Drake of England

For the play, see Drake of England (play).

Drake of England
Directed by	Arthur B. Woods
Written by	Louis N. Parker (play) Marjorie Deans Clifford Grey Ákos Tolnay Norman Watson
Produced by	Walter C. Mycroft
Starring	Matheson Lang Athene Seyler Jane Baxter Henry Mollison
Cinematography	Claude Friese-Greene Ronald Neame
Edited by	Edward B. Jarvis
Music by	G.H. Clutsam Idris Lewis
Production company	British International Pictures
Distributed by	Wardour Films
Release date	16 May 1935
Running time	99 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

Drake of England is a 1935 British drama film directed by Arthur B. Woods and starring Matheson Lang, Athene Seyler and Jane Baxter. It depicts the life of Francis Drake and the events leading up to the defeat of the Armada in 1588.

Production

The film was made at Elstree Studios, as part of the boom in historical films that followed the global success of The Private Life of Henry VIII. The film was based on the play of the same title by Louis N. Parker. The art direction was by Duncan Sutherland who designed the film's sets. It was given an American release in 1936, when it was distributed by Grand National Pictures.

The film has generally been overshadowed by two slightly later releases Fire Over England (1937) and The Sea Hawk (1940) which deal with much the same story.

Cast

• Matheson Lang as Francis Drake
• Athene Seyler as Queen Elizabeth I
• Jane Baxter as Elizabeth Sydenham
• Henry Mollison as John Doughty
• Ben Webster as Lord Burghley
• Donald Wolfit as Thomas Doughty
• George Merritt as Tom Moone
• Amy Veness as Mother Moone
• Allan Jeayes as Don Bernardino
• Gibb McLaughlin as Don Enriquez
• Helen Haye as Lady Lennox
• Moore Marriott as Bright

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.