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Drama

The Heart of a Queen (1940): Cast & Plot

The Heart of a Queen (1940) movie poster

The Heart of a Queen is a 1940 drama directed by Carl Froelich, starring Zarah Leander as Maria Stuart, Willy Birgel and Lotte Koch. It runs 1 hour 52 minutes.

The Heart of a Queen (1940) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 52m (112 min)
Director
Carl Froelich
Genre
Drama
Original language
German
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is The Heart of a Queen About?

The premise of The Heart of a Queen without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

The early German black‑and‑white film dramatizes the eventful reign and death of Mary, Queen of Scots, emphasizing her inner emotional world rather than mere historical detail. The narrative is presented in a lyrical style, interspersed with several songs performed chiefly by the queen herself, offering a poetic glimpse into her personal perspective.

The Heart of a Queen Themes & Keywords

· 9 tags
  • mary queen of scots character
  • execution
  • historical event
  • bathing
  • underwear
  • towel
  • high treason
  • 16th century
  • based on novel
Cast & crew

The Heart of a Queen Cast & Characters

Zarah Leander leads the cast as Maria Stuart, with Willy Birgel as Lord Bothwell and Lotte Koch as Lady Johanna Gordon. Directed by Carl Froelich; 34 actors are credited in all.

Plot

The Heart of a Queen Plot Summary

What happens in The Heart of a Queen from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Mary Stuart sits in the dim hall of Fotheringhay Castle, a prisoner under a sentence that will be carried out in a few hours. The weight of the coming execution presses down on her, and she learns that the Royal Court has approved the death with the assent of Elizabeth I. In a quiet, devastating moment, she accepts the fate that awaits her and the film shifts into a long flashback that recounts how she reached this point.

Full summary

The whole story of The Heart of a Queen, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Quiz

How Well Do You Know The Heart of a Queen?

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
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  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
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  10. Question 10: not answered

Which castle is the opening location where Mary Stuart awaits her execution?

Details

The Heart of a Queen Also Known As

3 alternative titles, including “O coração da Rainha” and “Сердце королевы”.

Also known as
  • O coração da Rainha
  • Сердце королевы
  • 女王之心

Seen The Heart of a Queen?

FAQ

The Heart of a Queen FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date

Runtime, release date, director, cast, post-credit scenes and language of The Heart of a Queen, each answered in a sentence.

How long is The Heart of a Queen?

The Heart of a Queen runs 1 hour 52 minutes (112 minutes).

When was The Heart of a Queen released?

The Heart of a Queen was released on November 1, 1940.

Who directed The Heart of a Queen?

The Heart of a Queen was directed by Carl Froelich.

More films by Carl Froelich

Who is in the cast of The Heart of a Queen?

The Heart of a Queen stars Zarah Leander as Maria Stuart, Willy Birgel as Lord Bothwell and Lotte Koch as Lady Johanna Gordon, among 34 credited actors.

Does The Heart of a Queen have a post-credit scene?

No. The Heart of a Queen has no extra scene during or after the credits.

What language is The Heart of a Queen in?

The original language of The Heart of a Queen is German.

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