Mary of Scotland (1936)

BACKGROUND


During the filming of Mary of Scotland Katherine Hepburn disagreed with just about everything Ford did. The conflicts got so heated that Ford eventually walked off the set telling her to direct the film herself. This prompted the star to fall in line and once that happened the two quickly fell in love. Long before he became Ford’s most trusted screenwriter Frank Nugent of The New York Times wrote that Mary of Scotland had a: "blend of excellence and mere adequacy." He also suggested that the film had: “depth, vigor and warm humanity” but had scenes which "lack the vitality they possessed in the play" and considered Hepburn's characterization of the title role rather too soft in comparison with the historical Mary. Variety, however, praised the "extra-strong cast" and Ford's "sure-footed" direction.












PLOT SUMMARY

Queen Mary of Scotland returns to her homeland to reclaim her throne after being exiled to France setting into motion a plot by rival Queen Elizabeth to have her captured and imprisoned.