''The Royal Oak'' is a 1923 British silent historical drama film directed by

Maurice Elvey Maurice Elvey (11 November 1887 – 28 August 1967) was one of the most prolific film directors in British history. He directed nearly 200 films between 1913 and 1957. During the silent film era he directed as many as twenty films per year. He a ...

and starring Betty Compson, Henry Ainley and

Henry Victor Henry Victor (2 October 1892 – 15 March 1945) was an English-born character actor who had his highest profile in the film silent era, he appeared in numerous film roles in Britain, before emigrating to the US in 1939 where he continued ...

.BFI.org
/ref> It was based on the 1889 play ''

The Royal Oak The Royal Oak is the English oak tree within which the future King Charles II of England hid to escape the Roundheads following the Battle of Worcester in 1651. The tree was in Boscobel Wood, which was part of the park of Boscobel House. C ...

'' by Henry Hamilton and

Augustus Harris Sir Augustus Henry Glossop Harris (18 March 1852 – 22 June 1896) was a British actor, impresario, and dramatist, a dominant figure in the West End theatre, West End theatre of the 1880s and 1890s. Born into a theatrical family, Harris briefl ...

. The title references the

Royal Oak The Royal Oak is the English oak tree within which the future King Charles II of England hid to escape the Roundheads following the Battle of Worcester in 1651. The tree was in Boscobel Wood, which was part of the park of Boscobel House. C ...

in which Charles is said to have hidden. The film proved popular and was re-released in 1929 by Equity British Films.

Plot

A woman disguises herself as Charles II in order to allow the real King to escape

Oliver Cromwell Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English politician and military officer who is widely regarded as one of the most important statesmen in English history. He came to prominence during the 1639 to 1651 Wars of the Three K ...

's troops after the Royalist defeat at the

Battle of Worcester The Battle of Worcester took place on 3 September 1651 in and around the city of Worcester, England and was the last major battle of the 1639 to 1653 Wars of the Three Kingdoms. A Parliamentarian army of around 28,000 under Oliver Cromwell d ...

Cast

* Betty Compson as Lady Mildred Cholmondeley * Henry Ainley as

Charles I of England Charles I (19 November 1600 – 30 January 1649) was King of England, Scotland, and Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. He was born into the House of Stuart as the second son of King James VI of Scotland, but after hi ...

/ Charles II of England *

Thurston Hall Ernest Thurston Hall (May 10, 1882 – February 20, 1958) was an American film, stage and television actor.Aylesworth, Thomas G. and Bowman, John S. (1987). ''The World Almanac Who's Who of Film''. World Almanac. . Pp. 186-187. Career Stag ...

as Colonel Ancketell *

Clive Brook Clifford Hardman "Clive" Brook (1 June 1887 – 17 November 1974) was an English film actor. After making his first screen appearance in 1920, Brook emerged as a leading British actor in the early 1920s. After moving to the United States ...

as Dorian Clavering *

Bertie Wright Albert James Matthew Wright (6 February 1871 – 7 March 1960), known as Bertie Wright, was a British actor of the silent era. Wright was born in Blackburn, Lancashire, England, and died on 7 March 1960, in Sydney, New South Wales, Austr ...

as Dearlove * Peter Dear as Lord Cholmondeley * Dallas Cairns as Pendrel * Blanche Walker as Parry *

Rolf Leslie Rolf Leslie was a British actor born in Dumfries, Dumfriesshire, Scotland, UK. Selected filmography * ''Sixty Years a Queen'' (1913) * '' East Lynne'' (1913) * '' Lights of London'' (1914) * ''Jane Shore'' (1915) * '' The Faith of a Child'' (191 ...

as Melchizedek

References

External links

* 1923 films 1920s historical drama films British silent feature films British historical drama films 1920s English-language films English Civil War films Films set in Shropshire Films set in the 1640s Films set in the 1650s Films directed by Maurice Elvey Stoll Pictures films British black-and-white films 1923 drama films Films shot at Cricklewood Studios Cultural depictions of Charles II of England Cultural depictions of Oliver Cromwell Cultural depictions of Charles I of England 1920s British films Silent drama films {{1920s-UK-film-stub