Drake of England

Drake of England

Company type	Film
Industry	Film industry
Founded	1935
Founder	Arthur B. Woods (director)
Headquarters	United Kingdom
Products	Film

Drake of England is a 1935 British drama film helmed by director Arthur B. Woods, featuring performances by Matheson Lang, Athene Seyler, and Jane Baxter. The narrative centers on the life of Francis Drake and the circumstances surrounding the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588.

Plot

Set in 1567, the story follows Francis Drake and his cousin John Hawkins as they embark from Plymouth. Their departure is witnessed by Elizabeth Sydenham, who later becomes a lady-in-waiting to Queen Elizabeth. The following year, Queen Elizabeth expresses her dissatisfaction after Drake reports that their West Indies expedition ended in failure, including the loss of her ship, the Jesus of Lubeck. Drake explains that despite initial trading gains, a surprise attack led by Don Enriquez’s Spanish fleet resulted in the seizure of their treasure. To compensate for these setbacks, Drake suggests capturing Spanish vessels docked in Plymouth laden with King Philip II of Spain's bullion and launching an assault on Nombre de Dios, a key point for collecting New World riches destined for Spain. The queen consents to both initiatives. Afterward, Elizabeth Sydenham approaches Drake to introduce herself.

Cast

• Matheson Lang portraying Francis Drake
• Athene Seyler as Queen Elizabeth
• Jane Baxter in the role of Elizabeth Sydenham
• Henry Mollison playing John Doughty
• Donald Wolfit as Thomas Doughty
• George Merritt as Tom Moone
• Amy Veness in the role of Mother Moone
• Ben Webster portraying Lord Burghley
• Sam Livesey as Sir George Sydenham
• Margaret Halstan playing Lady Sydenham (credited as Margaret Halston)
• Charles Quatermaine as Parson Fletcher (credited as Charles Quartermaine)
• Allan Jeayes portraying Don Bernardino
• Gibb McLaughlin as Don Enriquez
• Helen Haye in the role of Lady Lennox
• Arthur Goullet as Pedro (credited as Arthur Goulett)
• George Moore-Marriott playing Bright

Production

Produced at Elstree Studios, this film emerged during a wave of historical cinema inspired by the worldwide acclaim of The Private Life of Henry VIII. It is an adaptation of the play by Louis N. Parker, with set design overseen by art director Duncan Sutherland. The movie was released in the United States in 1936 through distribution by Grand National Pictures.

In terms of commercial success, this production was eclipsed by subsequent films such as Fire Over England (1937) and The Sea Hawk (1940), which explored comparable historical subjects.

Bibliography

• Low, Rachael. Filmmaking in 1930s Britain. George Allen & Unwin, 1985.
• Richards, Jeffrey. The Age of the Dream Palace: Cinema and Society in 1930s Britain. I.B. Tauris, 2010.
• Wood, Linda. British Films, 1927–1939. British Film Institute, 1986.