Afouotos Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

WillSushyMedia This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

Nayan Gough A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

Cristal The movie really just wants to entertain people.

clanciai I loved this film almost to the end, when unfortunately the propaganda program of the 30s took over and changed the drama into disturbing chauvinism. Well, that was the 30s, and you have to view it in that context, but until you get caught in the hullabaloo of the great armada, it's a perfect film in every way, especially dramatically. The dialogue never loses its pregnancy, all the characters are outstanding, the many plots are interwoven into an expert fabric, and the actors are evidently enjoying their excellence themselves. It's the only film where James Mason and Laurence Olivier act together, they never meet in the film, but Laurence is given the pleasure of standing in for James and does it well - you are actually struck by how like each other they are. Robert Newton is also here in an early part as a Spaniard and for once not overdoing it, while Flora Robson runs the show - there never was a better or more convincing Queen Elizabeth. There is only one shocking scene in the whole film, and that's where Elizabeth unmasks herself. It seems that Flora Robson really has gotten into Elizabeth. Leslie Banks is a very credible Robin Dudley, and Vivien introduces the film as a flippant 18-year old or young lady in waiting, a granddaughter of Burleigh's. Nothing is missing of the glorious era of England's resistance as a small nation against an overwhelming superpower, and everything is fresh and vital, even the Spaniards, and Raymond Massey makes a very brief but entirely realistic portrait of Philip II. This is a film to thoroughly enjoy still today, Laurence Olivier is even better than Errol Flynn, this was his and Vivien's first film together, while the great theme is not the armada but the ideological conflict - the freedom of conscience against the autodafés of Spain, which is well pointed out already in the beginning of the film.

ifasmilecanhelp The movie is a bit slow, but I wonder if it does not correspond better to times the story happens, at the end of 16th century... This is not as much an adventurer movie as is the Sea Hawk, not at all, but again, the rather lingering rhythm, if you enjoy Middle Ages history and costumes, may be the best to conduct the play. Personally I prefer quiet a lot 1940's Sea Hawk Curtiz version, perhaps, even though I wrote this one (1937 version) may have the proper rhythm, because I like more powerful adventures and Erroll Flynn's charisma and energy certainly fits me better. But I also think Laurence Olivier, who's not one of my favorite actors, did a good job, not overplaying. Flora Robson is the right person at the right place, but I admit too that she does not play an extraordinary performance. She is not Bette Davis :-) Howard, the director, all in all, offers a solid film, pleasant to watch at, even though not memorable. To summarize, I enjoyed this Fire Over England, but would rather suggest to see the Sea Hawk, with lot of actions, excellent actors performances and with a pleasant end (a family movie)... or at best one of my favorite movies about this era (but not centered on the same historic events) and a stunning drama with fantastic and mesmerizing performances : The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex...a film is never really good unless the camera is an eyes in the head of a poet Orson Welles

Mandyjam The facts:- Charles Howard, later Earl of Nottingham, commanded the British Fleet with Sir Francis Drake and Sir John Hawkins as secondary command. When the Armada was sighted, beacons were lit, as in the movie. (It was demonstrated at the pre-wedding party for Prince Charles prior to his marriage to Diana, that it was possible to get a signal from Hampstead Heath, London, to Lands End, the furthest point west, within some extraordinarily short time by this method. If my memory serves me, the time was something like 7 minutes to Lands's End and about 40 minutes to the outer Hebrides. This is why Drake was able to famously claim that he had time ti finish a game of bowls before he thrashed the Spaniard.)The Brits met the Armada at Plymouth and fought them in the Channel to Calais, where the Spanish expected more ships to join them from the Netherlands which was in Spanish hands at the time. The battle in the Channel lasted about a week, with the smaller and much more maneuverable English vessels whipping in close to do damage, but out- numbered by the much larger vessels. The Armada anchored at Calais and waited. It was there that the British sent in the small fire ships which, assisted by a rising wind, created havoc among the anchored vessels. When many of the ships destroyed, the remainder could not sail westward out of the Channel to return to Spain, because of the winds. They were forced to sail northwards up the east coast of England and around Scotland, where they ran into foul weather. The weather worsened as they sailed south and many of the remaining vessels were wrecked on the Irish coast.

Snow Leopard This enjoyable historical drama is particularly notable for the fine cast headed by Laurence Olivier, Vivien Leigh, and Raymond Massey. The period atmosphere works well, and the setting, against the background of the 16th century struggles between England and Spain, is an interesting one.The story does a solid job of working the historical setting into a romance between Olivier's and Leigh's characters, setting up some interesting possibilities. Those two work well together - Leigh is a natural in her role, and it's an interesting change of pace for Olivier, from his Shakespeare roles and the like. Massey adds considerable interest and energy as the kind of heavy that he played so well – his very voice seems appropriate. Flora Robson is very well suited to the role of Queen Elizabeth. Tamara Desni and Leslie Banks also do well in their roles.The plot creates good moments of drama, romance, and action, along with some good cat- and-mouse games between the characters. It builds to a good climax and, if it occasionally stretches plausibility, it easily holds your interest all the way through. Overall, it's pretty good and well worth seeing.