Жас Бесс: Тарих және махаббат дастаны

1953 film by George Sidney
the film

MGM bought the rights to the novel in February 1945. Katherine Anne Porter and Jan Lustig signed to write the script, and Sidney Franklin was producer. Eventually a script by Lustig and Arthur Wimperis was finished in 1946 and Franklin said "we were full of enthusiasm for it." In May 1947, Deborah Kerr was tested for the lead role. In March 1948, MGM announced it would make the film in Britain. It was to be the second in a series of films made there, following Edward, My Son. In May 1948, MGM stated that Deborah Kerr and Errol Flynn were "definite" for the film. However filming did not proceed. In August 1948, Walter Pidgeon and Janet Leigh reportedly were tested for lead roles. Elizabeth Taylor was considered for the title role as was Deborah Kerr (if it was going to be the latter the character would be aged up). In November 1948, MGM put the film on its schedule for the following year. However, filming kept being postponed. In April 1949, MGM announced it was negotiating a contract with James Mason, whom it wanted to put in Young Bess and Robinson Crusoe. In December 1950, Jean Simmons emerged as a favorite to play the title role. This was partly at the behest of J. Arthur Rank who had Simmons under contract and thought the role would be perfect for her. In February 1951, MGM announced Simmons would co star with her husband Stewart Granger. Filming continued to be pushed back in part because Simmons became enmeshed in a contractual dispute with Howard Hughes. In October 1951, Charles Laughton signed to play Henry VIII. In August 1952, Deborah Kerr joined the cast as Catherine Parr.

Filming took place in Hollywood starting in October 1952. Producer Sidney Franklin said:

<blockquote>We're telling an intimate story against a background of sixteenth century court life, as opposed to a historical pageant about royal intrigues. We feel the love story between the Princess and Seymour – actually he was 25 years older than Elizabeth – will be more valid to audiences than a lot of historical detail which has no relation to our customers lives. Variety called it "a remarkably engrossing motion picture" and "a human story, sensitively written, directed and played." "A strong romantic costume drama", declared Harrison's Reports. "The direction is faultless, the production values lavish, and the color photography exquisite." John McCarten of The New Yorker wrote that the plot "may sound like a Madison Avenue concept of history, but as directed by George Sidney, the piece doesn't churn up too much sudsy bathos to be intolerable, and, indeed, the cast goes about its work with such sincerity that you can enjoy the thing as a handsome costume exercise even though you're skeptical about Miss Irwin's history." The film was Stewart Granger's favourite of all the movies he made for MGM "for the costumes, the cast, the story."

According to MGM records, the film earned $1,645,000 in North America and $2,450,000 in other markets, leading to a loss of $272,000.

The film was nominated for two Academy Awards: for Best Costume Design and Best Art Direction (Cedric Gibbons, Urie McCleary, Edwin B. Willis, Jack D. Moore).