''The Abdication'' is a 1974 British historical

drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has b ...

film directed by

Anthony Harvey Anthony Harvey (3 June 1930 – 23 November 2017) was an English filmmaker who began his career as a teenage actor, was a film editor in the 1950s and moved into directing in the mid-1960s. Harvey had fifteen film credits as an editor, and he ...

and starring Peter Finch and Liv Ullmann. The film's score was composed by

Nino Rota Giovanni Rota Rinaldi (; 3 December 1911 – 10 April 1979), better known as Nino Rota (), was an Italian composer, pianist, conductor and academic who is best known for his film scores, notably for the films of Federico Fellini and Luchino Visco ...

. It tells a fictionalized version of the rumored love affair between

Christina, Queen of Sweden Christina ( sv, Kristina, 18 December (New Style) 1626 – 19 April 1689), a member of the House of Vasa, was Queen of Sweden in her own right from 1632 until her abdication in 1654. She succeeded her father Gustavus Adolphus upon his death a ...

and Cardinal

Decio Azzolino Decio Azzolino (11 April 1623 – 8 June 1689) was an Italian Catholic Cardinal, code-breaker, investigator and leader of the Squadrone Volante. Early life Azzolino was born at Fermo, the son of Pompeo Azzolino and Giulia Ruffo. He was the gre ...

during the former's stay in Rome after abdicating her throne.

Plot

After abdicating her throne and converting to Catholicism, Queen Christina arrives in Rome where Cardinal Azzolino is appointed to evaluate her and to help her to adapt to life in Rome. They fall in love but after the Pope's death, Azzolino rejects her to re-embrace his position in the church.

Cast

* Peter Finch as Azzolino * Liv Ullmann as Queen Christina *

Cyril Cusack Cyril James Cusack (26 November 1910 – 7 October 1993) was an Irish stage and screen actor with a career that spanned more than 70 years. During his lifetime, he was considered one of Ireland’s finest thespians, and was renowned for his in ...

as Oxenstierna * Paul Rogers as Altieri *

Graham Crowden Clement Graham Crowden (30 November 1922 – 19 October 2010) was a Scottish actor. He was best known for his many appearances in television comedy dramas and films, often playing eccentric "offbeat" scientist, teacher and doctor characters. Ea ...

as Barberini * Michael Dunn as The Dwarf *

Kathleen Byron Kathleen Elizabeth Fell (11 January 1921 – 18 January 2009), known professionally as Kathleen Byron, was an English actress. Early life Byron was born in Manor Park (then part of Essex) to what she described as "staunch working-class social ...

as Queen Mother * Lewis Fiander as Dominic *

Harold Goldblatt Harold Goldblatt (born Israel Goldblatt, 5 July 1899 – 22 March 1982) was an actor, theatre director and theatre producer from Northern Ireland. He was born in Manchester, England, to Russian Jewish parents, and subsequently moved with his fam ...

as Pinamonti *

Tony Steedman Anthony Francis Steedman (21 August 1927 – 4 February 2001) was an English character actor, perhaps best known for roles in British TV drama series of the 1970s and 1980s, and for his role as Socrates in ''Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure' ...

as Carranza * Noel Trevarthen as Ginetti * Richard Cornish as Charles * James Faulkner as Magnus * Ania Marson as Ebba * Franz Drago as Birgito * Suzanne Huddart as Young Christina * Debbie Nicholson as Young Ebba *

Edward Underdown Charles Edward Underdown (3 December 190815 December 1989) was an English theatre, cinema and television actor. He was born in London and educated at Eton College in Berkshire. Notable work Early theatre credits include: Noël Coward's '' Words ...

as Christina's Father

References

External links

* * * * 1974 films British biographical drama films British historical drama films Films directed by Anthony Harvey Cultural depictions of Christina, Queen of Sweden Biographical films about Swedish royalty Films scored by Nino Rota 1970s biographical drama films 1970s historical drama films Films set in the 17th century Films set in Vatican City Films shot at Pinewood Studios Warner Bros. films 1974 drama films 1970s English-language films 1970s British films {{1970s-UK-film-stub

Plot

Cast

See also

References

External links