Elizabeth in Film - Private Lives of Elizabeth & Essex and The Virgin Queen

The Private Lives of Elizabeth & Essex - Bette Davis

For the film Bette Davis had to go through a dramatic transformation in order to become Elizabeth I. Her hairline was shaved back three inches, and her eyebrows were shaved also and replaced by thin pencil lines. Her lips were underlined as well so that they looked a lot thinner in comparison to her natural fuller lips. She was also made to look a lot older by having bags drawn under her eyes. 

 Her hair is shown to be very bright red and put up in the typical Elizabethan style, adorned with pearls and jewels. The texture of the hair is also frizzed in very tight curls, much like Elizabeth's hair is shown to be in her portraits. 

(no date) Available at: http://www.tudorplace.com.ar/Pelicula/BD03.jpg
(Accessed: 8 December 2015).

The Virgin Queen - Bette Davis

Bette Davis reprised her role as Elizabeth I in 1955 starring in The Virgin Queen. Her makeup isn't shown to be as extreme as the makeup shown in Elizabeth R, although she does show the same Elizabethan elements like; the pale face and rouged cheeks/lips. Her hairline seems to be a lot higher and more drastic than the previous film, with scenes of her being in bed with her real hair being shown. It is shown to be very pale and fine in comparison to the red hair shown throughout the rest of the film. The red hair that she is shown to have looks very fake, it is such a bright red/orange colour and definitely looks like a wig - showing Elizabeth's hair could've looked like as she was said to wear wigs. 

Davies, J. (no date) C16th makeups: The virgin queen. Available at: http://www.themakeupgallery.info/period/c16/uk/elizabeth/virginbd.htm
(Accessed: 8 December 2015).