Mary Queen of Scots (2018)

★ 6.6 2h 4m 1,931 votes IMDb

In 1561, Mary Stuart, widow of the King of France, returns to Scotland, reclaims her rightful throne and menaces the future of Queen Elizabeth I as ruler of England, because she has a legitimate claim to the English throne. Betrayals, rebellions, conspiracies and their own life choices imperil both Queens. They experience the bitter cost of power, until their tragic fate is finally fulfilled.

Mary Queen of Scots

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Cast

Saoirse Ronan
Saoirse Ronan as Mary Stuart Age 32 · The Bronx, New York City, New York, USA Saoirse Una Ronan (/ˈsɜːrʃə ˈuːnə ˈroʊnən/ SUR-shə OO-nə ROH-nən; born 12 April 1994) is an American-born Irish actress. Primarily known for her work in period dramas since adolescence, she has receiv...
Margot Robbie
Margot Robbie as Queen Elizabeth I Age 35 · Dalby, Queensland, Australia Margot Elise Robbie (born 2 July 1990) is an Australian actress and producer. Her work includes blockbusters and independent films, and her accolades include nominations for three Academy Awards, four...
Jack Lowden
Jack Lowden as Lord Darnley Age 35 · Chelmsford, Essex, England, UK Jack Andrew Lowden (born June 2, 1990) is a Scottish actor. Following a four-year stage career, his first major international onscreen success was in the 2016 BBC miniseries War & Peace, which led to...
David Tennant
David Tennant as John Knox Age 55 · Bathgate, West Lothian, Scotland, UK David John Tennant (né McDonald; 18 April 1971) is a Scottish actor. He is best known for portraying the tenth incarnation of the Doctor in the sci-fi series Doctor Who (2005–2010; 2013). In 2022, he...
Guy Pearce
Guy Pearce as William Cecil Age 58 · Ely, Cambridgeshire, England, UK Guy Edward Pearce (born 5 October 1967) is an Australian actor and musician. He has received various accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award and a nomination for an Academy Award, two Golden Globe...
Gemma Chan
Gemma Chan as Bess of Hardwick Age 43 · London, England, UK Gemma Chan (born 29 November 1982) is an English actress. A Worcester College, Oxford graduate, Chan began acting in the late 2000s, making her film debut in 2009. She rose to attention with her leadi...

Audience Reviews

Gimly 4/10 Feb 19, 2019
Thinking about them just in terms of their visual appearnce, Saoirse Ronan probably should have played Queen Elizabeth I instead of Mary, and Margot Robbie probably should have played Not In This Movie.

Perhaps it could have performed better, had it not come out the same year as both _Outlaw King_ and _The Favourite_, as its content lies somewhere between the two, but its quality pales to either.

_Final rating:★★ - Definitely not for me, but I sort of get the appeal._
TheRealMina 1/10 Jun 07, 2019
This movie is complete trash.
Watch only if you want modern politics shoved down your throat.

The movie focuses more on LGBT rights then events related to the setting the movie takes place.
Poor casting choices, horrible acting from A-list actors and low budget sets.

Not worth streaming. Not worth pirating. Not worthing Seeding.
Not worth the popcorn.
John Chard 3/10 Apr 05, 2020
We have a scourge upon our land. 'Tis worse than pestilence and famine. 'Tis a woman with a crown.

Mary Stuart's (Saoirse Ronan) attempt to overthrow her cousin Elizabeth I (Margot Robbie), Queen of England, finds her condemned to years of imprisonment before facing execution.


Directed by Josie Rourke and written by Bau Willimon and John Guy, Mary Queen of Scots is the latest in a long line of historical costumers that fudge history to suit heir own ends. From a technical standpoint it's top draw, design, costuming and lead acting performances are quality - though Mary herself ends up being more cartoonish than anything resembling a tragic historical figure. Sadly, though, the narrative goes round and round in circles and ends up in a politically correct fog.​


The pace is laborious, which makes the two hour run time something of a chore to get through. There's little dangles of spice, with attempts at gay acceptance and oral pleasure etc etc, and things hit an upward curve in the latter stages, there's even some smarts in the narrative where obsession with rites and rules of succession threaten to turn the pic into exciting politico/religio waters. Alas, it's a false dawn, to the point where the costume design becomming the best thing in a production speaks volumes about a badly - on the page - historical drama. 3/10
John Chard 3/10 Apr 05, 2020
We have a scourge upon our land. 'Tis worse than pestilence and famine. 'Tis a woman with a crown.

Mary Stuart's (Saoirse Ronan) attempt to overthrow her cousin Elizabeth I (Margot Robbie), Queen of England, finds her condemned to years of imprisonment before facing execution.

Directed by Josie Rourke and written by Beau Willimon and John Guy, Mary Queen of Scots is the latest in a long line of historical costumers that fudge history to suit heir own ends. From a technical standpoint it's top draw, design, costuming and lead acting performances are quality - though Mary herself ends up being more cartoonish than anything resembling a tragic historical figure. Sadly, though, the narrative goes round and round in circles and ends up in a politically correct fog.​

The pace is laborious, which makes the two hour run time something of a chore to get through. There's little dangles of spice, with attempts at gay acceptance and oral pleasure etc etc, and things hit an upward curve in the latter stages, there's even some smarts in the narrative where obsession with rites and rules of succession threaten to turn the pic into exciting politico/religio waters. Alas, it's a false dawn, to the point where the costume design becoming the best thing in a production speaks volumes about a badly - on the page - historical drama. 3/10
CinemaSerf 5/10 Mar 27, 2022
Unfortunately there are just too many flaws in this depiction of the life of Mary Stuart to itemise. The writing rather clumsily imposes a 21st century slant on 16th century Scottish history and seems more bent on imposing the morals and opinions of the former on the times and scenarios of the latter. Neither principal performance is particularly engaging; and Jack Lowden and Joe Alwyn are frankly hopeless as the sexually ambiguous "Darnley" and "Leicester" respectively. The Oscar nominations for Make-up and Costume are certainly well deserved, but really do epitomise the style-over-substance emphasis of this weak adaptation of one of history's greatest rivalries.

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