As you may have noticed, I’ve been periodically going through and adding WCW’s on the various English queens that I skipped-for-being-too-big in my series. Last time was Elizabeth Woodville, now it’s her successor, Anne Neville. Why do we use these queens’ last names? I guess because they’re English, and not “of wherever”? Anyway! Anne Neville (1456-85) was Queen of England due to her marriage to Richard III, reigning for only two short years until her death. She was the younger daughter of the Earl of Warwick, known as “the kingmaker” for his many important power plays in English politics during the Wars of the Roses.
Because Anne was queen to Richard III, she’s been on screen a lot — albeit in usually minor roles and Shakespeare adaptations. Let’s run down her on-screen appearances!
Tower of London (1939)
Focused on Richard III (Basil Rathbone), with a very stereotypical look at the king, including “Boris Karloff as his fictitious club-footed executioner Mord” per Wikipedia. Rose Hobart plays Queen Anne.
Richard III (1955)
The Laurence Olivier adaptation of the Shakespeare play. Claire Bloom plays Anne with some rockin’ hennins.
Tower of London (1962)
This one was a gothic horror take on Richard III (Vincent Price). Joan Camden plays his queen.
Richard III (1983)
A BBC TV adaptation of the Shakespeare play. The great Zoe Wanamaker played Anne.
Richard III (1995)
Yet another Shakespeare adaptation, but this time set in the 1930s. Kristin Scott Thomas plays Anne in slinky bias-cut dresses.
Looking for Richard (1996)
Al Pacino’s documentary that combines performances of the Shakespeare play as well as explorations of Shakespeare’s continuing relevance. Winona Ryder plays Anne Neville.
The White Queen (2013)
Probably the most extensive take on Anne Neville, but because it’s based on a Philippa Fucking Gregory book, it’s not great. Faye Marsay gives a good performance as Anne, and it’s not her fault that her hair drove me crazy. Anne is one of the three main characters in the miniseries.
The Hollow Crown: The Wars of the Roses (2016)
Part of the recent BBC series of Shakespeare adaptations. Phoebe Fox, and I haven’t seen it so I can’t comment further!
Which is your favorite representation of Queen Anne Neville on screen?
In the Olivier Richard, the first and last photos are of Jane Shore, I think. Forgot the actress’ name!
Coral Browne. Love her.
-Although the last picture could be Claire Bloom.
Pamela Brown as Jane Shore. Last pic is definitely Claire Bloom as Anne.
Btw Judi Dench is actually Cecily Duchess of York, mother of Richard and Edward IV.
Love you all!! I believe that the caption for the last “Hollow Crown” pic should read “With Keeley Hawes as Elizabeth Woodville and Judi Dench as her mother-in-law Cecily”. Elizabeth’s mother was Jacquetta of Luxembourg.
Hey, they even did that “high, almost bald looking foreheads are hot” thing that usually accompanied hennins in the 1955 one!
Those are some very nice hennins on Claire Bloom. The butterfly hennin is especially pretty.
Winona Ryder could be wearing a double butterfly hennin, I’ve seen pictures of such things in historical costume books.
I’m not a medieval expert either but I feel completely confident in calling Isabel’s regency style gown awful.
I will self style me a “medieval expert” and say that gown is prerraphaelite aesthetic at best, but as a 15th English gown, it’s a big not.
I agree emphatically!
Someone needs to make a film or miniseries based on Sharon Kay Penman’s The Sunne in Splendour! (also the Here Be Dragons books). That would be a good starting point for a three dimensional portrayal of Anne Neville.
I note Anne’s hair in the 15th c. illustration is very down and now I’m all confused.
Anne is wearing her crown. When queens appeared in their full regalia, which only happened at great state events, they wore their hair down. Brides sometimes did so too, otherwise no. Kings and queens only appears in the crowns on very special occasions, their coronations, opening parliament, high holy days, that sort of thing. Otherwise they wore hats and headdresses like everybody else.
Faye Marsay was amazing in the role, I thought. A shame about the PFG.
I had a ghost-ish experience with Anne Neville on one trip England. I consider her a personal friend.
Sounds interesting, tell us more!
Well, at the time I was literally a card-carrying member of the Richard III Society, and I’m still all White Rose. Anyway, I was strolling around Westminster Abbey when a flash of light to my left caught my eye. The flash was the sun through the window reflecting off the perfectly-polished brass plaque over her grave. I felt as though she meant me to be sure to see her.
It does sound like a very significant ‘coincidence’!
Anne Nevill is an intriguing figure. We know her public career, wife to Edward of Lancaster, ‘ward’s for which read prisoner of George of Clarence who wanted to force her into a Convent so he could have the entire Warwick inheritance instead of half, and her marriage to Richatd of Gloucester.
What we don’t know is how she felt about any of it. Was she ambitious? Did she want to be Queen? Did she want to be married to either of her husband’s? We just don’t know. Was she a passive pawn or an eager behind the scenes intriguer?
There is evidence that her marriage to Richard was a happy one. He seems to have been faithful to her and grieved at her death. It seems significant that he shared his coronation with Anne. Apparently he wanted her at his side during his greatest moment.