Les Amours de la Reine Elisabeth

A rousing box-office success in both the United States and Europe, Les Amours de la Reine Elisabeth brought theatrical legend Sarah Bernhardt to the screen as England's legendary queen. Elizabeth I (Bernhardt) is caught in a love triangle with the Earl of Essex (Lou Tellegen) and the Countess of Nottingham (Mlle. Romani). The queen gives the Earl a ring with the royal seal and promises the bauble will save his life if returned to her. When Essex is locked in the Tower of London, Elizabeth sends the countess to retrieve the ring. The Earl throws the ring away, paving the way for his former lover to sign his death warrant. The queen is heartbroken after learning of the incident in which the Earl refuses to save his own life. After the death of Bernhardt in 1923, the film was re-released and given the alternative title The Queen's Favorite.