Skip to content
What's After the Movie?
Romantic drama

Mary of Scotland (1936): Cast & Plot

Mary of Scotland (1936) movie poster

Mary of Scotland is a 1936 romantic drama directed by John Ford, starring Katharine Hepburn as Mary Stuart, Frieda Inescort and Jean Fenwick. It runs 2 hours 3 minutes.

Loading streaming availability…
Mary of Scotland (1936) movie poster
Released
Runtime
2h 3m (123 min)
Director
John Ford
Genres
Drama , Romance , History
Original language
English
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Mary of Scotland About?

The premise of Mary of Scotland without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

Dubbed “the Temptress” by contemporary chroniclers, the recently widowed Mary Stuart sails back to Scotland determined to reclaim her inherited throne. Yet her bid for power is immediately challenged by her half‑brother and a coalition of hostile Scottish lords who resist her rule.

Mary of Scotland Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • mary queen of scots character
  • queen elizabeth i character
  • john knox character
  • character name as title
  • period drama
  • 1580s
  • 1560s
  • 16th century
  • march and eldridge
  • ford and crisp
  • ford and carradine
  • scotland
+38 more
  • queen
  • england
  • throne
  • secretary
  • religion
  • half brother
  • execution
  • escape
  • female protagonist
  • bagpipes
  • revolt
  • political intrigue
  • guillotine
  • great britain
  • fop
  • chaplain
  • weak king
  • treason
  • tartan
  • surrender
  • stabbed to death
  • shooting star
  • religious fanatic
  • pregnancy
  • patriotism
  • paternity
  • loyalty
  • gunpowder
  • edinburgh scotland
  • drunkard
  • court intrigue
  • claymore
  • chiarioscuro
  • catholicism vs protestantism
  • broken sword
  • beheading
  • aristocracy
  • ambassador
Loading streaming availability…
Cast & crew

Mary of Scotland Cast & Characters

Katharine Hepburn leads the cast as Mary Stuart, with Frieda Inescort as Mary Beaton and Jean Fenwick as Mary Seton. Directed by John Ford; 25 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in Mary of Scotland

· 21 more
Show all 25 cast members
From the director

More from John Ford

More films directed by John Ford, best-rated first: The Grapes of Wrath, The Searchers, Young Mr. Lincoln and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.

Full filmography
Plot

Mary of Scotland Plot Summary

What happens in Mary of Scotland from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

In 1561, Mary Stuart, the young widow of Francis II of France, sails from the Continent back to her homeland to reclaim the Scottish throne. She lands with her trusted secretary, Rizzio, and together they ride toward Holyrood Palace near Edinburgh, determined to reassert royal authority after years abroad.

Full summary

The whole story of Mary of Scotland, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Mary of Scotland?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

Which actress portrays Mary Stuart in the film?

Details

Mary of Scotland Also Known As

13 alternative titles, including “María Estuardo, reina de Escocia” and “Maria Stuart”.

Also known as
  • María Estuardo, reina de Escocia
  • Maria Stuart
  • Raínha da Escócia
  • Марія Шотландська
  • Marie Stuart
  • Maria di Scozia
  • María Estuardo
  • Mary Stuart
  • Rainha da Escócia
  • Maria von Schottland
  • Мері Шотландська
  • 苏格兰女王玛丽
+1 more
  • Maria Estuard

Seen Mary of Scotland?

FAQ

Mary of Scotland FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date

Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of Mary of Scotland, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Mary of Scotland?

Mary of Scotland runs 2 hours 3 minutes (123 minutes).

When was Mary of Scotland released?

Mary of Scotland was released on July 28, 1936.

Who directed Mary of Scotland?

Mary of Scotland was directed by John Ford.

More films by John Ford

Who is in the cast of Mary of Scotland?

Mary of Scotland stars Katharine Hepburn as Mary Stuart, Frieda Inescort as Mary Beaton and Jean Fenwick as Mary Seton, among 25 credited actors.

Does Mary of Scotland have a post-credit scene?

No. Mary of Scotland has no extra scene during or after the credits.

Coming soon to your phone

The Plot Explained Movie Summary App

From blockbusters to hidden gems: plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Save your favorites and never miss a twist again.

Be the first to know when it launches. Your email stays private, always. Learn more about the app