The Sea Hawk (1940)

Flora Robson: Queen Elizabeth

Photos 

Quotes 

• [last lines] 

  Queen Elizabeth : And now, my loyal subjects, a grave duty confronts us all: To prepare our nation for a war that none of us wants, least of all your queen. We have tried by all means in our power to avert this war. We have no quarrel with the people of Spain or of any other country; but when the ruthless ambition of a man threatens to engulf the world, it becomes the solemn obligation of all free men to affirm that the earth belongs not to any one man, but to all men, and that freedom is the deed and title to the soil on which we exist. Firm in this faith, we shall now make ready to meet the great armada that Philip sends against us. To this end, I pledge you ships - ships worthy of our seamen - a mighty fleet, hewn out of the forests of England; a navy foremost in the world - not only in our time, but for generations to come.

  Carl Pitt : [leading a cheer]  To England, and the Queen!

• [at court, Thorpe explains that he stopped the Spanish ship and freed Englishmen being held as slaves] 

  Queen Elizabeth : So you have taken it upon yourself to remedy the defects of Spanish justice?

  Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe : Insofar as it lies within my power, yes, your Grace.

  Queen Elizabeth : And you conceive it to be part of your... mission to assault and loot the ship of an ambassador to the court? Captain Thorpe, do you imagine that we are at war with Spain?

  Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe : Your Grace, Spain is at war with the world.

  [the other Sea Hawk captains and the people in the court murmur approval] 

  Queen Elizabeth : Enough of this! Listen to me, every one of you! Never again will you dare - in my presence - to condone your crimes under the mask of patriotism. No more of such talk, do you hear? And for the future let me warn you... that any unwarranted attack upon the person or property of Spanish subjects will cost the guilty party his head! His head, is that clear?

• [after Capt. Thorpe tells the Queen his plan to ambush the Spanish in Panama] 

  Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe : Madam, our plunder would be the richest prize ever brought back to England.

  Queen Elizabeth : Could such a plan possibly succeed?

  Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe : It would have one chance of success: if the Spanish were taken by complete surprise. Have I your permission to try, Madam?

  Queen Elizabeth : [she paces and considers his plan]  Captain Thorpe, if you undertook such a venture you would do so without the approval of the Queen of England. But you would take with you the grateful affection of Elizabeth.

  Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe : Then, Madam, I shall take with me that which I prize above all things.

• Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe : For you, Madame. As soon as I saw it, I thought of you.

  Queen Elizabeth : I see the light in it, like a candle in a frosted window. A West Indian pearl, is it not?

  Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe : Yes, Madame. By some mischance it was on it's way to Spain when I diverted it.

• Queen Elizabeth : [about Capt. Thorpe's monkey]  He looks like Wolfingham.

• Queen Elizabeth : [after Maria swoons upon hearing of Capt. Thorpe's capture]  Don Alvarez, it appears your news concerns your niece more than it does me.

  Don José Alvarez de Cordoba : My Grace, I would have spared her had I known.

  Queen Elizabeth : Your arrow hit the wrong mark.

• Queen Elizabeth : In recognition of your valiant services, I pronounce you a Knight of the Realm. Rise, Sir Geoffrey Thorpe.

• Queen Elizabeth : Spanish ships are notoriously slow. He should have come on an English boat.