Will edit. :)
Given that His Late Majesty King Charles the Second (or at least his Court) arguably set the pattern from which future suitings would evolve mostly in outline, any serial that fails to make ‘Old Rowley’ look like a true clothes horse would be letting the side down!
As for King James and King William, they’re enough to make one grateful for the House of Hanover.
The man who laughs is a great movie, adapted from a very strange book. Despite the fact its director and main star are german, it was made in Hollywood and produced by Universal.
Btw it’s the movie who inspired the look of the Joker, in Batman.
“…the younger son of Charles II, and succeeded his brother when he died childless.”
Died without legitimate children via his poor wife, anyway – Charles II had a TON of kids with other women!